(FA Cup Third-round replay) Newcastle 1, Birmingham 5: To think this night began with some optimism locally. Humiliation felt too strong a word for what happened next, until Sebastian Larsson made it 4-1 six minute from time. DJ Campbell added a fifth in the 89th minute.
Deeply worryingly for Newcastle United and Glenn Roeder, Birmingham City outclassed them here, and that it was all played out in front of a disappointing attendance of 26,000 compounded the gloom.
Considering the plethora of false dawns on Tyneside, it should have come as no great surprise. But it was notable that Newcastle had not lost a home FA Cup tie in 10 years. Nottingham Forest's Ian Woan was the man who did for Newcastle back in 1997, and last night it was a player with an equally gifted left foot, Gary McSheffrey, who guided Birmingham City into the fourth round.
McSheffrey opened the scoring after just six minutes to set the tone on a night of immense dismay at St James' Park. Even before Nolberto Solano's 45th-minute own goal, the visitor's dominance was comfortable.
But after James Milner made it 2-1 Newcastle had to play the last half hour with 10 men after Steven Taylor's dismissal. That can be no excuse, and Roeder now has a task of reinvigorating his team before West Ham arrive on Saturday.
As Roeder has had to do of late, Newcastle began with three young men in their back four, with a converted midfielder, Nolberto Solano, making up the quartet. Peter Ramage is experienced compared to Paul Huntington, but the two were confused when trying to clear Birmingham's first real attack.
Ramage's pass only found Sebastian Larsson and the young Swede whipped in a dangerous, fast cross. Ramage did well to get back into the middle, but the ball skidded off his head to the feet of McSheffrey. Rather than use his natural left, McSheffrey cut inside, Solano went to ground, and the 24-year-old buried a low shot past the helpless Shay Given with his right.
Newcastle had plenty of possession but with a bit more composure Birmingham might have added two more quickly. Given had to tip away a McSheffrey free-kick on 22 minutes, Cameron Jerome somehow did not connect with a sweet McSheffrey cross seven minutes later and within 60 seconds DJ Campbell was free with only Given to beat.
Maybe it was Given, maybe it was the Gallowgate End, but Campbell missed the ball altogether.
Newcastle could have done with McSheffrey. His creativity inspired his team-mates and on the stroke of half-time Birmingham had the second goal they deserved.
Newcastle were so poor it was going to take an act of individual skill to get them back into the tie. Nine minutes into the second half, Milner stepped forward. Just as he had done against Manchester United, Milner unleashed a thunderbolt right foot from distance that flew into the top corner. Maik Taylor had no chance.
Sixty seconds later the ball was at the other end and Campbell was on to it. Steven Taylor gave chase, tugging the striker's shirt, then making contact with Campbell's legs. The whistle blew, and while Newcastle were spared a penalty, Taylor was shown a red card.
A Blues free-kick on the 18-yard line was the result. Larsson battered it into the wall but the ricochet ran to N'Gotty who arrowed a shot diagonally beyond Given.
NEWCASTLE:Given, Solano, Taylor, Ramage, Huntington, Milner, Dyer, Butt, Pattison (O'Brien 57), Sibierski (Carroll 80), Martins. Subs not used: Harper, Edgar, LuaLua. Sent off: Taylor (58). Booked: Taylor. Goals: Milner 56.
BIRMINGHAM:Maik Taylor, N'Gotty, Martin Taylor, Upson, Sadler, McSheffrey (Kilkenny 88), Larsson (Danns 86), Muamba (Nafti 82), Johnson, Campbell, Jerome. Subs not used: Doyle, Gray. Goals: McSheffrey 5, Solano 45 og, N'Gotty 59, Larsson 83, Campbell 89.
Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).
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