The Road to Cardiff - Ding Donged

For 50 minutes little Yeading held out against the famous black & white stripes but eventually two 2nd half goals saw Newcastle United win through against their amateur opposition and Heppers not to mention the other Northern monkeys that I know, Stimpson & Peart let out a huge sigh of relief.

Despite a difference of 123 league places and six divisions, Yeading showed scant respect for their Premiership opponents and in the opening exchanges were determined to test out Newcastle's new £8m signing Jean-Alain Boumsoung. The Frenchman twice conceded free-kicks in dangerous positions and from the second for a foul on Errol Telemaque, Newcastle's defence was flat-footed as Emond Protain rose highest to head over.

As expected the Geordies tried to wear out The Ding with some fast and neat passing letting the plasterers and painters do all the running around but it was Ding who had one of the best chances before the break when David Clarke curled a free-kick around the wall and it needed a full-length save from Harper to keep it out.

Mind you, before that Bellamy had rattled the crossbar and Delroy Preddie produced a brilliant fingertip save from Jermain Jenas' piledriver.

After the break Clarke curled another free kick wide from 22 yards but five minutes into the second half, the sighs of relief were audible from the travelling Magpies - who probably made up half of the attendance - as Newcastle took the lead.

Ameobi's pass found Bellamy scuttling into the inside-right channel and he placed the ball across goal to provide BOWYER with the simplest of tap-ins.

AMOEBI gave Newcastle some breathing space just after the hour when he got ahead of his marker to plant a firm header past Preddie to make it 2-0.

After that Newcastle attacked in waves as the part-timers tired, but they refused to fold and showed determination and spirit to deny Newcastle.

Yeading were denied a deserved consolation when Harper went full-length to palm away Darti Brown's fierce shot.

Newcastle boss Souness said afterwards "Until we scored the second goal we were always holding our breath. As long as it was 1-0 they were in the game, and we must have missed half a dozen gilt-edged chances."

Yeading manager 'Drax' Hippolyte said: "After my kids being born this was the second proudest day of my life."

So, The Geordies take over the mantle as N&R's team on The Road to Cardiff and they will play managerless Coventry in the next round.

Yeading team: Preddie, Nevin Saroya, Marc Leach, Stanley,Barima (Behzadi 74), Haule, Darti Brown, Clarke,Protain (Woodruffe 78), Telemaque (Quamina 84), DJ Campbell.
Subs Not Used: Newby, Kleboe
MoW: David Clarke
Attendance: 10,824