Newcastle see off Blackburn in extra-time to book place in FA Cup fourth round... but victory comes at a price

Ayoze Perez fires home Newcastle's fourth goal in extra time to finally kill Blackburn off
Ayoze Perez fires home Newcastle's fourth goal in extra time to finally kill Blackburn off Credit: ACTION IMAGES
  • Blackburn Rovers 2 Newcastle United 4 (aet)

Rafael Benitez has made no secret of the FA Cup being an unwelcome distraction and that attitude will only have been entrenched as he counts the cost of Newcastle United’s passage into the fourth round and a meeting with Watford.

If Benitez had one wish from this replay, perhaps beyond even victory, it would probably have been to emerge with a clean bill of health ahead of Saturday’s critical relegation scrap with Cardiff City. The last thing he needed were injuries to key defenders but a dramatic extra-time win over a spirited Blackburn Rovers was tempered by a double blow with the loss of first Ciaran Clark and then, 12 minutes later, the man who replaced the Irishman at half-time, Jamaal Lascelles.

Having already seen Jonjo Shelvey succumb to a thigh injury in the first game against Blackburn that could yet keep the midfielder out of Cardiff, who are a point and a place above third-bottom Newcastle, progress in the competition has come at a price. Benitez expressed hope that Clark would be fit after taking a kick to the knee but Lascelles’s prospects look less promising after he pulled up with a hamstring problem.

But then try telling the Newcastle fans who are desperate for some silverware that this was all an inconvenience. To them, it will have felt anything but.

Blackburn had bravely fought back from being two goals down inside 22 minutes to draw level by half-time and had a glorious chance to go in front in extra-time only for Bradley Dack to steer his shot just wide of a post from Craig Conway’s knock down.

Newcastle United's Sean Longstaff celebrates scoring their first goal 
Newcastle United's Sean Longstaff celebrates scoring their first goal  Credit: REUTERS

But goals from Joselu and Ayoze Perez either side of the extra-time interval were enough to sink the Championship side. Joselu was in an offside position when Fabian Schar shot but the Blackburn goalkeeper, David Raya, spilled the ball, allowing the Newcastle striker to tuck home the rebound. “It’s not an argument, it is offside, just say it is offside but the keeper should still have done better,” Tony Mowbray, the Blackburn manager, said.

Perez’s thumped finish after the substitute was released by Matt Ritchie ended any hope of a Blackburn fightback. In truth, it did not look like Newcastle would require extra-time when they raced into an early 2-0 lead.

Benitez made a total of 17 changes over the two games against Blackburn from the teams that lost to Manchester United and Chelsea to reinforce what a priority the Premier League is to him but two 21-year-old local boys, Sean Longstaff and Callum Roberts, seized the opportunity afforded them in spectacular fashion.

Darragh Lenihan levels it at 2-2
Darragh Lenihan levels it at 2-2 Credit: PA

In Longstaff’s case, he needed just 56 seconds to claim his first goal for the club after his shot from a central position 25 yards out took a wicked deflection off Amari’i Bell. Roberts then joined his fellow Geordie midfielder on the score-sheet when he volleyed home Jacob Murphy’s cross. “They did well, it shows the academy is doing a good job,” Benitez said.

It looked a long road back for Blackburn at that point but their response was impressive, Adam Armstrong poking a clever finish through Freddie Woodman’s legs from Danny Graham’s pass before Darrragh Lenihan powered home a header from Lewis Travis’ cross. Blackburn’s hopes of an upset died with Dack’s miss, though.

“I think it’s important to win and score four goals and go through so I’m really pleased with that but we had some problems and may lose some players,” Benitez said. “Hopefully not but we will have to see over the next few days.”

                                                                                                    

Full time: Blackburn 2 Newcastle 4

And that's another Cup game for Rafa Benitez and Newcastle, who will face Watford in the fourth round. Blackburn emerge from this tie beaten but with a fair amount of credit, given their own selection problems, but Newcastle's bench finally produced the goods in the end. 

Entertaining game, albeit one that might not live long in our collective memory.

Extra time, 27 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 4                 

Newcastle, through Murphy and then Atsu, have decent chances to make the scoreline very unrespectable, but Raya is equal to them this time.

Extra time, 24 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 4                

The home fans start to drift homeward, resigned to a defeat that looked likely, then unlikely, and now very likely again.

Extra time, 21 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 4               

Corner for Newcastle, the ball falls to Fabian Schar, who twist and fires the ball into the side netting.

Extra time, 20 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 4              

Matt Ritchie off, Christian Atsu on - even this bare-bones Newcastle squad are capable of flexing their top-flight muscle.

GOAL! Blackburn 2 Newcastle 4 (Perez, 107 min)

All over now? Substitute Ayoze Perez carries the ball into the Rovers box on the right and lashes a superb shot into the opposite top corner! Blackburn need another two goals, but I'm not confident about it.

"Straight round please, lads"

Second half of extra time under way.

Half time in extra time

I was being harsh: there's plenty of potential in this extra time, whether we get penalties at the end of it or not. 

Joselu, replays suggest, was offside for that goal, but Newcastle won't care about that: they are 15 minutes away from escaping this mild chaos with a place in the fourth round!

GOAL! Blackburn 2 Newcastle 3 (Joselu, 105+3 min)

Hello! Just as it looked like Blackburn were the likelier to find a winner, Joselu races in for the rebound after Raya parries a shot from Schar, and he lifts the ball over the keeper into the corner! Newcastle lead again!

Extra time, 15 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2                  

Nearly half time in extra time: Blackburn have a free kick, which Conway slaps into the Newcastle wall. Miraculously, nobody is injured. Moments later, Bradley Dack pounces on a knock-down, only has the keeper to beat...but pokes it wide!!!!

Extra time, 12 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2                 

Blackburn's fourth sub: Joe Rothwell for Richard Smallwood.

Extra time, 10 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2                

Blackburn probing now, and Nuttall has just thumped a header wide. Newcastle have Isaac Hayden down - when will Benitez's torture end? - and they're planning their fourth change (as the new law allows for extra time). Christian Atsu is waiting to see if Hayden is OK.

Extra time, 7 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2               

Perez becomes Lenihan's latest victim: I've lot count of the Newcastle players he's taken out, in addition to his thumping header for the equaliser.

Extra time, 4 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2              

As is so often the case with extra time, both teams already going through the motions of Playing Football, but with little intention of actually pressing forward for a goal. Ayoze Perez enters the fray, in place of goalscorer Callum Roberts.

Off we go...

Extra time under way at Ewood.

Full time: Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2

We go to extra time. The second half didn't quite live up to the first, save for the look on Benitez's face when his captain lasted just three minutes before pulling a hamstring.

Extra time beckons and penalties, quite possibly, loom.

90+3 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2              

Fernandez is booked for unceremoniously preventing Raya from releasing the ball upfield after claiming a Newcastle corner.

90 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2             

There will be three added minutes.

88 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2            

Long balls to either end as this game indulges in a bit of nuclear warfare before the 90 minutes is up.

83 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2           

Little in the way of goalscoring potential in these final stages of normal time. Blackburn might arguably be happier with the prospect of extra time...

79 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2          

Blackburn's Harrison Reed is now floored, and he'll be replaced by Bradley Dack, who would have started if not for slight illness. He's their top scorer, with 13 goals this season.

77 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2         

This match is heading into that introspective state of "what do we do now?", popularly known as Extra Time. It's been a decent match, but I'm with Rafa on this one: I don't really want another half an hour.

73 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2        

Another Blackburn sub: Joe Nuttall on, Adam Armstrong off.

71 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2       

Woodwork! Newcastle corner, in comes a header, and Blackburn defender Elliott Bennett watches as the ball bounces towards him and off the post that he guards.

68 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2      

Yet another Newcastle player goes down. Moments after Hayden is caught by a stray Smallwood boot, Schär is floored by a robust aerial challenge from Lenihan. BT Sport have stopped filming Benitez's withering reactions to these knocks.

65 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2     

Blackburn change: Ben Brereton off, Craig Conway on.

61 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2    

Chance! Jacob Murphy switches to the left, works his way to the byline and his low cross is met by Joselu at the near post...but he pokes it just wide! And, for his troubles, he's crunched by Lenihan.

57 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2   

Perhaps the delay is down to Newcastle making sure this substitute is properly warmed up. Eight minutes after his hamstring went twang, and ten minutes after entering the fray, Lascelles finally trudges off to be replaced by Isaac Hayden.

54 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2  

Lascelles - inexplicably - is still on the pitch, despite not being able to move, and it almost costs Newcastle a goal. Graham clips the ball in and Brereton volleys just wide!

51 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2 

Matt Ritchie gives a much-needed reminder that there is some Premier League-level quality out there: he flashes a left-foot shot just over the Rovers bar from 30 yards.

48 min - Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2

The look on Rafa Benitez's face. Jamaal Lascelles, who has replaced Ciaran Clark at half-time, has just pulled up with a hamstring strain. 

We go again...

Second half under way.

Half time: Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2

Before kick-off, this game looked a mess: 13 changes in total, thanks to injury, illness and indifference. Newcastle took 56 seconds to take the sting out of any potential upset, and then another 21 minutes to seemingly make it safe. 

But they didn't plan for Blackburn refusing to panic. Their passing has been crisp and purposeful, Danny Graham has been a solid backboard up front, and now they're level at half-time. 

Can't imagine what Benitez is saying to his side in the dressing room right now. Just a massive, deep sigh, perhaps.

GOAL! Blackburn 2 (Lenihan 45+1 min) Newcastle 2

On the cusp of half-time, Graham wins a free-kick for the hosts. Smallwood loads it into the box, it's half-cleared - several times - and now it's a corner. Last chance of the half...and up goes Darragh Lenihan to head it into the top corner! We're all square in the MAGICAL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION CHALLENGE CUP

43 min - Blackburn 1 Newcastle 2  

Update from elsewhere: Stoke lead Shrewbury 1-0 at the Bet365 Stadium - Tyrese Campbell with the goal

40 min - Blackburn 1 Newcastle 2 

All Blackburn now, as Newcastle continue to sit off and see what they've got.

35 min - Blackburn 1 Newcastle 2

Corner to Blackburn, and finally Ewood Park makes itself heard above the urgent instructions of assistant managers. The ball is floated in, Graham gets up, and Darragh Lenihan heads just over!

GOAL! Blackburn 1 (Armstrong, 33 min) Newcastle 2

Blackburn still stroking the ball around like it's 1-1, but Newcastle far from panicking...until, that is, the ball is pinged into Graham. He brings the ball down, slides it in to Adam Armstrong, and the former Newcastle man tucks the ball into the corner! Game on?

27 min - Blackburn 0 Newcastle 2

Newcastle get an innocous free-kick just inside their own half and Fabian Schär goes for goal...only for the the referee to rule that the ball was still moving as he did so. I fear that might be the end of tonight's excitement.

24 min - Blackburn 0 Newcastle 2

Two goals, both from 21-year-old academy graduates: if this game wasn't ideal for Rafa Benitez, then he's certainly getting some value out of it. A fourth-round date with Watford is looming already.

GOAL! Blackburn 0 Newcastle 2 (Roberts, 22 min)

Sucker punch! Jacob Murphy bursts into the box, has a shot palmed away by Raya, but he recycles the ball, crosses into the middle and youngster Callum Roberts sidefoots home a very tidy volley!

21 min - Blackburn 0 Newcastle 1     

Half-chance! Graham nods a long ball down to Richard Smallwood, whose 25-yarder is deflected wide with  Newcastle keeper Freddie Woodman rooted to the spot. The corner is dealt with.

19 min - Blackburn 0 Newcastle 1    

Blackburn remain in tidy form on the ball, with Graham lurking with intent in the middle and Brereton going hunting for the ball in the channels. Newcastle hardly pressing like a team who spent last night dreaming of Wembley and the Cup.

16 min - Blackburn 0 Newcastle 1   

Chance! Blackburn build patiently from left to right, until a lovely flat ball from the wing finds wily old fox Danny Graham in the middle...but he pokes the ball wide! The flag had gone up, too.

12 min - Blackburn 0 Newcastle 1  

Ben Brereton - whose move from Nottingham Forest was made permanent this month - threatens for Blackburn, but his shot is blocked and his follow-up cross is headed away by Federico Fernandez. 

9 min - Blackburn 0 Newcastle 1 

Joselu causes some brief nuisance in the Blackburn box as he challenges for a cross from Javi Manquillo, who is now hobbling around on the left wing.

6 min - Blackburn 0 Newcastle 1

 Straight out the blocks. Meanwhile, the ball is echoing around Ewood like it's a reserve game. 

4 min - Blackburn 0 Newcastle 1

Just what Benitez wanted: another FA Cup game. Joshing aside, we'll have a decent tie on our hands now, I hope - even with 13 changes made by these two clubs - as Blackburn will have to do as their manager promised and go for it.

GOAL! Blackburn 0 Newcastle 1 (Longstaff, 1 min)

Hello! Newcastle attack from the start, the ball is laid off to young Sean Longstaff, 30 yards out, he is given time to advance, hit a speculative one...and it takes a wicked deflection to beat David Raya in the Rovers goal!

The teams are out...

and this one, of course, must be settled tonight. Penalties? YES PLEASE.

Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray's pre-match thoughts:

"We have a bit of illness. We've got a few sitting on the bench who aren't feeling great. The big issues is central defence: we've got Mulgrew out, Williams out, Rodwell out. At home we've got great belief. It's a good challenge for us, let's go and play on the front foot, attack, and see how we get on."

Benitez speaks:

"Always to win is good, because it gives you more confidence. We will do our best and try to go through. You know our list of injuries, but I'm confident we can go through. The young players have been training with us, they know what we want with the gameplan."

Manufacturing magic: What exactly is it we want from the FA Cup?

You’re already sick to death of this subject, but - somehow - we manage to make it circle around again each January: awkward kick-off times and arduous train journeys; weakened teams; Manchester United's tie being televised yet again; the tin-foil industry's exploitation of the FA Cup enthusiasm of nine-year-old fans from League Two.

Unfortunately, the real problem with the FA Cup  is that people won’t stop talking about the FA Cup. More to the point, the language of the FA Cup simply refuses to evolve.

Shares in tin foil presumably soar each January Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Maybe we're guilty of flogging the Cup's cliches too much. Maybe it has simply fallen down the natural pecking order of modern football. Anyway, here's my piece on the annual FA Cup identity crisis

Rafa's realism

For any remaining FA Cup romanticists, Benitez's comments between these ties will have been like a dagger to the heart.

"Who has a chance, a realistic chance? Teams in the middle of the table because they can have a go because they are safe," Benitez said.

"The other teams, you have to manage it really carefully."

Benitez has prioritised Premier League survival Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Fellow Premier League strugglers Huddersfield, Cardiff and Fulham fell to lower-league opposition in round three, a fact that didn't escape Benitez's attention.

"Why you see these teams and they were out? Because the Premier League is massive," he continued.

"You have £130m guaranteed if you are there. So everyone is trying to manage the situation. You have to be realistic."

Rafa's Unwanted Game

What does Blackburn vs Newcastle mean to you? Alan Shearer, perhaps. David Batty? Little Graham Fenton ending Kevin Keegan's Premier League title hopes back in 1996? To Rafa Benitez, though, it's nothing more than an irritation.

"Yes, in terms of another game, another situation that you have to manage with more minutes, more players, more risk.

"I am not happy with another game - I would prefer to win this game and that's it. But if you cannot, at least you have another chance and then try to win the next one."

But the 1-1 draw at St James' Park last weekend means he must drag his thin squad to Ewood Park on a cold Tuesday night after all.

Here are how the two teams line up tonight. Blackburn are thus...

...and Newcastle's makeshift XI are thus:

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