That'll be the Murphy's

5 mins Achraaf Lazaar's left footed corner bounced in front of the near post in front of the away fans and Massadio Haidara made a failed attempt to touch the ball on into the six yard box. 

Grant Hanley sent the loose ball goalwards but his improvised shot cannoned off two home players, falling to Daryl Murphy who beat Aleksandar Mitrovic to it and steered in from four yards. That was despite the 'keeper getting a hand to it and City's Che Adams being close to the goal line 1-0

42 mins United failed to regroup following a quickly-taken free-kick and Jonathan Grounds beat Lazaar before crossing from the City left for Lukas Jutkiewicz to beat Matz Sels with a simple low six yard shot in front of the Tilton Road End . 1-1

Half time: Toon 1 Blues 1

Full time: Toon 1 Blues 1

Blues boss Gianfranco Zola:

"There was some good football but it was important that we got something out of the game. It will give the players a big lift.

"I thought it was our best performance for consistency with the exception of the opening five minutes, when Newcastle scored their goal.

"This game will improve the quality of the football we can produce and improve the confidence in the team.

"I can say I was nervous on the bench. This is the moment for us to begin as the players understand what I want them to do.

"I totally believe we should have beaten Newcastle. We had more possession, more shots and looked more dangerous than Newcastle.

"We didn't allow them to find their rhythm and create problems. I thought our three midfielders were outstanding and we stopped them playing. I think that was a surprise to them."

A different manager brought only the most marginal of uplifts to Newcastle's FA Cup fortunes at a lifeless St. Andrew's on Saturday, as an unwanted replay was added to the club's schedule.

True, we're in the Fourth Round draw for the first time in five seasons and scored for the first time in three attempts. However, the fifth anniversary of our last FA Cup win passed with no increase on that tally and the interminable wait for an away success since Cheltenham Town in 2006 goes on.

Rafa Benitez returned to the competition he won with Liverpool in 2006 for a first FA Cup tie in his 1,005 game managerial career since his Chelsea side lost to Manchester City at Wembley in the 2013 Semis. Cup football may be all about the result but this occasion was rather less auspicious....

A side showing eight changes from that beaten at Ewood Park on Monday and including forgotten pair Massadio Haidara and Cheick Tiote took a fifth minute lead but proved unable to build on that.

In mitigation, the enforced change to an unexpected forward pairing of goalscorer Daryl Murphy and Aleksandar Mitrovic before the game resumed was a factor, but a midfield including Tiote, Jack Colback and Vurnon Anita proved unfit for purpose - despite some promise from Achraaf Lazaar.

Restored to the starting lineup after less than half an hour's service in our last eight games, the Serbian was stretchered from the pitch with a gaping leg wound sustained in trying to reach the loose ball that Murphy converted. 

And although some semblance of cover was available by introducing Yoan Gouffran to the attacking role he occupied when bought for from Bordeaux four years ago, that did little to aid the experiment of a rare two up front formation for a Benitez side set out as 3-5-2. 

Gouffran had two clear opportunities to double the lead but hesitated to shoot when well placed, failing to pull the trigger having rounded the 'keeper as he had fleeting sight of the empty net.

Regardless of the alteration to our attack though and shortcomings in midfield, the issue of who goes in goal instead of Karl Darlow remains a pertinent one. Quite simply, while Matz Sels is that player, we'll never progress in any competition that gives him the chance to cause consternation with his penchant for punching and flapping at the most of unthreatening of balls. A total liability. 

Some online fan comments about the Belgian being our worst custodian ever may be wide of the mark for those who recall the likes of Hollins, Hardwick or Hooper, but the clearest indication Rafa can give that he's seeking an early FA Cup exit is to retain Sels for the replay.

No blame was attached to the 'keeper though for City's equaliser; the outfield players collectively nodding off before Lukas Jutkiewicz shot home to rouse the home fans from their slumbers.

Level at half time, any real semblance of a contest disappeared in the second period as United showed total disinterest in seeking out another goal and Birmingham weren't much better. One gentleman in a corporate box behind us was clearly asleep, while others watched racing on TV.

Gianfranco Zola's first victory as City boss though did start to look more likely as they accepted our invitation to press in the closing stages, ex-Burnley striker Jutkiewicz somehow twice failing to direct his headers on target when what would surely have been a winner was put on a plate for him. Had either of those gone in, we might have struggled to suppress a relieved cheer. 

With Dwight Gayle well and truly off limits following the injury to Mitrovic and omission of calf injury victim Ayoze Perez, the introduction of Isaac Hayden and Matt Ritchie did nothing to improve our general play and the full time whistle sounded amid almost total indifference, Newcastle players leaving the field to barely a ripple of applause. 

For all the transfer work in the summer, the failure to bring in like-for-like cover for Shelvey stands out - although had such a player existed then he'd doubtless not have been risked today.

In the same way that Rafa couldn't paint over the cracks in ten games last season, assessing and reversing the years of neglect on Barrack Road will take more than a few months. 

The FA Cup no longer "matters" in the same way because of the people who came before him at this club, be they players, managers, administrators or Chairmen who sanctioned the butchering of the fixture list and the downgrading of the competition at their summit meetings.

Cup runs would be nice, but one look at Hull's two-legged reward this month (Manchester United) for beating us in the EFL Cup) should be enough to inject a note of realism to proceedings. 

We live to fight another day, although we'd rather not have done. To close with a quote from our report of the equally demoralising but predictable 0-0 draw at Plymouth in January 2010, "we have only one priority this year and it's not to go to Wembley - in the FA Cup or the bloody playoffs".
 
Biffa