Tom Craddock scored an outstanding goal in the second minute of stoppage time to take Boro through to a 6th Round meeting with Tranmere or Southampton.

 

Boro were well on top in the early stages, Jason Kennedy beating United ‘keeper Adam Bartlett with a low drive to give them the lead after just seven minutes. They went on to miss a string of chances after that, with James Morrison in particular missing with a couple of efforts that flew over the bar when he was well placed.

 

United threatened themselves in the last ten minutes of the opening half, encouraged when midfielder Matty Pattison engineered a chance on 34 minutes. He was unmarked but put the ball well over the top. Then, in the final minute of the half, Carl Finnigan blasted a shot well beyond David Knight’s reach for a timely equaliser.

 

Boro had cause to be grateful to ‘keeper Knight for some competent handling as the visitors looked slightly the more likely to grab a winner in the second period. In the first minute of stoppage time United’s Matthew Bates snatched at a great chance to settle the tie, shooting too high from 12 yards. Within a minute Craddock had burst down the left into space, surging into the box to round the ‘keeper and slot the ball home from a narrow angle. He was immediately mobbed by delirious team-mates.

 

Middlesbrough: Knight, McMahon, Masters, Bates, Wheater, Cattermole, Liddle, Taylor (Johnson), Craddock, Morrison, Kennedy

Newcastle United: Bartlett, Baxter, Farman, Shanks, Taylor, Smylie (Marshall), Webster, Jackson, Bates (Walton), Finnigan (Howe), Pattison

 

In last night’s other match in The FA Youth Cup, a 4th Round tie at Morecambe’s Christie Park, an impressive Keith Barker hat-trick took Blackburn Rovers through against West Bromwich Albion. Rovers, twice beaten finalists in the last six seasons, won 6-2 and now face Gillingham, the conquerors of Liverpool at Anfield.

 

Andy Taylor’s seventh-minute effort was cleared off the line but Rovers wouldn’t be denied for long and the demolition began with Joel Byrom’s goal five minutes later. Barker immediately made it 2-0 and later completed a hat-trick. Sergio Peter and Matt Darbyshire were also on target before Albion pulled two goals back in the final quarter of the tie through Smikle and Paszkowec.

 

There is more FA Youth Cup action next week, starting with West Ham United v Nottingham Forest at Upton Park on Monday.