Alan Pardew commented:

"If we were going to go out of the cup, that's how to go out of it. We gave absolutely everything, but sometimes you can't win every game. I don't like the idea of being a gallant loser to be honest, and we haven't really had that too often this season thankfully.

"But it was a fantastic effort, and I'm sure all the fans who came to the game will have appreciated the effort that was put in and the commitment to try to turn things around. We took everything that was thrown at us and came out fighting, but unfortunately it wasn't our day.

"To be 2-0 down was galling - we had a couple of penalty shouts and when Demba turned Samba, I definitely thought he had hold of his arm. I thought it was a penalty and, to compound that not being given, having seen the video of their penalty, I'm sure Tim played the ball.

"It wasn't a penalty at the other end, and that put us really on the back foot. But the players just don't know when to give in and they kept pressing and pressing to the end.

"It was really just tiredness at the end that cost us the game. We just lacked concentration on that last set-play. Samba is a massive threat, but unfortunately we just didn't react to him winning that header.

"But I couldn't fault the players because they'd put in a magnificent effort by that stage. Sadly, it just wasn't meant to be for us."
 

Newcastle's 14-match unbeaten run finally came to an end at an almost eerily empty Ewood Park on Wednesday night, but only after an unbelievable late resurgence that produced two goals in added time and set up yet another decisive period of extra time.

After Sammy Ameobi's 112th minute effort at Scunthorpe and Fabricio Coloccini's 120th minute Forest feller though, it proved to be third time unlucky for United and the sparsely-populated home sections were left to celebrate a late winner and the avoidance of penalties.

Losing the services of Shola Ameobi, Cheick Tiote and Steven Taylor ahead of the game gave Alan Pardew some selection dilemmas and emphasised the imbalance in his squad, while both Leon Best and Ryan Taylor failed to appear - and in their absence found their reputations boosted.

Having failed to impress as we conceded three goals at Forest in the last round, James Perch was reintroduced at centre half through necessity with Mike Williamson nowhere near fitness. Add in Danny Simpson struggling to secure the right with Marveaux providing little cover in front and Davide Santon receiving some harsh lessons about English football, the curly-haired talisman was fighting a losing battle all night to knit together his previously-impregnable back line.

Santon seemed bemused when his half-hearted approach to tackling and willingness to tumble over upon first contact left him on the turf as the referee waved play on - he'll need to quickly realise that what convinces officials to stop the game in his homeland is radically different over here.

Those decisions though proved to be rare moments of competence from hapless referee Rob Madley, who turned down a trio of United penalty appeals - including one blatantly obvious handball - before belatedly pointing to the spot in added time, but only after reluctantly agreeing with his linesman's call. An incensed Alan Pardew had sought him out at full time before speaking to his players but that action hardly looked to have made Madley better disposed to our cause.

It's impossible to write this report without moaning about those incorrect decisions, plus suspicions that the free kicks that led to Rovers' third and fourth goals were harshly-awarded and the eventual winner was scored by a player in an offside position - our lot seemingly too knackered to appeal.

However, it's also unavoidable to report that in 90 minutes of normal time, the turgid offering from Pardew's side was fully deserving of an exit from the cup. To deal with the positives, nobody left on a stretcher and Ba chasing lost causes all night in an unfamiliar role as a sole target man. 

Other than that though, only the late spark Sammy Ameobi provided hinted at anything coming from this tie - with Ben Arfa the major disappointment of the evening. And until Guthrie's added time effort, Bunn hadn't had a single shot to save - Ba hitting a post at 0-1 and both Marveaux and Ben Arfa mis-directing second half headers into the away section.   

The avoidance of penalties at least meant that Tim Krul didn't have to throw himself across Ewood any longer. With all three of our replacements used, the extended treatment he needed in added time had prompted questions as to whether an outfield player had ever gone between the posts for a shootout (Lionel Perez for the mackems at Wembley was somewhat sarcastically suggested....)

Like Perch, the prospect of Rob Elliot starting at Stoke fills us with nothing but dread and one look at the remaining sides in the cup was enough to invoke our default position for this tournament; namely that we'll amble along until the draw puts us up against a "big" team and then tumble out. 

By the way, post-match comments from drink-driver Steve Kean about winning the competition suggested he'd been on the sherry again and may soon become as superfluous and laughable as Pardew's recent waffle - tell me a Newcastle manager that didn't want to win a trophy and in doing so achieve immortality.

Rovers were shorn of numerous players but still included Yakubu and Pedersen in their ranks, two players who have perennially caused us problems - even if they've not always been matchwinners. 

And with recent Gallowgate goalscorer Hoilett cantering down the left, there were threats all over the field from a Blackburn side who may not have been bothered about advancing in this competition, but who were more focused and committed from the first whistle than our lot. 

Our run was always going to end at some point and like us, many had thought that Stoke was a more likely graveyard. As it is though, we now go there with some trepidation as the make-up of the team and a nagging worry that as we expected, reality will soon intervene as our first-choice XI is broken up by injury (and suspension, with Cabaye, Tiote and Colo now all on three yellows). 

Putting aside the romanticism of Wembley etc. this wasn't the end of the world and may prove to be a useful exercise in reducing expectations and bringing a few people back down to earth. As ever though, it's never dull watching our lot. 

PS: Monty, your cruise is safe. Woody, welcome to the wonderful world of Newcastle United.