Five reasons to be cheerful for Yorkshire's FA Cup flops

The elimination of the Bantams and Town means that the White Rose representation in the cup is now entrusted to Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City, with Sheffield United, Doncaster Rovers, Rotherham United and Middlesbrough having already bowed out earlier this month.

While there will not feel like much solace for those sides who have exited already, more especially for those of a claret-and-amber or blue-and-white persuasion this cold and foggy morning, all is not deep gloom - if you look hard enough.

Here’s why.

1: Bradford City have had considerable fun in the cups in recent seasons - and their priority this year was always the league.

Yes, a round four all-Yorkshire tussle with Hull City would have ticked a box. But it cannot be said that Bantams fans have not have their appetites sated in terms of cup fare over the past few years. It would have been hard to top last season’s exploits and those of 2012-13, let’s face it.

Before a ball was kicked this term, most people you spoke to at Bradford - while hardly turning their noses up at a cup run - stressed that the overwhelming concern was the league and namely ending their exile from the second tier where the club feel that they traditionally belong.

More fixture congestion following a league cancellation on fourth round day and more another potential rescheduling with a replay would have started to wreak havoc with City’s roster.

Factor in possible winter postponements, with Valley Parade susceptible to the elements - and the onset of several injuries - and an extended cup run may have afforded Phil Parkinson, from a manager’s perspective, a few future headaches. He might have taken them, mind.

2: Huddersfield Town have their mojo back - that is the most important thing.

There is no disguising the fact that Huddersfield’s third round replay at Reading was a big game. A cup run is something that Town fans have been hankering for - with the club having not reached the last 16 for eight seasons when there were a good chance that they would have drawn a big fish if they had disposed of League One side Walsall at home.

The replay in Berkshire effectively turned on the dismissal of Jonathan Hogg on 27 minutes when Town were set fair with a 2-0 lead, with the Royals using their man advantage in accomplished fashion. It was not a level playing field and a game in which Town were beaten, punch for punch, by a better team.

Town’s performances, particularly at home, are continuing to enthuse supporters and they can genuinely set their sights on rising up the table and achieving their highest finish since returning to the second tier - previously it was 16th in each of the last two seasons. That would be substantive progress.

A good way to put the cup to the back of their minds is by continuing their uplifting home form by beating Cardiff on Saturday week.

3: Sheffield United - read point 1 (Bradford City).

Like Bradford, the Blades have dined out on the cup stage in the past few years, with some famous episodes arriving along the way.

While their late exit at Old Trafford, which denied them a deserved replay, was a blow in the solar plexus, United’s reaction has been just what the doctor ordered.

A thrilling comeback to somehow take a point at Wigan followed by a last-gasp win at Colchester, which smacked of resilience and character - augurs seriously well for the battles ahead.

Psychologically, it has taken the emphasis away from events in Manchester which the Blades have had no particular cause to dwell on when they might have if results in their past two games had been different.

Nigel Adkins’ side have picked themselves up impressively from that narrow 1-0 penalty loss at Manchester United and represent the team that those sides currently present in the top six of League One will genuinely fear. Blessed with advantages that not too many in the third tier possess, the Blades have the capacity to generate a terrific head of steam at the business end of the season. Here’s hoping.

4: Rotherham United have plenty of cup finals ahead - including a big one on fourth-round day.

Inspection of the Millers’ side for the cup trip to Elland Road on January 9 and their line-up against Brighton three days later left nobody in any doubt where Neil Redfearn’s priorities lied.

An FA Cup run, while representing something that the Millers have not done since 2001-02 - is still small beer. More especially when you are in a relegation scrap. Ask most level-headed Millers fans on whether they would have taken victory at Leeds or a win over Brighton on January 12 and there’s a fair chance most would have taken the latter option.

Elimination also means that Rotherham’s home game with Charlton will not change from its current date of January 30. Given the Addicks’ thoroughly wretched first month of 2016 - they have let in 11 goals already on two visits to Yorkshire in severe beatings at Huddersfield and Hull - it should be a timely arrival.

5: Middlesbrough will get a mini-break on fourth round weekend, which may not be a bad thing.

Boro’s third-round loss to Burnley should not inflict too much collateral damage on the club’s campaign - with league affairs taking massive precedence.

And Boro are another side like the Blades and Bradford who have had their cup moments of late too.

The Teessiders’ gruelling Championship run over games from December to mid January and has seen them tackle the likes of Brighton, Burnley, Ipswich, Birmingham, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County and Brentford. A fine run of results may have come at a bit of a price, mind.

With all due respect to Bristol City, who deservedly ended Boro’s unbeaten streak last weekend, perhaps the visitors’ previous exertions had taken a fair bit out of the tank.

Boro’s exit, coupled with MK Dons victory in their third-round replay with Northampton on Tuesday night, means that Aitor Karanka’s side will put their feet up on the final weekend of January - with their trip to Buckinghamshire to be rearranged. A mini-break won’t necessarily be a bad thing, some would venture.