Dzeko delivers to deny County famous victory

EDIN DZEKO may have little in the way of in-depth knowledge of the traditions of the FA Cup, but no doubt he will soon discover just how much Roberto Mancini has to thank him for preventing the Manchester City manager from suffering the embarrassment of one of the biggest FA Cup upsets in the modern era at Meadow Lane.

Dzeko will also know little of the tradition of one of the longest established and founder members of the Football League, but his goal 11 minutes from time on his FA Cup debut prevented them from adding another significant page to the history books ahead of their 150th anniversary next year.

Mancini’s relief was as visible as the scarred surface at the League One ground which almost claimed his side as a high-profile victim.

The £27m (€31.4m) invested by City in the former Wolfsburg striker looked worth every penny when Dzeko pounced from close range for the priceless equaliser which deprived Paul Ince and his League One side of a famous scalp, after Neal Bishop, who only entered league football at the age of 26, had set up the prospect of a giant-killing on the hour mark.

In the previous round City had fielded the most expensive team in FA Cup history and the latest incarnation at Meadow Lane, with the addition of Dzeko cost an estimated £150m (€175m).

For all the Abu Dhabi billions, they were exposed for a paucity of riches in fighting spirit and desire for long periods by a team that cost less than £150,000 (€175,000) to assemble until Dzeko’s late intervention broke the hearts of the home side.

But Mancini does not believe his side were fortunate to still have the opportunity to win a fifth round tie with Aston Villa.

“It was an important goal for him Dzeko because it is always difficult for new players to come into the side. He still needs four or five more games to get used to playing in England, but we did not deserve to lose, but that is the way the FA Cup goes sometimes,” said Mancini, who wants to buy a deadline day replacement for Adam Johnson who could miss the rest of the season with an ankle ligament injury.

“We had a chance and we did not take it and then we concede a goal which makes us have to take risks to try to not lose the game. Before the match I would have said that I did not want a replay. After the match I am happy that we have another game, because we want to get to the final. So it is not a problem to play another game.’’

The chasm between the two clubs is vast on all levels. The founder members of the Football League started the day 59 places below the richest club in the world and the £27m (€31.4m) spent on Dzeko could purchase the League One club several times over, yet the gulf was not so evident for the opening 45 minutes when a badly scarred surface helped even things out.

Nottingham Rugby Club had churned up the surface twice in the week leading up to the encounter, much to the delight of Notts County manager Paul Ince who would have relished the opportunity to pull on his boots for a final time. It was an occasion tailor-made for his snarling instincts and his players performed in the image of their manager for long periods.

“The pitch was not that bad. Both teams could pass the ball on it. I was jealous that I was not out there. My players deserve a lot of credit for the way we played. There was a never-say-die-attitude,” said Ince.

With Carlos Tevez given the afternoon off, Dzeko was handed the culture shock of lower league opponents in his first FA Cup appearance and the responsibility of providing a focal point for City’s attacks, but his reaction speed was too slow when he allowed Krystian Pearce to slide in and dispossess him six-yards out.

City’s only other real chance of a first period that will have frustrated Mancini was when Dzeko and Micah Richards combined to create a shooting opportunity at the near post for Yaya Toure, but his sliding shot struck the feet of County goalkeeper Stuart Nelson and bounced over.

The longer City went without scoring the more the home side grew in confidence and they took the lead in the 59th minute when, despite all the blue-shirted giants in the City penalty area, Bishop rose higher than all to head home Alan Gow’s corner. Bishop had not even played league football until he was 26, after a journeyman non-league career with Scarborough, York, Barnet, Whitby and Spennymoor, but it was moments like that which made it all worthwhile.

When Nelson tipped Gareth Barry’s dipping volley from the edge of the area over the crossbar, City must have wondered whether the gods were against them, but to their credit they refused to accept defeat and when Richards scampered down the right he delivered the perfect cross and Dzeko was at his predatory best to stretch to make a low volley at the far post to deny County a famous day.