BBC offer official explanation into controversial Newcastle United goal v Birmingham City

A goal from Callum Wilson, his first of the campaign, sandwiched a brace from Joe Willock as the Magpies came out on the right end of a thrilling five-goal FA Cup tie. Willock’s late winner earned his side a safe passage into the next round in a match which the Magpies found themselves behind within 60 seconds.

As Ethan Laird swept home a well-worked corner routine, St Andrew’s was abuzz with dreams of a cup giant-killing. However, those hopes were soon dashed when Willock poked home an equaliser - one that has caused much debate from the second it crossed the line. Or did it?

Referee Matthew Donohue initially seemed unfazed by the incident as Bailey Peacock-Farrell patted away Willock’s initial effort before he then blazed over the rebound. However, assistant Nigel Lugg was quick to flag for a goal and after some confusion, the referee pointed to the centre-circle.

Replays of the goal didn’t seem to clear up the incident, however, with screen grabs suggesting that the visitors were rather fortunate to be given the goal. That proved to be the turning point in the match as Wilson added a second soon after and although the Blues went into the break level, they were ultimately defeated.

At half-time, BBC looked to clarify the incident with Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Curtis Davies all having their say and why crucially there was no goal-line technology in the tie.

Gary Lineker

"We need to see if it's actually over the line or not, there is goal-line technology in the FA Cup but not at a League One side, it has been in other games that have been played. Therefore we won't really know and I'm not sure how the assistant referee could know."

Alan Shearer

"He's certainly not in-line. We picture him there, he's four yards behind and he's made a huge call there. We've frozen it and we're not sure if it is or not but Newcastle will take it."

Curtis Davies

"You've got a linesman there who has guessed, that's it.

"When there's no technology, he's had to make a call and for me, that's not definitive. We've stopped it a hundred times during the game and we couldn't decide. The fact he's looking through a player as well, it's just a guess.”

VAR was not in operation due to a rule implemented by the FA this season that the technology would not be used until the Fifth Round stage at the earliest. VAR wouldn’t have been used in this game last season either as the match was not played at a Premier League ground.

Goal line technology, meanwhile, was also not in operation as Birmingham City are a League One club with that technology only being available in Premier League and Championship stadiums.

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