Newcastle 3 Portsmouth 0Newcastle United defied the elements as well as Portsmouth and their form to find a morale-boosting route to the fourth round. The game will be remembered for being played on an unsuitable surface following a downpour, for Giuseppe Rossi's first Newcastle start and his first Newcastle goal and for Kieron Dyer's return, the midfielder appearing for the last half hour.
Nolberto Solano got the second goal on 53 minutes - and a last-minute third - five minutes after the 19-year-old Rossi nabbed the opener. But the delight at seeing Rossi display a poacher's cunning was offset by the knowledge he belongs to Manchester United, on loan until January.
With the ball sticking in the standing water from kick-off, Portsmouth began brightly but Harry Redknapp's team were knocked aside by the goals and, one shot from Matthew Taylor aside, did not seem capable of retrieving the situation.
Last season Graeme Souness had his tenure at St James' undermined by the 1-0 fourth-round loss at Wigan, who featured seven reserves. Redknapp retained the core of the side that lost at Chelsea last Saturday.
Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper was forced into two stops in the opening nine minutes, the first from long range from Niko Kranjcar, the second from around 10 yards from David Thompson. Lomana LuaLua was the provider to Thompson. With Andy Cole, LuaLua formed a former Newcastle front pairing and they cannot have been disheartened to see Roeder had recalled Titus Bramble to partner Craig Moore in central defence. For Thompson's chance LuaLua skipped away from Bramble with ease.
For the next half hour or so Portsmouth played touch and go football, but it was a losing battle. Newcastle too, tried to pass the ball on a frustrating surface but only occasionally created openings. Obafemi Martins had the best of the first half but his 34th-minute chip over David James landed on the roof of the net.
The surprise about the second half was that it started. Damien Duff came on for Martins and had an immediate impact, taking the free-kick that ultimately led to Rossi opening the scoring. After Matthew Taylor had partially cleared Duff's centre, Celestine Babayaro stuck in a foot during a scramble and the ball fell to Rossi 12 yards out and he drilled a left-foot shot into the bottom corner.
Five minutes later Duff jinked past his man and delivered a cross from the left. Solano ran onto the end of it to pummel it high past James. It was Newcastle's game to lose now and there was a determination not to do so.
NEWCASTLE: Harper, Taylor (Ramage 90), Moore, Bramble, Babayaro, Solano, Butt (Dyer 60), N'Zogbia, Milner, Rossi, Martins (Duff 46). Subs not used: Srnicek, Luque. Booked: N'Zogbia. Goals: Rossi 48, Solano 53, 90.
PORTSMOUTH: James, Pamarot, O'Brien, Primus, Taylor, Thompson (Koroman 46), Davis (Hughes 73), Fernandes, Kranjcar (Douala 63), Cole, LuaLua. Subs not used: Kiely, Kanu. Booked: Thompson, Davis.
Referee: A Marriner (W Midlands)
