Carabao Cup campaign ends at St James' Park

Our interest in this season’s Carabao Cup ended at the hands of holders Newcastle United on Wednesday evening.

A goal in each half from Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade gave the Magpies a 2-0 fourth-round win on a difficult night for us at St James’ Park where, although we had more possession and more shots on target than our hosts, we didn’t really get going.

Thomas Frank made four changes to the team that started at Everton on Sunday. Antonin Kinsky was in goal with Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr in midfield and Richarlison up front. Guglielmo Vicario was rested with Mohammed Kudus, Micky van de Ven and Randal Kolo Muani all on the bench.

We found it difficult to negotiate the opening stages as Newcastle came out strong and carved out a series of chances. First, Malick Thiaw’s header forced Kinsky into a save at his near post before, on eight minutes, Jacob Ramsey skipped past a couple of challenges inside the box only for Pedro Porro to get a great block on his eventual shot. Four minutes later, Anthony Elanga found Woltemade, who produced a neat turn and then fed Harvey Barnes in the inside left channel but his right-footed effort hit the side-netting. We were under pressure and the opening goal came on 24 minutes although it was straight-forward enough, Tonali’s corner headed home by Schar.

The goal sparked us into life though and we were the better side leading up to half-time. A lovely move on 32 minutes saw Pedro Porro play forward to Brennan Johnson whose header released Bergvall and his ball across goal looked like it was going to find Richarlison, only to go just behind him. Then, moments later, a Bergvall pass to the back post was too far in front of the Brazilian forward as he slid in to try to score.

Kevin Danso then had our first shot on target from distance but it was straight at Aaron Ramsdale before another glorious chance fell to the hosts, Tonali with a lovely ball to the far post which Thiaw failed to connect properly with although the ball then bounced up for Barnes who clipped the crossbar with an acrobatic effort from six yards out. The half ended with Richarlison sending a header straight at Ramsdale and Xavi Simons firing just over the bar from 20 yards out, giving us hope of turning things around after the break.

It was the Magpies with the first big chance of the second half though, Barnes floating over a cross which found Joe Willock eight yards out but he got his header all wrong as it drifted harmlessly wide. Moments later, however, Willock sent another cross into the area and this time Woltemade got up ahead of Kinsky to send a header bouncing into an empty net.

We almost pulled one back on the hour mark after Johnson found Simons in the box, he held it up and laid off to Sarr whose controlled shot was heading for the bottom corner until Ramsdale made a fine diving save to push it away. The Newcastle keeper then denied Richarlison’s flick from Pedro Porro’s cross as we continued to search for a way back into the contest but we couldn’t mount any real sustained pressure on the home side’s goal and the game drifted away in the final minutes.

Match data

Goals: Newcastle – Schar 24, Woltemade 50.

Yellow cards: Newcastle – Thiaw, Schar, Trippier, Joelinton; Spurs – Richarlison, Palhinha, Kudus.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh.

Venue: St James’ Park.

Weather: Clear sky, gentle breeze, six degrees.