Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe picks out three talking points from the FA Cup tie at Newcastle United.

HOW THE CUP IS VIEWED

With the riches of the Premier League, it seems survival in the top flight is put above everything. Struggling Huddersfield, Fulham and Cardiff were knocked out by lower division sides in round three, while Newcastle and Southampton will both require replays against Championship sides. Mid-table Leicester were also beaten by League Two Newport.

How can it be where a competition as lucrative and historic as the FA Cup just be tossed to one side for supporters of those teams? Yes, their players have just come through a rigorous period of games, and all four will face a fight to stay up, but surely football has to be about more than just that. With a favourable draw, and the top six departing along the way, who knows where the competition could take you?

It seems the Premier League now is all about the title, the top four, or staying up. Managers are beaten with the stick of ‘you’ve not won anything’, but seem happy to toss away the chances of silverware. Fans deserve more, but they too have probably signed up to the notion of the league taking priority.

PAYING THE PENALTY

Rovers were denied a guaranteed spot in round four by a late Matt Ritchie penalty. The challenge on Ayoze Perez from Corry Evans was clumsy, but the replays showed the Spaniard was certainly looking for a way down.

But with VAR in use, the slightest of contacts meant the likelihood of it being overturned were slim.

Ritchie scored from the spot, the seventh given away by Rovers this season. Five have been scored, the two other two missed by Lewis Grabban and Saido Berahino. There was another given in the win at Bolton in October, only to be overturned when the linesman flagged for offside.

Rovers too though have had their success from the spot – Charlie Mulgrew scoring all four of his spot-kicks this season.

DIFFERING SUCCESS AT SET PLAYS

Mulgrew went close to scoring from a corner once again, and whipped in some particularly dangerous balls in to the box from the right. Goalkeeper Freddie Woodman looked unsure from every delivery which came in to the box, with Mulgrew himself seeing an effort cleared off the line from a left wing Craig Conway corner.

The goal Rovers scored, through Bradley Dack, was from an Elliott Bennett cross, as Rovers switched things up, and took a free kick short.

While they possessed a potency with attacking set plays, they looked a little shaky at the other end. Three times Newcastle players found themselves unmarked at the far post, with David Raya saving twice from Joselu and Jonjo Shelvey.

From the second of those Shelvey headers, Danny Graham made two excellent blocks, including one from on the goal-line.