Tranmere 1-2 Newcastle: Chris Wood heads Toon into Carabao Cup third round
Times are changing at Newcastle and nothing illustrated that more than Eddie Howe introducing £140million-worth of substitutes to see out a tie in a competition the club’s old owners derided.
Sven Botman, Joelinton, Bruno Guimares and Jamal Lewis all came on during the second half of a proper contest at League Two Tranmere but no change was more vital than the one that saw Kieran Trippier replace Emil Krafth at a time when his team were rocking.
Poor Krafth left the field on a stretcher after five minutes of treatment late in the first half but Trippier ensured the loss was not ruinous and after his first two touches, Newcastle were level and back on an even-keel that would take them into the third round draw.
These sides once conjured up one of only three games in English football history that finished 6-6, in the now defunct ZDS Cup in October 1991, and while a similar scoreline was never likely, the locals were hoping for a similar outcome, as Tranmere progressed 3-2 back then on penalties.
They were right to dream. Big nights under the lights don’t come around that often here now and there was a determination that this contest would not as FA Cup ties against Tottenham (0-7, January 2019) and Manchester United (0-6, January 2020) had done.
Tranmere, with their enthusiastic manager Mickey Mellon constantly cajoling, gave it their all and deservedly took the lead in the 21st minute when wing-back Josh Dacres-Cogley zipped onto a through ball and squared for Elliott Nevitt, who held off Jamal Lascelles to finish.
Newcastle, who remain in talks with Real Sociedad for the £60million-rated Aleksander Isak, were thrilling when they held Manchester City but Howe made ten changes and for much of the first half, their efforts were witless and best summed up by one Matt Ritchie free-kick that drifted aimlessly out of play.
It was only when Trippier was introduced that things began to change.
The England international’s first contribution, seconds after coming on, was clipping in a free-kick that resulted in Ritchie winning a corner; his next touch was the resultant set piece that Lascelles finished.
Lascelles seemed to be in the thick of the action all the time, needing treatment frequently after taking a bang to his nose, but he relished the rough and tumble of it all, wheeling away with arms aloft when his volley ripped into the net.
Once they had restored parity, it seemed inevitable that Newcastle would wear Tranmere down and so it proved when Trippier slung in a 52nd minute corner and Chris Wood arrived, powerfully, to produce a thumping header that delighted the travelling fans in the ‘cowshed’ end.
Newcastle were never able to relax on their lead and it explained why Howe introduced some of his most expensive recruits but needs must. Their dreams of a Wembley later in the season remain.
