Full debuts to Jose Enrique and Cacapa and first starts of the season to Michael Owen, Shola Ameobi and Emre for the visit of Barnsley to St.James’ Park.
As being predicted, Enrique today makes his first appearance since his £6.3m summer switch from Villarreal, and Newcastle United 1,000th player to wear Black and White shirt, Caçapa gets his first start after twice came from the bench against both Premierships side Aston Villa and Middlesbrough.
Emre meanwhile, makes his first outing under Sam Allardyce this season after recovered from ankle injury at Reading towards the end of last season.
Barnsley get the game underway attacking the Gallowgate End, but 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.
Michael Owen looks like to open the scoring inside the first five minutes as the ball drops on his head unmarked six yards from goal from Geremi’s freekick, but he mis-cues his effort and a relieved Barnsley clear.
One of the rare Barnsley attack down the right wins the corner, McCann comes across 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.
N’Zogbia once again is in his best action for Toon so far. He 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 Geremi’s flag-kick.
A series of Toon pressure 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.
Owen has the great chance in extra time of the first half as Ameobi’s knock-down falls to his feet inside the penalty area, it looks like Owen will pull the trigger first time but he iss forced wide of goal by Nyatanga, and while 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 for the end of the first half.
Nicky Butt feeds Ameobi in space midway inside Barnsley’s half, he splits the Tykes backline with a threaded throughball for Owen to run onto, he takes the ball on a few strides before finishing underneath the on-rushing Muller for his first goal in black and white since December, 2005 and his first ever at the Gallowgate End for United.
N’Zogbia almost make it two when he is driven effort was denied on the way by Nyatanga as the Barnsley player has to throw himself in front after Owen teed-up the Frenchman on the edge of the area.
Obafemi Martins came in to replace Toon goal scorer in 83 minutes to have open the chance for him to score in the 86 minutes to make it 2-0 for the Magpies over Barnsley, and a ticket to the next round.
The goal was brilliant as Solano clips the ball into the area, 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.
NUFC: Shay Given, Nobby Solano, Jose Enrique, Steven Taylor, Cacapa, Charles N’Zogbia, Geremi, Alan Smith (David Edgar 87″), Emre (Butt 52″), Michael Owen (Oba Martins), Shola Ameobi
Subs: Steve Harper, Paul Huntington.
BFC: Heinz Muller, Lewin Nyatanga, Robert Kozluk, Sam Togwell, Miguel Mostto, Grant McCann, Rohan Ricketts, Dennis Souza, Martin Devaney (Jacob Butterfield 87″), Dwayne Mattis, Dominik Werling
Subs: Nick Colgan, Robert Atkinson, Kim Christensen, Michael Coulson
Referre: G Salisbury
Attendance: 30.523