Newcastle hit Morecambe for 7 to ease into 4th Round of the League Cup
Morecambe 0-7 Newcastle United
Carabao Cup - Round 3
Seven (7) goals from Newcastle United without return, five in the first half that also saw the home team reduced to 10 men, were no more than the Premier League side deserved in a dominant performance at League 2 Morecambe.
Joelinton got his first on the evening on 5 minutes before Almiron and Murphy both got in on the act before the 30 minute mark. The games fourth and Joelinton's second, was something to savour. Picking up the ball from almost 30 yards out, he strode forward before unleashing a brilliant dipping effort that any top striker would have been proud of (think Henry, you won't be far wrong). A red card for Diagouraga was swiftly followed by United's fifth goal, this time Hayden, again from distance.
United would add just the two goals in an equally dominant second half. A Ritchie cross headed in by Lascelles early in the period and Ritchie himself with a flick in injury time.
Job done!
Newcastle United had travelled to Morecambe on sea this evening in their bid to reach Round 4 of the competition and what would be another away trip, this time to Newport County. Steve Bruce and his men going into this one knowing that, with what should be two regulation wins ahead of them, they were as little as 180 minutes away from the tantalising prospect of a League Cup Semi Final.
Bruce would ring the changes again for the relatively short trip to the West Coast, with a number of players being left at home. Those left out all together would include Saint-Maximin (knock) and Jamal Lewis (face / eye), whilst Saviet and Atsu in particular would be conspicuous by their absence. It wouldn't matter.
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On pleasantly warm, but very wet, Wednesday evening it would be United who would make the perfect start. Some good early pressure culminating in Murphy making a surging run into the right side of the box, pursued by 3 home defenders. His lovely cut back was swept into the box by Krafth before Almiron squared to Joelinton who tapped home.
Newcastle ahead within 5 minutes and within another 5 they should have been two ahead. Murphy again the chief protagonist, weaving into the box and his lofted cross/shot hit the post and came back out with Joelinton assuming it was going in, so leaving it well alone. Inexplicable!!
In the 17th minute Murphy would come close to scoring again, this time with a lovely cut in from the right wing and a fierce curling effort that would fly narrowly wide of the keepers right post.
And the young winger would be at again minutes later, with United firmly on top, this time Almiron feeding Joelinton who in turn fed Murphy who fired past the keepers other upright this time.
United wouldn’t be denied however as moments later a lovely through ball by Murphy would set Almiron clean through with the Paraguayan rounding the keeper before taking his time and smashing into the roof of the net with a defender on the line. 2-0 after 21 minutes.
Mark Gillespie would be called into a action at 2-0 with one smart save from Diagouraga. But that would be about the only action the big man would see.
But any forward intent from the home side was fleeting.
On 26 minutes Murphy would get the goal his early display warranted. Running clear of a half tackle in the centre circle before unleashing another blistering shot, only this one the correct side of the keepers right post with Halstead well beaten.
On 31 minutes Joelinton would double his personal tally with an outrageous strike. Where he failed from 25 inches, he didn’t from 25 yards. A beautiful effort dipping over the keeper. A top class strike.
On 32 minutes, already 4 goals down, the home side would be reduced to 10 men after Diagouraga recklessly went in two footed on Sean Longstaff. A straight red, and rightly so. Longstaff thankfully ok to play on.
A game, already one sided, was about to become a training ground game of attack against defence.
There would be time for another before the break. Sean Longstaff had already warmed the keepers hands before another effort from range, this time from Hayden, would nestle in the bottom right hand corner.
Surprisingly, it really looked like a Premier League side against a ten man League 2 side. I know. Who’d have thought!
5-0 at half time, one red card for Morecambe and a post hit. Worth the £10 alone.
Into the second half and it was more of the same. A good run from Murphy again causing problems in the opening moments but his excellent cross somehow managed to evade everyone in black and white.
It would take only 6 minutes for United to add to the scoreline however. This time a Ritchie corner headed in with ease by Lascelles.
On 60 Halstead would be forced into a action again, this time repelling another meaty strike from Hayden. And some of the tackles were getting pretty meaty too. A couple going unpunished by the Morecambe midfield would at least see United give as good as they were getting with a couple of their own.
The visitors would keep the pressure on. Miggy the next to hit one, this time from inside the box, unfortunately smashing his effort over the bar.
As the half moved on, and with three changes made with more than 30 mins of the half left, United would build another head of steam.
A succession of corners almost resulting in goal number seven as Krafth’s effort was cleared off he line on 70 mins.
Longstaff would be the next to have his effort blocked, this time on the edge of the 6 yard box, before moments later the same player would fresh air kick a whipped cross from Ritchie from even closer after the ball skimmed the head of Joelinton just ahead of him.
On 84 minutes Andy Carroll had his big chance to break his return duck. Another cross from Murphy finding Carroll with a yard of space at the back post only for him to head wide when perfectly placed to score. Will his goal ever come?!
Next it would be Ryan Fraser to come closer still. His header smashing against the bar and back into play with 4 minutes left.
Newcastle would get their second of the half and seventh of the night with a majestic flicked finish from Ritchie after a Barlaser pass.
And that was that. 7-0 the final score and a night to remember for a number of those in black and white.
It would be hard to pick out just one player from this one, but if we had choose it would perhaps be Murphy. Called in to ‘do a job’ with a number of first team players rested, he did himself no harm in convincing Steve Bruce that his future is in this squad for the season.
After an pulsating and entertaining first half it was ‘job done’ in the second.
Newport County next up. Let the Cup run go on…
