For the second time in four days, Newcastle’s get out of jail card came from the penalty spot. Jonjo Shelvey’s sweet equaliser three minutes from time allowed Newcastle to prevail in a penalty shootout against Newport County of League Two, who opened the scoring through Tristan Abrahams. Newcastle snatched a point at
Tottenham on Sunday but in less salubrious surrounds they were made to sweat before squeezing into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, winning 5-4 on penalties, despite Joelinton missing from 12 yards.
Brandon Cooper skied the decisive spot-kick but it was cruel on the Newport defender, on loan from Swansea, who was outstanding throughout. His last-ditch block on Ryan Fraser as the winger went to unleash a shot at goal as Newcastle pushed for a leveller perhaps best embodied a brilliant backs-to-the-wall performance. Mickey Demetriou cleared off the line with only seconds of six minutes of second-half stoppage time remaining and Nick Townsend, the Newport goalkeeper, was inspired in thrice keeping Jacob Murphy at bay. But when Shelvey bamboozled the substitute Ryan Taylor on the edge of the box, he curled a delicious looping strike into the far corner to earn a toiling Newcastle a lifeline. “Shelvey is the only player on the pitch who can put it in the top corner from that position,” said Michael Flynn, the Newport manager.