That’s been a long Tyne coming, Joe
ASHLEY SEES BRAZILIAN END DROUGHT
MIKE Ashley watched Newcastle bang in four on his first visit to St James’ Park this season.
And the Toon owner even saw Joelinton score his first goal for 142 days in this FA Cup replay.
The Brazilian’s long barren spell ended in the 82nd minute when he met a right-wing cross from debutant Tom Allan with a cool finish from close range.
The win, sealed inside half an hour, earns the Magpies a fourthround tie at home to League One Oxford, handing them a great chance of reaching the last 16 for the first time since 2006.
But manager Steve Bruce may have mixed feelings about his side’s new-found cutting edge, albeit against opponents 49 places below them in the league.
After all, he is due to meet Ashley today when he will plead for cash to sign a new forward he claims is desperately needed to boost the Toon’s firepower.
The owner will no doubt wonder what all the fuss is about after seeing the man he coughed up £40million on last summer score his second goal for the club.
Rochdale, who had given the Geordies such a scare at Spotland, had the consolation of scoring late on when Jordan Williams found the net to the delight of their 2,000 fans.
Perhaps Joelinton will now follow the example of team-mate Miguel Almiron.
Not so long ago, he could not hit a barn door either but since opening his account last month, the in-form Paraguayan cannot stop scoring.
Almiron made it four in seven games with Newcastle’s third in a blistering nine-minute spell which knocked the stuffing out of Rochdale.
He had already seen one effort flash wide and another deflected onto the post when goalkeeper Robert Sanchez gave him a helping hand.
His woeful clearance was intercepted by Almiron, who took three touches before finding the net.
Matt Ritchie, who was making his first start in an injury-ravaged campaign, was the provider for the Magpies’ opening two goals. In the 17th minute, he sent in a testing left-wing cross between the goalkeeper and his defence and with Joelinton unmarked behind him, defender Eoghan O’Connell, facing the wrong way, could only guide the ball into his own net.
Ritchie celebrated as if it was his goal and there was more to come with another inviting cross which found Matty Longstaff inside the penalty area.
The teenager’s excellent touch and spin left him with just Sanchez to beat and he made no mistake from eight yards out.
NEWCASTLE (3-5-2): Darlow 6; Hayden 7, Lascelles 6 (Allan 57, 6), Lejeune 7; Krafth 6, M Longstaff 7, S Longstaff 7, Atsu 6, Ritchie 7 (Shelvey 69, 6); Almiron 8 (Carroll 62, 6), Joelinton 6. Goals: O’Connell 17 og, M Longstaff 20, Almiron 26, Loelinton 82.
ROCHDALE (4-4-2): Sanchez 5 (Lynch 45, 6); Matheson 5, O’Connell 5, Williams 6, Keohane 6; Norrington-Davies 5 (Tavares 69, 5), Camps 6 (Andrew 79, 5), Ryan 6, Dooley 5; Henderson 5, Wilbraham 6. Goal: Williams 86.