Scunthorpe 1-2 Newcastle (aet)
- Published
Substitute Sammy Ameobi scored a superb extra-time winner as Newcastle came from behind to beat Scunthorpe in the second round of the Carling Cup.
With eight minutes left of a closely-contested tie, the striker cut inside and fired home from 20 yards.
Chris Dagnall had given the home side a deserved lead in normal time.
But as the game wore on, Newcastle grew as a threat and Ryan Taylor's free-kick sent the game to extra time, where Ameobi's late strike proved decisive.
It was the first competitive goal for the 19-year-old, who is the younger brother of fellow Magpies striker Shola and was reward for a lively display after entering the game as a 65th-minute replacement for Demba Ba.
At the other end, goalkeeper Tim Krul produced a number of fine saves to keep a positive Scunthorpe at bay, including a superb instinctive block from Jimmy Ryan's close-range shot and an even better parry after Dagnall's header had deflected off Fabricio Coloccini.
However, Krul was beaten in a first half that the home side had the best of when Dagnall was well placed eight yards out to flick home after the Newcastle defence had twice failed to clear properly from a corner.
Only their goalkeeper kept the visitors from being further behind at the break.
Newcastle looked a completely different side after the break, but their bid for an equaliser was undermined by poor finishing.
Peter Lovenkrands twice spurned great chances and when Leon Best did have the ball in the net, his finish was ruled out for offside.
But Alan Pardew's men continued to push forward and were rewarded when Taylor took control of a 20-yard free-kick and curled it past the diving Josh Lillis.
Extra-time was an understandably cagey affair and the match appeared destined for penalties until Ameobi seized his moment, weaving to within shooting distance before unleashing an unstoppable drive into the far corner.