*Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle*
Nicklas Bendtner and Denilson grabbed two late goals to send
Arsenal into the fourth round of the Carling Cup at the expense of
Newcastle.
Bendtner gave the Gunners the lead when he headed in Armand
Traore's left-wing cross past Shay Given.
Brazil international Denilson then scored a spectacular second when
he let loose with a rocket from 25 yards.
Obafemi Martins went closest for Newcastle but had his effort
cleared off the line by Philippe Senderos.
Arsene Wenger began with only two of the players from the starting
XI that helped Arsenal to a 5-0 win over Derby last weekend.
The pair, striker Eduardo and defender Senderos, were in the thick
of the action from the start, while the rest of Wenger's young guns
acquitted themselves brilliantly throughout the match.
The home side battered the Newcastle goal for much of 90 minutes
but it was the visitors who created the first chance.
Striker Obafemi Martins, who was the Magpies' biggest threat, did
well to lose Senderos inside the area but saw his powerful header
saved by Poland shotstopper Lukasz Fabianski.
It took a while for the Gunners youth to get fired up, but once
they did it was spectacular to watch.
With half-time approaching Magpies' veteran keeper Given, brought
back into the first team, and his defence were put on red alert
with balls coming into the box from all angles.
Emmanuel Eboue, 24, one of the 'senior' members of the team, forced
the Republic of Ireland international to palm away his 20-yard
drive before the lively Theo Walcott smashed his shot wide after a
great run.
But Arsenal had not even hit top gear, after the break Ivory Coast
star Eboue had a fierce shot blocked and was then denied by a
beautifully timed last-ditch tackle from England Under-21
centre-back Steven Taylor.
Croatia striker Eduardo, who dropped deeper during the game, then
saw his goalbound header cleared off the line by Newcastle's
darling of the moment, Charles N'Zogbia.
With 10 minutes left it seemed that Sam Allardyce's men would take
Wenger's young troops into extra-time, but then up popped Denmark's
Bendtner to apply a great finish to Traore's floated centre.
Newcastle should have equalised shortly after but Martins'
nonchalant effort after rounding Fabianski allowed Senderos time to
get back and clear.
Denilson made the Nigerian and Newcastle pay for the miss by
posting a shot, express delivery, into the roof of Given's
goal.
Arsenal: Fabianski, Justin Hoyte, Eboue (Diaby
64), Senderos, Traore, Diarra, Denilson, Song Billong, Walcott,
Bendtner, Eduardo (Perez 90).
Subs Not Used: Mannone, Lansbury, Gavin Hoyte.
Goals: Bendtner 83, Denilson 89.
Newcastle: Given, Beye, Taylor, Rozehnal, Jose
Enrique, Milner (Butt 70), Smith, Faye, N'Zogbia, Ameobi (Emre 60),
Martins.
Subs Not Used: Forster, Geremi, Edgar.
Att: 60,004.
Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
