[themaclad]

Back on the coach for the relatively short journey to the North East for the League Cup fourth road tie against the current Championship leaders, the first of two games between the sides in four days.
United after a slow start are now in pole position in the league and will probably stay there until the end of the season, unbeaten in their last eight games since a home defeat against Wolves on 17/9/2016, they are scoring goals for fun at the moment and yesterdayput three past the Tractor boys.
As I said given that the two sides meet in the league on Saturday and seeing both sides have played three times in the last week, expect plenty of changes in both sides although think United will still be able to put out a strong side from the squad they have.
The fourth round is a rare treat for us, it is about 12 years since we got this far before collapsing in a heap with a 5-0 hammering at Villa Park, given we played an unchanged side yesterday expect the likes of Grimshaw, Lindegaard, Huntington(ex United) and maybe Vemijl and the lesser spotted Beckford to make the 18.
Personal view welcome distraction, win or lose either way just hope it is an entertaining game and for £10 entry it is a bargain as well, sold over a 1000 for the macth, we are in the seventh tier, crampons and walking boots to the ready, eat plenty of carrots as the pitch is almost in a different country from that vantage point.
Only a short preview as we have them again on Saturday and I'm still knackered from yesterday.

[themaclad]

Over 40,000 tickets sold for the cup match

[WakeyTerrier]

Good effort that from PNE, not the easiest place to reach from your neck of the woods

[themaclad]

Now up to 42000 we are taking 1500

[Lord Snooty]

Gooo on lads. Stick one up the geordie tossers! Think they've got a god given right to be top.      

[themaclad]

53000 sold

[Lord Snooty]

Well that didn't go well! Better luck on Saturday

[themaclad]

You can say that again Snooty

Dreams of playing Qarabag in the Europa League came to a shuddering halt in front of a staggering large crowd of 49042 at St James's Park as North End turned in a performance of such utter dross that it was probably a relief to lose by only six,it could quite have easily been ten.
We made nine changes, Unted made seven although when you bring in players that you have paid over £10 million for it can hardly weaken your side as was proved last night. United's bench could have won games on their own such was the talent on it.
By the time United had taken the lead after about 15 minutes they had already hit the post through Hayden? and Hanley had had a header cleared from the line.
The first came from a free kick Ritchie's free kick was inch perfect, North End's defenders statuesque Mitrovic nodded home with ease. The next bit of meaningful action was probably the game killer, Browne clumsily clattered into Colbackleading with his elbow, both players left the pitch Colback being replaced by Uncle Fester(Shelvey) and Browne to the changing room following the red card.
From then on in it was down to damage limitation, get to half time one down we may have had a remote chnace, but once Diame had scored just before half time from outside the box it was game over. It could have been three when Doyle horrendous back pass(was his only contribution of the night) set up a glorious chance Ritchie confronted by keeper Lindegaard unselfishly passed the ball to Diame eight yards out with an open goal, he virtually tripped over the ball and put it wide.
Would have settled for a four goal defeat however that was the score within 10 minutes of the restart, first a penalty looked soft even from my vantage point in the clouds two miles away, three United players argued as to who would take it, Ritchie won, he scored blasting the ball off the underside of the bar into the net, within two mintues Mitrovic had slalomed past non existent defending to make it four, he got booked for throwing his shirt to the floor after scoring(well he is from the Balkans)
Then the goals stopped for a while at least although the excellent Astu managed to hit the woodwork twice, other chances went wide and Lindegaard saved others.
With 10 minutes to go the faithful away support started to sing "we only want one shot" when Lo and Behold we ventured into enemy territory and won two corners, to an ironic standing ovation. Even funnier we nearly scored Huntington's header was well saved by Sels and that was the sole sum of our attacking for the night.
United rounded off the scoring with two late goals Diame weaved his was through the debris of the defence curling home from 20 yards past a keeper who did not move, Perez then curled one home from inside the box past a keeper who did not move and it was six.
For us Davies sadly proved last night he is not good enough, have doubts about Lindegaard although to be fair to him he is going through a divorce which can't be easy, man of the match the 1400 away fans excellent as usual.

Newcastle United 6 Preston North End 0 Att 49042

Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez:

"We play Preston again. They will try to amend the situation; they will try to change things. We will be playing away, so it will be totally different.

"It's another competition, so we have to enjoy it. Normally I say one or two days and after, concentrate on the next game. It will be tough, for sure."

Preston boss Simon Grayson:

"I'm not going through that again on Saturday. This is a big arena; it's a big pitch - they make it big. It will be different on Saturday.

"I'm not going to make promises that it's going to be a different scoreline, but I'd like to think that it will be.

"We could have played our strongest team from Saturday and still been beaten tonight. The league is our priority, but we are hugely disappointed."