MATCH STATS

NEWCASTLE Harper, Hughes, Johnsen, Bramble, Bernard, Milner, Ambrose, Jenas, Robert, Ameobi, Kluivert. Subs: Bowyer (for Ameobi, 81), Bellamy (for Robert, 67), Given, O'Brien, Shearer.

NORWICH CITY Green, Edworthy, Shackell, Drury, Fleming, Svensson, Holt, Francis, Jonson, Doherty, Huckerby. Subs: Helveg (for Drury, 63), Safri (for Holt, 45), Henderson (for Doherty, 60), Ward, Bentley.

SCORERS: Newcastle: Jenas (2), Ameobi (41, pen) Norwich: Huckerby (56, pen)

TOP CANARY: EDP: Damien Francis Evening News: Robert Green

ATTENDANCE: 42,153

REFEREE: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

YELLOW CARDS: Newcastle: Ambrose (63), Bernard (75), Bowyer (85). Norwich: Henderson (66), Huckerby (90).

RED CARDS: None

SHOTS ON TARGET: Newcastle 11, Norwich 3

SHOTS OFF TARGET: Newcastle 5, Norwich 6

CORNERS: Newcastle 13, Norwich 4

FOULS:  Newcastle 14, Norwich 13

OFFSIDE:  Newcastle 0, Norwich 2

Wednesday October 27, 2004
CHRIS WISE

Norwich City launched their second spirited fightback in the space of just nine weeks at St James' Park - but it was not enough to earn them a place in the fourth round of the Carling Cup.

Just as they had in the premier fixture between the two sides back in August, Newcastle totally dominated a one-sided opening period and could easily have buried the Canaries beneath an avalanche of goals on a freezing cold night in the north-east.

A 2-0 advantage, courtesy of an untidy second-minute goal from Jermaine Jenas and a 41st minute penalty from Shola Ameobi was the very least the hosts deserved for their thrilling display of attacking football.

But, thanks to the never-say-die attitude of Nigel Worthington's team, the second half was a very different affair, with the visitors attempting to repeat their performance in the Premiership when goals from David Bentley and Gary Doherty earned them a surprise 2-2 draw.

When City pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 56th minute through Darren Huckerby it really did look as though history was about to repeat itself, but sadly a second goal proved beyond Norwich this time and it was Newcastle who progressed into the last 16.

Graeme Souness made no fewer than eight changes to the Newcastle side that started Sunday's 4-3 victory over Manchester City with only Jenas, Oliver Bernard and Laurent Robert keeping their places.

But there was still plenty of international talent on show, with the manager also naming a veritable cast of internationals on the bench as an insurance policy with Craig Bellamy and Alan Shearer among those being held in reserve. So City certainly weren't up against a team of novices and were missing a couple of key players themselves in the shape of Simon Charlton and Leon McKenzie who were both missing through injury.

In their absence Worthington opted to give youngster Jason Shackell his first start in eight months at the back, while up front Doherty and Mathias Svensson were paired together for the first time with Huckerby providing the ammunition on the left wing.

It quickly became clear that Newcastle's much-changed side were still a formidable attacking unit, with City under the cosh from the very first whistle and conceding a goal after just 72 seconds.

The home side quickly won a corner on the right and Robert's wicked in-swinger somehow found its way through to Jenas who got the faintest of touches from almost on the goal line. Green did his best to keep the ball out but succeeded only in fumbling it over the line much to the delight of an excellent crowd of over 40,000.

It should have been 2-0 three minutes later as Patrick Kluivert produced the first magic moment of a virtuoso first half performance that oozed quality from start to finish. The brilliant Dutchman trapped a high ball in an instant and then came up with a pass to dream of to put Ameobi in the clear but fortunately for City his strike partner fired weakly into the side netting.

It was a torrid start for the Canaries and there was more backs to the wall defending to follow as the Geordies dominated the first half.

Shackell somehow managed to get his head on a goal-bound drive from Ameobi while the same player then turned provider to set up Jenas who tested Green low to his right with a spectacular volley.

But Kluivert was the undoubted star of the show and almost got the goal he deserved on 34 minutes. He worked an opening on the left for Robert with a clever step-over and was ideally placed when the Frenchman's shot was harried by Green - but the City keeper did well to thwart him with another good block.

Shola Ameobi's penalty sends Green the wrong way as Newcastle extended their lead to seemingly leave the Canaries dead and buried at 2-0.

Kluivert couldn't believe it but he had the consolation of an imperious assist as Newcastle deservedly stretched their lead four minutes before the break.

The talented front man had his back to goal when Darren Ambrose made a surging run into the box through the inside left channel but still managed to find him with a brilliant back heel - and when Marc Edworthy mistimed his challenge on the former Ipswich player referee Phil Dowd pointed straight to the spot.

Ameobi made no mistake, sending Green the wrong way with a well taken penalty kick and it seemed for all the world that City were dead and buried.

But the visitors responded in fine fashion and twice went desperately close to reducing the arrears before half time.

Damien Francis wasted a clear cut chance when he side-footed Craig Fleming's cut back over the bar from no more than six yards out while Shackell was desperately unlucky when his header from a deep Huckerby kick came back from the crossbar.

Half-time: Newcastle United 2, Norwich City 0

City started the second half as brightly as they finished the first and were back in the game nine minutes after the re-start when the second penalty of the night was awarded in their favour.

There seemed absolutely no danger as Svensson took the ball away from goal just outside the six yard box but Ameobi sent him crashing to the turf with a classic forwards challenge.

Darren Huckerby's penalty - his fourth goal of the season - handed Norwich City a lifeline.

It looked accidental but Mr Dowd was right to award a penalty, which Huckerby converted in some style to notch up his fourth goal of the season.

It was now to use one of Worthington's phrases 'game on', but Newcastle were soon back on the attack and Green needed to produce two excellent saves in the space of two minutes to keep out powerful drives from Milner and Bernard.

From then on they dropped a notch or two as Newcastle began to run out of steam in the final third - but, sadly City were unable to create too much at the other end and they only really looked like equalising once when Francis inadvertently got in the way of a fierce drive from Huckerby.

At the other end Newcastle had one great chance to make the tie safe, with Ambrose firing straight at Green from a central position, but it wasn't until the dying seconds that they had to wait for their next clear cut chances with substitute Bellamy and Kluivert both going close as City committed men forward.

In the end the best team won, but Norwich deserved great credit for making a game of it in the second half when lesser sides would surely have buckled under the pressure.

Result: Newcastle United 2, Norwich City 1