'Strike of a lifetime' - an own goal that belongs in FA Cup folklore

The history books will say Leyton Orient led their thrilling FA Cup fourth-round tie with Premier League champions Manchester City for 40 minutes because of a Stefan Ortega own goal.

Forget that.

To anyone lucky enough to be there to witness it - a tie Man City recovered to win 2-1 - Leyton Orient scored thanks to a wonder strike from Jamie Donley.

It was the Tottenham loanee who seized on the loose ball after City midfielder Nico Gonzalez had the ball taken off him just inside the visitors' half. It was Donley who spotted Ortega off his line and executed a quite brilliant 50-yard chip that sailed over the City goalkeeper.

Yes, the ball struck the bar and only crossed the line because it hit Ortega as the German failed to regain his balance after trying to make the initial save. It was Donley's goal.

"It is a shame it has gone down as an own goal," said Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens. "It is not deserved and I am sure Ortega doesn't want it. It is one thing seeing it, it is another executing."

Despite the result, the goal belongs in FA Cup folklore.

A series of experienced former top-level professionals certainly spoke about the effort as if Donley has scored it.

"It's an absolutely remarkable goal," said ex-Arsenal defender Martin Keown on Match of the Day. "It's the strike of a lifetime. To even think about shooting from there - wow."

"What a spot," enthused Chris Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live. "What a story. It's absolutely sensational.

"It will go down as an own goal but it is one of the greatest FA Cup goals."

But what did it feel like to actually do it?

"I know I hit the goal well," said Donley. "I knew it fell for me nicely.

"I saw him off his line and luckily it went in. It would have been a lot nicer if we won but it was a good moment."

Donley had previously scored five goals this season. In status or artistic impression, none can compare to this one.

Even City boss Pep Guardiola, while seething at what he believed was a clear foul on his £50m debutant Gonzalez - whose status as the replacement for injured Ballon d'Or winner Rodri makes him such a key figure, and who, as a result of the perceived infringement, now has his participation in Tuesday's Champions League play-off first-leg in doubt, was full of admiration.

"What a goal," he said. "What a fantastic shot - the quality, the technique, the speed, the flight of the ball.

"When you concede this goal, you just congratulate Donley. He's an incredible left-footed player and he made a fantastic goal."

'Spurs have loaned us one of their best young players'

A youth international for both England and Northern Ireland, this tie was not the first time Donley had faced City.

The 20-year-old made his senior Tottenham debut at Etihad Stadium in December 2023, coming on as a last-minute substitute just before Dejan Kulusevski scored in a memorable 3-3 draw.

That was one of four substitute appearances totalling 10 minutes for the Antrim-born midfielder.

Tottenham felt he needed to go away to continue his development.

On the evidence of his performance against City, it was not just his Ronnie Radford-esque strike but his all-round industrious performance that made Donley stand out.

It was easy to suggest to Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens the goal might have wrecked any chance of luring him back to Brisbane Road next season.

However, as Wellens made clear, that would require his side to secure promotion from League One, where they currently sit ninth.

"Spurs have loaned us one of their best young players," he said.

"We think we have developed him really well over the last six months. If he carries on with same attitude, intensity and work ethic, he might be playing against them [City] week in week out.

"Unless we are in the Championship there is no way we get him back next year. That is the nature of my job and the club we are at. We have to take first loans. If we wait until they have had a loan, they bypass us.

"The plan with Jamie was one of two things, he comes to us, develops and turns into a man, then he either goes back to Tottenham and gets into their first team or he goes to the Championship. There is a clear development plan for him and, going forward, the Championship is the minimum for him."

Pep laughs off 'sacked in the morning' jibes

Guardiola seemed to enjoy his day in east London.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has not lost to a lower-league team since City were beaten by Wigan at the DW Stadium in 2018.

Yet he spoke enthusiastically afterwards about difficult FA Cup days in the past he had encountered at places like Newport and Cheltenham.

The City boss was even able to make light of the taunting he received from the home fans as his side tried to come to terms with being a goal behind.

"The atmosphere was fantastic," he said. "Even when they say 'you're getting sacked in the morning'.

"It's routine in all the stadiums right now. With this result, I think my chairman is not going to sack me but it [the atmosphere] was really good."