Premier League high-flying Newcastle suffered a surprise FA Cup knockout against third-tier Sheffield on Wednesday, while top-flight strugglers Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth were also knocked out by lower-league opposition Saturday.

Elsewhere, in a hectic day of third round action, Harry Kane came closest to becoming Tottenham’s all-time record goalscorer when he scored in a 1-0 win against Portsmouth.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the Hollywood actors who co-own Wrexham, led the celebrations on social media after their non-league team’s upset 4-3 win at second division Coventry.

But it was on Wednesday that they stole the show with their impressive 2-1 win at Hillsborough against a Newcastle side sitting third in the Premier League.

Eddie Howe’s side were unbeaten in their previous 15 games in all competitions but on Wednesday, currently second in League One, they are now unbeaten in 10 straight games after Josh Windass’s brace stunned the Magpies.

Wednesday took the lead on 52 minutes when Windass, who appeared to be in an offside position, deflected Dennis Adeniran’s ball from close range.

Windass scored his second 13 minutes later, coolly converting after Michael Smith passed him.

Newcastle reduced the deficit in the 68th minute when Bruno Guimaraes struck from close range, but Chris Wood squandered a golden opportunity to equalize when he fired from 10 yards.

In a day of turmoil that showed the FA Cup can still thrill despite its diminished status, the Wrexham National League enjoyed one of the most memorable results in the competition’s recent history.

Sam Dalby and Elliot Lee scored to give Wrexham a dream start before Ben Sheaf got one back for Coventry.

Thomas O’Connor scored Wrexham’s third before Paul Mullin’s penalty appeared to have sealed the win, with Coventry’s Jonathan Panzo sent off for handball.

Viktor Gyokeres and Kasey Palmer struck for Coventry in the closing stages, but Wrexham held on to reach the fourth round for the first time since 2000, prompting a profanity-filled celebratory Instagram post from Reynolds.

Said Benrahma scored with a long-range rocket in the 79th minute against his former club Brentford as struggling West Ham eased the pressure on manager David Moyes with a 1-0 win.

– ‘Fantastic competition’ –

Forest boss Steve Cooper named an entirely different starting squad for the game in Blackpool after his side’s midweek win against Southampton saw them lifted out of the Premier League relegation zone.

The plan fell through when the Championship team won 4-1 at Bloomfield Road, with goals from Marvin Ekpiteta, Ian Poveda, CJ Hamilton and Jerry Yates.

“This is a fantastic competition where I have been lucky enough to experience some fantastic days and this was one of them,” Blackpool manager Michael Appleton told the BBC.

Two goals each from Anass Zaroury and Manuel Benson put Championship leaders Burnley on course for a 4–2 win at Bournemouth.

– Kane hits –

At Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, England captain Kane scored the only goal of the game in the 50th minute, receiving the ball on the edge of the box and deflecting a fine curling effort past Josh Griffiths’ desperate drive.

Kane, with four goals in four games since missing the penalty against France that sent England out of the World Cup, now has 265 goals for Spurs, just one behind the club’s all-time leading goalscorer Jimmy Greaves.

“I try not to think about it,” Kane said. “Sometimes you can think too much. Obviously I feel in good shape and I feel fit. My mentality is to help the team and hopefully the goals will come”.

Leicester, who won the FA Cup two years ago, beat Gillingham, bottom of the fourth division, 1-0.

Jamie Vardy was the provider when Kelechi Iheanacho struck with a clinical shot in the 56th minute.

Premier League basement club Southampton came from behind to beat last year’s semi-finalists Crystal Palace 2-1.

AFP