Glory for Martin Dubravka, whose save in the shootout took Newcastle by way of, and heartache for Dominic Hyam, who noticed his penalty turned on to the goalkeeper’s proper publish, because the depend ended 4-3 to the guests.
This meant Anthony Gordon’s kick was decisive and so Blackburn have been left rueful as they may have gone by way of in regulation time, being the higher facet technically and much more energetic than Eddie Howe’s weary workforce.
“There is only one emotion and that is relief,” Newcastle’s supervisor mentioned. “We are delighted to be in the hat for the next round.”
Victory permits desires of a Cup triumph to proceed and is the end result the supervisor craved amid scrutiny of his lengthy‑time period job prospects.
“A lot was riding on today’s outcome,” Howe mentioned. “A big moment in our season. One more win [in the competition] and we are at Wembley [for the semi-finals].”
This was the best show of John Eustace’s Rovers tenure, in a fifth sport in cost. “Very proud of the effort and the supporters – they were awesome,” he mentioned.
“Great to see a full house at Ewood. We were playing against a top Premier League team and you could see that we could hurt them.”
The contest took flight in the direction of the top. First, Rovers have been going out following Gordon’s 71st-minute strike. Then, Eustace’s feisty workforce moved downfield and Sammie Szmodics – who missed his spot‑kick in the shootout – blazed house for a sixth purpose in the competitors.
Cue pandemonium among the many house help and silence from the 7,000 followers who had journeyed from the north-east for a kick‑off delayed by quarter-hour to make sure all may enter.
Howe had acted following the 4-1 trouncing at Arsenal on Saturday by drafting in Dubravka, Dan Burn, Jacob Murphy, Joe Willock and Jamaal Lascelles, the latter the beneficiary of Sven Botman’s damage.
Eustace characterised this as a free hit in which his gamers may go at their guests. They did. Szmodics was twice put in because the raucous house crowd roared their males on.
Howe wished a response to defeat at Arsenal and Kieran Trippier acquired one (being a former Burnley defender) when taking a brief nook. There was a snap, too, in the Bruno Guimarães deal with that, later, received the ball however maybe adrenaline surged as his move to Willock as he drove into the realm was overhit.
Newcastle have been in a battle staged primarily in midfield. There, John Buckley’s calm and contact led Rovers’ effort. It was Buckley who created the most effective second but: on padding ahead he switched play left to Szmodics: the purpose gaped however he missed, to his anguish and United’s reduction.
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The similar feelings have been felt, once more, when Buckley mugged the torpid Sean Longstaff. He tapped to Szmodics who fed Tyrhys Dolan. On pulling the set off the in-running Szmodics missed the end due to the spectacular Dubravka’s save. From the nook the No 8 let fly at lengthy vary however Dubravka held the ball.
Newcastle lacked fluidity and management. Anything brilliant got here by way of the darting Gordon however he was a lone determine. The lowest ranked remaining facet have been an ungainly proposition of physicality and talent for Howe’s unit.
As the half closed Szmodics hurtled by way of and hit a blistering shot that tingled Dubravka’s fingertips. Newcastle had struggled to make any collection of passes and have been clumsy.
The hosts illustrated learn how to prosper in a fast sequence that had the livewire Szmodics in. He twisted, possession went proper and to Buckley, who precipitated Dubravka to dive low and proper to make a modern intervention.
It was too simple for Rovers to hammer by way of Newcastle which pointed to how Guimarães, Longstaff and Willock got a chasing in midfield and confirmed up the price of Sandro Tonali’s playing suspension till August. And when, at final, Newcastle threatened in a goalmouth scramble no one in inexperienced – together with Lascelles along with his head – may poke the ball house.
Off went Alex Isak, Murphy and Willock as Howe turned to Miguel Almirón, Lewis Miley, Harvey Barnes, who additionally missed his penalty. Newcastle felt the advantage of the modifications as Gordon ran in and was thwarted by Aynsley Pears. Not the following time, although. But after Gordon did beat Pears, Newcastle have been unable to hold on as Szmodics pressured the additional interval forward of the penalties.
Before kick‑off Rovers provided fairy muffins embellished with membership colors and the legend “Shearer 9” to the media. When Gordon struck the decisive penalty in the shootout the striker who fired them to the 1994‑95 Premier League title had witnessed his beloved United sneak by way of to the final eight of the FA Cup.
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