Winners and losers: Cook's reset, Walton's heroics and a bad weekend for the big boys

WINNERS

The FA Cup

Manager Paul Cook did all he could to try and get Ipswich Town into the hat for round two.

He essentially named the same side which beat Wycombe 4-1 on Tuesday night, with Cameron Burgess the only man to come into the starting XI, having played the majority of the win at Adams Park.

We’ve been used to wholesale changes in the FA Cup in recent years, the ultimate signal that the competition mattered little to the man in charge of Ipswich Town.

But Cook is clearly different and, while the result didn’t come this time around, his principles should surely help banish one of the miserable inevitabilities which have blighted season after season at Portman Road.

Christian Walton saves Oldham Athletics penalty, taken by Dylan Bahamboula (24). (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

Man with the gloves

Ipswich only remain in the FA Cup thanks to Christian Walton’s excellent penalty save.

The Brighton loanee flung himself to his right to keep out Dylan Bahamboula’s effort at the start of the second period, continuing an excellent week which also saw the keeper make a stunning save at a crucial time as he denied Anthony Stewart of Wycombe.

Walton’s settling into life at Ipswich nicely, bringing a sense of calm to a backline which suffered with a few cases of the jitters early in the season.

It’s not just the saves, either, it’s his ability to claim high balls into the box, both from open play and from set-pieces, which is really helping out his side.

Latics boss

Keith Curle questioned whether Cook should really have been looking beyond Oldham, when the Town boss spoke of his desire to play Norwich in round three of this competition.

While Cook’s comments weren’t in any way meant to be disrespectful to Oldham, as proven by the strength of sides he selected, Curle insisted he would use them as part of his motivational approach ahead of the game.

It worked, with the Latics giving as good as they got for long spells of this game. They’ll fancy their chances in a replay now.

Another one...

Another game, another goal for Tyreece Simpson.

The young Ipswich loanee now has seven goals for Swindon Town this season, firing home well as the Wiltshire side won 3-0 at Crewe to book their place in round two.

This latest goal, which again sadly came in Swindon’s Canary-coloured yellow-and-green kit, follows his brace against Oldham a week ago.

LOSERS

The big guns

It’s been a bad weekend for the big guns.

Of League One’s top 10, only Rotherham secured safe passage to round two as they beat Bromley 3-0 to easily advance.

The rest must negotiate replays, while Sunderland have been dumped out following a home loss to Mansfield.

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Leaders Wigan face a replay at Solihull Moors, while second-placed Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday (8th) must do it all again after playing out a draw.

Wycombe (4th) drew at Hartlepool while Oxford (6th), MK Dons (9th) and Cambridge (10th) drew 2-2 with Stevenage, Northampton and Bristol Rovers respectively.

Things didn’t go well for the League Two leaders, either, with Forest Green exiting following a 3-2 loss at St Albans.

The first round of the FA Cup can be a cruel mistress.

Town manager Paul Cook looks on (Image: Steve Waller)

Town’s schedule

Having to deal with a replay at Boundary Park on November 16 is exactly what Town didn’t want.

It comes at an awkward time, sandwiched between big League One games against Oxford and Sunderland and throws up all sorts of logistical issues which would have existed had the job been done properly on Saturday.

Cook surely won’t name his strongest side for the return fixture, like he did in the initial staging, meaning the current crop of fringe players will be charged with taking Town through to round two.

But while the likes of George Edmundson, Macauley Bonne and Sam Morsy are highly unlikely to feature at Boundary Park, Cook, all of his coaches and many of those involved in League One squads will be there. That’s an unnecessary distraction.

With a visit to the Stadium of Light coming just a few days later, could Town stay up north for the majority of the week in order to remove 10 hours of time on a coach from the equation?

Again, that’s not ideal.

Oldham beware

For all the grumbling about a replay, surely it’s a foregone conclusion?

That’s because Town will be wearing their white away kit at Oldham which, having been worn three times this season, has produced three away victories under the lights on Tuesday nights.

First was Gillingham in the Papa John’s Trophy, then it was the 4-0 and 4-1 thumpings of both Portsmouth and Wycombe.

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Sitting comfortably?

Just as it looked as though a preferred starting XI was emerging in front of our eyes, the Ipswich Town big guns threw in a performance like this.

What that does is potentially leave the door ajar for those who will be facing Colchester tomorrow, with Conor Chaplin, Sone Aluko, Scott Fraser among those thinking they might just be able to push for a starting spot in the coming weeks.