Newcastle into Carabao Cup quarter-finals after Bournemouth victory 

QUALIFICATION SECURED: Newcastle United's Allan Saint-Maximin celebrates victory after the final whistle. Pic: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire.

Newcastle 1 Bournemouth 0 

IT'S a compelling argument that Newcastle had pretty much more to lose than most in terms of the momentum-halting nature of the World Cup hiatus such was the impressive nature of their progress prior to the unprecedented halt for events to unfold in the Middle East.

Eddie Howe's privately-held fears came to fruition as a team that had contemptuously swept Chelsea aside here 38 days previously to go third in the Premier League proved instead, quite understandably given the circumstances, to be rustiness personified.

So it was to their utmost credit that despite failing to hit the heights in terms of performance, they nevertheless found a way to seal a place in the last eight of the Carabao Cup for only the third time in the last 16 attempts. When you've waited 67 years since your last major domestic silverware, another few weeks of inactivity hardly seems to matter.

They now stand two wins away from a Wembley final, which at a club with Newcastle's woeful knock-out record in recent seasons is reason for celebration in itself. Mike Ashley was never one for the cups. The new Saudi owners however know a sports-washing opportunity when they see one, and a rare addition to the trophy cabinet would help that aim rather nicely, thank you.

Newcastle had a significant helping hand from Bournemouth when it came to the winning goal midway through the second-half to seal a result that just about did justice to the control Newcastle exerted on proceedings.

Callum Wilson had the ball in the net from close range midway through a stop-start 45 minutes but after initial confusion, the effort from the former Bournemouth forward was ruled out by the assistant referee belatedly raising his flag to rule a marginal offside.

The Cherries were successful in their first objective of dampening the atmosphere generated by a St James' Park sell-out which had given the hosts a predictably raucous welcome as Tyneside revelled in its first domestic football fix for more than five weeks after what seemed to be an interminable interlude for the morally-bankrupt Mundial in the Middle East.

Despite dominating possession and territory, Eddie Howe's side were largely stifled in creating anything clear-cut in front of goal as the visitors prevented their opponents from building up an early head of steam demanded by the Newcastle manager in the build-up to his side's return to action.

Both Kieran Trippier and Fabian Schar saw shots end up in the Gallowgate End as Newcastle were confined to long-range attempts at Mark Travers' goal. Bournemouth's route one riposte in knocking the ball long for Kieffer Moore to flick on for whoever proved to be his nearest team-mate proved equally ineffective Wilson's disallowed effort at least stirred home supporters from their temporary stupor, but not for that long as Bournemouth quickly returned to stifle mode to see out what remained of a largely forgettable first half with few further alarms.

That was barring a woeful miss by Miguel Almiron, who somehow failed to break the deadlock when a low cross found the unmarked South American at the far post. An unconvincing right-foot effort from a diminishing angle inside the six-yard area was gratefully smothered by Travers.

It took almost an hour for Bournemouth to fashion theirs and indeed the contest's best attempt on goal when Moore's fierce header from a fine Adam Smith cross from the right flew inches wide of Nick Pope's left-hand post Seemingly stirred into life, Newcastle finally found a way past Travers, although it came inadvertently, as Smith, under pressure from Wilson, headed Trippier's cross into his own net 23 minutes from time.

Finally forced out of their shell, Bournemouth forced a smart Pope save from substitute Jack Stacey's low shot, but if Newcastle were rusty, their opponents were almost comatose when it came to attacking threat to render this a contest which will quickly be erased from the memory banks, especially on the South Coast.

Newcastle (4-3-3): N Pope 7; K Trippier 7, F Schar 7, S Botman 6, D Burn 6; S Longstaff 6, B Guimaraes 7 (J Shelvey 88, 6), J Willock 5 (A St Maximin 57,7); M Almiron 5 (J Murphy 76, 6), C Wilson 6 (C Wood 76, 6), Joelinton 6.

Bournemouth (4-4-2): M Travers 7; M Smith 5, C Mepham 7, M Senesi 6 (J Lowe 85, 5), J Zemura 7; R Christie 6 (J Stacey 64, 6), L Cook 7, P Billing 7, J Anthony 5 (S Dembele 77, 6); D Solanke 6, K Moore 6.

Referee: John Brooks (Leicestershire)