Half time: Newcastle 0 Blackburn 0

69 mins Carroll shot 1-0

Full time: Newcastle 1 Blackburn 0 

Newcastle's Reserve side extended their unbeaten home run to 18 games on Monday evening as Blackburn left empty-handed.  

The vital breakthrough came on 69 minutes when substitute Andy Carroll converted from close range, the ball having crossed the line before a defender's abortive attempt at a clearance saw it nestle in the net.

Although that was to be the only goal of the game, Newcastle were full value for the win and made enough chances to have secured a more decisive margin of victory.

Playing on the left side of midfield, Phil Cave almost opened the scoring on six minutes when his speculative cross struck the top of the Rovers crossbar in the swirling wind.

Rovers 'keeper Frank Fielding was a spectator for that one, but four minutes later was earning his money to tip away Carl Finnigan's goalbound effort.

Cave then struck the woodwork again on 22 minutes, his rising 20 yarder skimming the crossbar. Cave had made ground after starting the move with a ball to Albert Luque to get on the end of Kris Gate's pass.

Of the Spaniard little was seen, save for the occasional neat touch on the edge of the area. 

He could never be accused of punching his weight though - in contrast to Olivier Bernard, who showed long-overdue glimpses of his old self with a couple of up-field surges.

Rovers did threaten on occasion but missed a decent chance to test Magpies 'keeper Fraser Forster on the half hour.

Paul Huntington was shown a yellow card for a foul challenge on the edge of our area but Rovers sent the resulting free kick high and wide.

Italian striker Raffaele De Vita then found space in our defence to try a shot, but Forster was equal to it.

With the clock running down to the interval, United pressed forward again, with James Troisi coming to the fore as he burst out of his right midfield position to pressurise Rovers.

One good run on 34 minutes save Fielding save well, before the Australian youngster motored towards goal three minutes later and lofted the ball over the Rovers 'keeper - but also cleared the crossbar.

With light rain now falling, the second was less than ten minutes old when Luque was withdrawn in what looked like a pre-arranged move - presumably putting him in the frame to feature against Palermo on Thursday.

His departure and the arrival of Carroll gave the side a more familiar look and with Matty Pattison and Troisi starting to drive the side forward, the latter tried his luck again with a low effort from the edge of the area.

Pattison then tried to find his range and saw his effort clear one side of the goal, before Cave dragged his shot past the other post within a minute.

Cave then turned provider on 66 minutes, winning the ball down the left before sending over a fine cross that Carroll met on the volley - the Rovers 'keeper blocking the effort before the ball was hacked away.

Then came the breakthrough and although Rovers did their best to force an equaliser, Newcastle's defence held firm and Paul Huntington won his running battle with visiting forward Joe Garner.

Coach Lee Clark will be doubtless delighted with the spirit shown by his side, who again showed some good passing and movement despite the variable playing surface and stuck to their task before gaining their reward. 

Nice also to see the likes of Troisi popping up at the back to help out when Rovers threatened in the closing stages. 

Biffa

Reports