Are we starting to see the downsides of no FA Cup replays?

Dan Mullan / Getty

The conclusion of Exeter City versus Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup last night gave us the first sorry looks at the future of the competition - one that has scrapped the magic of replays.

Many will have told you Exeter were far and away the better team. Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo opted for heavy rotation to his team and paid the price in the opening five minutes - backup goalie Carlos Miguel blundering in the opening few minutes to give the home side the lead.

Both teams exchanged goals in an entertaining contest to tie the game 2-2 at full time. Prior to this season, that would have meant a replay of the fixture at the Forest Ground, but with replays now a thing of the past, extra time followed, and then penalties.

All four of Forest's penalty takers were brought on as substitutes - this included their star duo of Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White, who made no mistake from the spot, sending them into the next round. 

Exeter were not disheartened by their exit, and they had no reason to be. They challenged their Premier League opposition and deserved more from the game. It gives them a lot of confidence to take on the remainder of the season - their last win in the league came on Boxing Day and they are currently hovering just five points out of the relegation zone. 

On the whole, this match, as well as a few others so far this season, have shown us that the elimination of replays has damaged the magic of the cup somewhat. 

The decision, which was finalised last April, was met with debate. 

Replays greatly benefit lower league teams, who relish the opportunity to stay in the competition as long as they can; hoping to be drawn against top level opposition. It means broadcast opportunities, which means additional revenue - something that really helps to support and maintain these teams. 

Back in January, National League side Tamworth took on Tottenham Hotspur, and amazingly held the Lilywhites to a 0-0 draw. With replays, this would mean the Tamworth support would earn a trip to North London and play Spurs at their ground - regarded as one of the best in the UK with a capacity fifteen times the size of their own stadium.  

Instead, we saw extra time, where Tamworth's tired legs conceded three goals - ending their cup hopes there and then. 

For the teams at the top of the pyramid - in particular those with European commitments - additional matches on the schedule simply cannot be fit in, even more so with the updated schedules for Europe and the upcoming Club World Cup. An increase in complaints from players and managers over the congested schedule has forced the hand of the FA to implement this change.

And surprise surprise, the decision favoured the rich, and not the poor - highlighting the continued revenue divide between teams in the EFL. 

Removal of replays began during the 2018/19 season, when they were scrapped from the fifth round onwards. This is the first season of the cup that features no replays whatsoever; they are absent from the first round and beyond. As a reminder, Premier League teams don't enter the competition until the third round - meaning even less opportunities for the lower league teams.

I mentioned a bit yesterday that I was quietly rooting for the underdog in the FA Cup - something I tend to do every year - and after Plymouth's giant-killing of Liverpool at the weekend, they are somewhat of a 'last hope' to prove that the magic of the cup is still there. 

Despite that, the only teams remaining in the cup are from the Premier League and Championship; surely there is a universe where Exeter City are still hanging on after beating Forest in their own backyard.