NEWCASTLE UNITED 2
BARNSLEY 0
Carling Cup Second Round
St.James' Park
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Kick-off 7.45pm

Craig Hope reports from St.James' Park ...

MATCH REPORT

MICHAEL Owen scored his first goal for Newcastle United in more than 20 months as the Magpies secured their place in the Third Round of the Carling Cup with a 2-0 victory over Barnsley.

The 27-year-old striker was in the thick of the action all night and got his goal on 57 minutes, latching onto Shola Ameobi's threaded throughball before slotting underneath the on-rushing Heinz Muller.

It's nine years tomorrow that an 18-year-old Owen tore apart the Magpies with a hat-trick for Liverpool in their 4-1 victory, and he could have quite easily had a treble against the Tykes.

The England man had a great chance within the first five minutes as Geremi's in-swinging corner landed right on his head on the edge of the six-yard box, but Owen was unable to guide his effort goalwards and the hosts hacked clear.

And it was the club's record signing again with the opportunity to break the deadlock on 15 minutes, this time he chose to shoot early after being sprung clear by Charles N'Zogbia but keeper Muller was able to gather at the second attempt.

Shay Given was then at full-stretch to palm clear Dominik Werling's bullet of a free-kick from 25 yards on 37 minutes.

But it was N'Zogbia who came closest to opening the scoring in the first period, his shot finding its through a crowd of bodies before being cleared by Martin Devaney with a last-ditch header on the edge of the six-yard area.

Owen then got his goal after the break before sub Oba Martins wrapped thing up with a shot on the turn from inside the area in the 87th  minute.

SECOND HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest)

It's all over at St.James with United running out 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Michael Owen and Oba Martins.

90+1min - Barnsley have a great chance to get one back as Togwell picks out Coulson unmarked on the left-hand side of the penalty area, the sub mis-controls however and the opportunity goes begging.

The fourth official announces two minutes added time as Michael Owen is named the sponsors' man of the match.

87min - David Edgar replaces Alan Smith and Jacob Butterfield comes on for Martin Devaney.

86min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-0): Solano clips a ball into the area, OBA MARTINS controls with his back to goal before spinning and firing on the half-volley into the bottom right-hand corner for his third of the season - cue the sommersault celebration. Werling is booked amid protests that the Nigerian used his hand to control.

85min - Cacapa makes a perfectly timed tackle to thwart Coulson on the right-wing and earns a round of cheers from the home crowd.

83min - Michael Owen's work is done and he is replaced by Oba Martins. Michael Coulson replaces Dwayne Mattis for the visitors.

78min - Smith intercepts on halfway and United break, the ball is worked to Shola 30 yards out and he swings a right-footed effort goalwards, it's never troubling Muller however and flies well wide.

76min - Shola is on defensive duty at the other end as he heads Werling's cross behind at the far post. Kim Christensen comes on for Mostto before the kick is taken and from the corner there is a scramble around the penalty area before Taylor hacks clear for the hosts.

75min - It's long before Ameobi has a pop himself, testing Muller with a dipping drive from 20 yards which the keeper is equal to.

74min - Shola tees up Nicky Butt with a cushioned pass from Solano's clip forward, the former Man Utd midfielder runs onto the ball but slices his effort wide after making in-roads into the Tykes penalty area.

72min - Smith is very unlucky to see yellow for a challenge on Werling in which he clearly wins the ball.

68min - Owen gets Enrique clear on the left by Devaney is backtracking and forces behind for a corner. Geremi's delivery bounces around the area before N'Zogbia lashes goalwards, it's Souza again who denies the Magpies as he blocks from amid a crowd of bodies on the edge of the six-yard area.

65min - Owen is hungry for more and peels away to try and connect with Geremi's lofted throughball, there's slightly too much on it and he is unable to get the ball under control before seeing it run away for a goal-kick.

63min - Barnsley work space for Kozluk to cross on the right, the skipper delivers and almost levels the score as the ball drifts over Given and clips the far post, the danger is not over yet and Taylor has to stoop to block McCann's shot from the loose ball and United are able to clear.

60min - Nyatanga has to throw himself in front of N'Zogbia's driven effort to prevent United from doubling their lead after Owen teed-up the Frenchman on the edge of the area.

57min- NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-0): Nicky Butt feeds Ameobi is space midway inside Barnsley's half, he splits the Tykes backline with a threaded throughball for MICHAEL OWEN to run onto, the strike takes the ball on a few strides before finishing underneath the on-rushing Muller - it's his first goal in black and white since December, 2005 and his first ever at the Gallowgate End for United. It's nine years tomorrow that Owen scored a hat-trick at the same end for Liverpool in their 4-1 victory over the Magpies.

55min - Owen drops deep looking for the ball, he receives from Enrique and immediately tries to get N'Zogbia clear down the left, the Frenchman crosses and Kozluk deflects behind for a corner. Geremi takes and Barnsley clear but only as far as Solano who quickly recycles possession on the right, he crosses and the ball eventually falls for Geremi on the left, he curls goalwards but Muller is able to gather underneath his crossbar.

54min - N'Zogbia lifts a straight free-kick into the area aiming for Taylor, the ball is slightly too high for the Toon defender and his header goes behind for a goal-kick.

52min - Emre comes through 52 minutes of his comeback match before being replaced by Nicky Butt.

49min - Enrique lofts a ball forward from the left-back position and it has no right to trouble the Barnsley backline until Michael Owen uses his pace to chase, Nyantanga has to be alert and is hurried into heading back to keeper Muller with Owen breathing down his neck.

The Magpies kick-off the second period attacking the Gallowgate End with neither team having made any changes.

FIRST HALF ACTION

45+1min - Owen has another great chance within moments as Ameobi's knock-down falls to his feet inside the penalty area, it looks like he's going to pull the trigger first time but is forced wide of goal by Nyatanga, the angle grows too narrow for the Toon No.10 and he tries to find partner Ameobi at the far post, his cross is charged down by Nyatanga and the hosts have a corner. N'Zogbia takes this time from the right and Togwell climbs highest to head behind - that's the last action of the half however and the teams go in goalless.

45min - Geremi zips a ball into the feet of Owen 30 yards from goal, the striker controls and runs at the Barnsley backline, he manages to evade one challenge before shooting left-footed towards the far corner, Kozluk is recovering and the ball appears to strike the skipper's arm amid penalty cries from the home crowd - the referee waves away the protests and the visitors clear.

41min - A prolonged period of pressure from United results in Kozluk being forced to head behind Solano's deep delivery. Geremi's corner is headed clear by Souza, it only falls as far as N'Zogbia on the edge of the area and he fires left-footed towards goal, the ball travels through a crowd of bodies but is met by Devaney on the edge of the six-yard box and he is able to head clear - it's the closest the Magpies have came to opening the deadlock.

38min - Dominik Werling stings the palms of Shay Given with a bullet of a free-kick from 25 yards, the Irish stopper is at full-stretch to palm clear and the Tykes are unlucky not to be in front - it was a great effort from the German full-back.

36min - N'Zogbia is at the heart of everything and he tries to find Ameobi at the far post with a delicate chip from the left-wing, Werling reads the delivery and gets in front of the Toon striker to volley away.

33min - Geremi clips a ball into the feet of N'Zogbia on the far left-hand side of the area, he takes a touch and darts inside the challenge of Kozluk, the goal opens up for the Frenchman but his low, right-footed shot is forced wide by Souza. Geremi again takes the corner and Muller, like he did earlier, races from his line to fist clear.

28min - Ricketts feeds off Mostto's knockdown and decides to shoot first time from all of 30 yards, the strike is sliced however and ends up high in the Gallowgate End.

24min - Devaney goes into the referee's book for a wild challenge on Emre. Geremi delivers from midway inside Barnsley's half and his curling ball looks like it just needs the slightest touch to open the scoring but Muller comes amid of crowd of bodies to claim eight yards from his goal.

21min - N'Zogbia is again in the thick of the action and runs at the Barnsley backline after picking up the ball on halfway, he shoots but Togwell gets in the way and deflects behind for a corner. Geremi comes across to take and his in-swinger is fisted clear by Muller, the ball runs to Solano and with the crowd willing him to shoot the Peruvian has a pop from 25 yards which takes slight nick off a Barnsley defender and skids just inches wide of Muller's post for another corner. This time the German keeper is able to gather first time from Germei's flag-kick.

15min - Geremi finds N'Zogbia in space with a chipped pass forward and the Frenchman immediately springs Owen clear with a clever throughball, the England man races onto the ball but maybe lacks that extra yard of sharpness and elects to shoot early from the edge of the area, the effort stings the palms of Muller but he is able to gather at the second attempt.

11min - Barnsley build an attack down the right and Kozluk wins a corner as his cross deflects off the side of Enrque, McCann comes across to the Milburn Stand touchline to take but his delivery is headed clear by Taylor. Geremi receives and tries to spring Michael Owen clear with a long throughball but Kozluk is back recovering to intercept.

8min - N'Zogbia drives United forward and slips it wide to Smith, he crosses first time but the delivery eludes everyone and the ball runs away to safety.

5min - N'Zogbia spots Enrique on the overlap and threads a clever ball in-behind Kozluk, the Barnsley skipper recovers and concedes the corner. Geremi takes and it looks certain that Michael Owen will open the scoring inside the first five minutes as the ball drops on his head unmarked six yards from goal, perhaps it came too quick for the striker but he mis-cues his effort and a relieved Barnsley clear.

1min - Emre steals the ball from Robert Kozluk and play opens up for the Turk, he elects to cross from deep but the delivery has too much on it and runs away for a goal-kick.

Barnsley get the game underway attacking the Gallowgate End.

TEAM NEWS

SAM Allardyce hands full debuts to Jose Enrique and Cacapa and first starts of the season to Michael Owen, Shola Ameobi, Nobby Solano and Emre for the visit of Barnsley to St.James' Park.

Enrique makes his first appearance since his £6.3m summer switch from Villarreal, while Cacapa gets his first start in black and white having came from the bench against both Aston Villa and Middlesbrough.

Like Cacapa, Owen and Ameobi have only appeared as substitutes so far this term but are paired in attack for the Second Round tie.

Emre meanwhile gets his first outing of the season having recovered from the ankle injury he picked up at Reading towards the end of last season and Solano comes in at right-back following the injury to Stephen Carr at the weekend.

David Edgar and Paul Huntington are named among the subs for the first time this term and they are joined by Nicky Butt, Oba Martins and Steve Harper.

Barnsley goalkeeper Heinz Muller played at St.James' Park for former club Lillestrom in the Intertoto Cup at the beginning of last season, Albert Luque scoring for the Magpies in a 1-1 draw.

TEAMS

NUFC: Shay Given, Nobby Solano, Jose Enrique, Steven Taylor, Cacapa, Charles N'Zogbia, Geremi, Alan Smith (David Edgar, 87m), Emre (Nicky Butt, 51m), Michael Owen (Oba Martins, 83m), Shola Ameobi
Subs not used: Steve Harper, Paul Huntington

BFC: Heinz Muller, Lewin Nyatanga, Robert Kozluk, Sam Togwell, Miguel Mostto (Kim Christensen, 76m), Grant McCann, Rohan Ricketts, Dennis Souza, Martin Devaney (Jacob Butterfield, 87m), Dwayne Mattis (Michael Coulson, 83m), Dominik Werling
Subs not used: Nick Colgan, Robert Atkinson

Referre: G Salisbury
Attendance: 30. 523