21 mins N'Zogbia got on the end of a Milner cross, although defender Dann looked to get the vital touch to deflect the ball home. The goal was given to the Newcastle player. 1-0.

38 mins Milner's cross eluded everyone to curl into the far corner, although a slight touch from City's Guillaume Beuzelin looked to have deceived 'keeper Andy Marshall. The goal was given to the Newcastle player. 2-0.

45+1 mins Clinton Morrison took advantage of some indecision on the edge of our box to curl a fine shot beyond Shay Given. 2-1.

Half time: Coventry 1 Newcastle 2

A good start to the season got even better with an entertaining victory at the Ricoh Arena, but memories of gut-wrenching last minute show-stoppers under Kevin Keegan's previous reign soon returned, as Coventry threatened to derail our early season optimism.

In the end though, we needed no-one but ourselves to lodge some high velocity ballistics into our foot when the club announced the next day that man of the match James Milner had submitted a transfer request. Unbelievable.

The feel good factor had reached something of a high after this contest. We had played well - knocking the ball around with precision and purpose. Our side, starting without a recognised striker had adapted well and then after seemingly throwing it all away, we raised ourselves again thanks to another timely Michael Owen winner.

Yes, life felt good after this one and although the extra-time had probably done us no favours in terms of the weekend trip to the Emirates, it had provided a certain spice that made this win memorable.

But talk about wind being taken out of sails, the announcement of Milner's transfer request at lunchtime on the Wednesday felt just as low a blow as Scott Dann's 94th minute equaliser. The theory that we have soap scriptwriters in the St. James' boadroom as well as directors became ever stronger.

The starting line-up gave little clue as to who would be charged with getting our goals in this tie but it soon emerged that Gutierrez and Milner would be up front with N'Zogbia and Geremi patrolling the flanks.

It was certainly a strong enough side to see us progress but this lot had beaten more than a reserve side at Old Trafford last season so it was still a concern that we were so lightweight up front. We needn't have worried.

Our tactics were simple; pass the ball up to the box and then blast it at an opponent.

We must have had at least 25 shots in this contest and at least 20 found a body part of a Coventry defender. Our accuracy was amazing. This also had the effect of unsettling Andy Marshall in the City goal who wasn't getting his gloves dirty at all.

The masterplan succeeded in the 21st minute when another excellent Milner run saw his cross turned in to the net by a combination of N'Zogbia and defender Dann with my take on events being that the defender's right-footed clearance hit his own left foot before ricocheting into the unguarded goal.

Before this Zog had been caught napping defence and looked to have tripped their man as he tried to make amends. Thankfully ref Tony Bates waved away penalty claims.

He did the same when Charlie was caught late at the other end, when a clumsy late challenge saw our man tumble but the official was either evening things up or deemed that Zog had seen the leg and deliberately fallen over it. Both looked decent shouts.

No matter, because our lead was doubled seven minutes before the break when Milner's cross eluded everyone to curl into the far corner, although a slight touch from City's Guillaume Beuzelin looked to have deceived 'keeper Andy Marshall.

At that point progress into the next round looked to be comfortable but in the extra minute of first half injury time Clinton Morrison took advantage of some indecision on the edge of our box to curl a fine shot beyond Shay Given.

That changed things hugely but we started the second period confidently and Given had very little to do. However, something inside me knew what would happen.

Like most soothsaying, if you say something often enough it's bound to happen but the vision of a fourth minute injury-time equaliser grew stronger as full-time approached.

Putting Owen on with fifteen minutes to go surprisingly hadn't really helped our shape and we gave the ball away with increasing frequency but they hadn't really had any decent attempts on goal and we were far from hanging on.

My relief and surprise to see just two minutes' injury-time shown by the fourth official was huge - the vision was obviously a load of cobblers and the foreboding was obviously just my natural pessimism.

Milner and Butt had it down by our corner flag and we'd already played more than two minutes. It was all over. Job done. When's the Third Round draw?

As the ball was hoofed upfield the ref simply had to blow. Everyone expected it. We weren't even whistling at him as it was beyond question that we'd played well over the two minutes. But he didn't.

Their last attack broke down and Beye cleared into the crowd with what was surely the last kick of the game. But still the ref played on.

Gunnarsson, who had just been down receiving treatment for nearly a minute, sprinted over, flung aside a ballboy's chair and launched an exocet missile into the box. The rest happened in slow motion -  a replay of something I'd already seen.

The noise was shrill and unbearable and I turned around and stared at the ground. Time on the clock - 93:08 - otherwise known as the fourth minute of injury time....

Why does that feeling in the pit of the stomach never get any less? Perhaps it's now enhanced by indigestion or a peptic ulcer after stomaching years of watching this ridiculous team.

But this is the new Keegan era, this doesn't happen to us anymore. We've paid our dues and we're in Valhalla. Surely the great God of football has toyed with us enough?

Our bench looked too inexperienced to call upon so it was all down to our 11 warriors that Keegan was visibly trying to lift.

It worked and Owen made it two winners from two substitute appearances in two games, when he latched on to a superb through ball from Enrique to settle this contest.

We still managed to allow them another injury time opening but once they hit the bar in the 106th minute we sensed that this was to be our night after all.

At times our passing game was excellent and we were able to see out the final 25 odd minutes of extra time by keeping possession and Shay was relatively untroubled as the clock ticked away.

Great credit goes to our lot for lifting themselves after the last gasp equaliser and few would argue that the win was undeserved as our forward-less starting eleven outplayed the Championship side.

Outstanding contributions from Milner, Coloccini, Enrique and Gutierrez showed how seriously we were treating this tie and for once we may be seeing the League Cup for what it is - our best chance of lifting a trophy.

Niall MacKenzie