Blackburn Rvrs 4 Newcastle Utd 3:A GOAL in the last minute of extra -time by Gael Givet sent Blackburn into the last eight of the League Cup after Newcastle had earned a dramatic reprieve at the end of normal time.
Danny Guthrie and Yohan Cabaye forced Blackburn into extra time with long-range goals in added time of the 90 minutes when they looked dead at 2-0 down. Morten Gamst Pedersen put the home side ahead again in extra-time but a Peter Lovenkrands penalty looked set to bring the game to penalties only for Givet to pop up with a header from a free kick with seconds left.
Having negotiated two and a half months unbeaten, a feat that, in all competitions, had eluded every other Premier and Football League club, Newcastle had shown they were not prepared to surrender easily.
Blackburn, who remain rooted to the foot of the Premier League, had looked to be coasting into the quarter-finalss courtesy of goals from Ruben Rochina and Yakubu Ayegbeni.
The Lancastrians in the three sparsely populated stands had early cause for cheer. Sent off at St James’ Park when these two teams last convened a month ago, Martin Olsson made a different impression now. His bright break on the left wing was followed by a low cross to the penalty spot. Arriving unchecked, Rochina drilled in his fourth goal of Rovers’ League Cup run.
Newcastle were inches from an immediate riposte. Demba Ba was Blackburn’s September tormentor, opening his United account with a hat-trick, and his capacity to elude their defenders was apparent again. Rovers were reprieved as the striker’s shot rebounded back off the upright.
Blackburn looked the more potent, with first David Goodwillie and then Rochina hitting angled efforts crisply. Each was thwarted by Tim Krul, who also repelled a forceful free-kick from Pedersen.
Sylvain Marveaux headed wide from Santon’s cross before his own chip struck Olsson. Marveaux and his manager appealed for a penalty; referee Robert Madley ignored them. If Newcastle were annoyed then, they were angered shortly afterwards. First Christopher Samba tugged back Ba in one box, Madley ignoring the United entreaties, and then, as Blackburn counterattacked, Krul advanced to challenge Rochina. This time a spot kick was awarded. Yakubu converted it nonchalantly.
BLACKBURN RVRS:Bunn, Lowe, Samba, Givet, Olsson, Petrovic, Pedersen, Rochina (Vukcevic 78), Hoilett (Hanley 88), Aiyegbeni (Formica 66)., Goodwillie. Subs Not Used: Robinson, Roberts, Anderson, Cotton. Booked: Olsson, Hoilett.
NEWCASTLE UTD:Krul, Simpson (Ameobi 70), Perch, Coloccini, Coloccini, Santon, Guthrie, Gutiérrez, Marveaux (Obertan 77), Cabaye, Ben Arfa (Lovenkrands 79), Ba. Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Gosling, Ranger. Booked: Krul, Coloccini, Guthrie.
Referee:R Madley (West Yorkshire)
Guardian Service
