Newcastle United were made to wait for a 2-0 victory over minor league Yeading and champions Arsenal [Images] had to come from behind to beat Stoke City 2-1 in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.

Despite six divisions separating the two clubs, the biggest gap in FA Cup history, Newcastle needed second-half goals from Lee Bowyer and Shola Ameobi to shatter Yeading's FA Cup hopes at Loftus Road.

A shock was also on the cards at Highbury, where second division Stoke had a goal disallowed before taking the lead through defender Wayne Thomas just before halftime.

Arsenal's equaliser came from Spanish forward Jose Antonio Reyes on 50 minutes but Stoke had a shot cleared off the line and hit the woodwork before Dutchman Robin van Persie fired home the 70th-minute winner.

Arsenal and Newcastle go into Monday's fourth-round draw unlike the four Premier League clubs who lost on Saturday, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Norwich City and Crystal Palace.

A replay on January 18 will be needed to separate minor league Exeter City and Manchester United [Images] following their remarkable 0-0 draw at Old Trafford.

BIGGEST UPSET

Yeading's hopes of causing the biggest ever upset were ended after 51 minutes when Bowyer steered in Newcastle's first goal and Ameobi arrowed in a header 10 minutes later.

"Apart from my kids being born, that was the second proudest day of my life," Yeading manager Johnson Hippolyte told the BBC.

"A lot of those players have had disappointments earlier in their careers, at pro clubs and that sort of thing.

"But I thought they had the character and I knew they had the technical ability and I think they showed that to everybody watching today."

Newcastle boss Graeme Souness told Sky Sports News: "We've had great chances today and we've been guilty of not taking them.

"But that would be taking a great deal away from Yeading. They've worked their socks off today and give them credit for that.

"They came here thinking they had a half a chance and until we scored a second goal they always had a chance."

Despite the odds being stacked in their favour, there were no shortage of scares for Arsenal.

Manager Arsene Wenger felt his team had lacked bite in the opening 45 minutes.

"In the second half we came out with more determination to hit them harder and straight away we looked more dangerous," he said.

"We were lucky maybe to come back to 1-1 quickly but from then on it always looked like we would score a second one."

Stoke took a shock lead when Thomas snapped up a loose ball from point-blank range after Ade Akinbiyi's powerful header was only parried by keeper Jens Lehmann.

Reyes, back after an injury layoff and personal problems, cracked in the equaliser after Stoke had cleared a Kolo Toure cross.

Stoke hit back when striker Chris Greenacre had an effort cleared off the line by French defender Gael Clichy, and Akinbiyi suffered again when his shot hit the woodwork.

Van Persie clipped in the winner from a Jermaine Pennant cross to send Arsenal through to the next round.

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