Newcastle United 2 (Ritchie 29, Gouffran 31)
Wolves 0
Wolves’ League Cup adventure is over for another season as Newcastle gained revenge for the 2-0 League defeat inflicted on them by the Molineux men three days earlier.
Both teams had eight changes from the game at the weekend with Silvio making his debut for Wolves.
Newcastle kicked-off attacking the Gallowgate end of St James Park and the home side enjoyed the best of the opening exchanges which included two Matt Ritchie corners and one from Jonjo Shelvey.
Paul Gladon slipped on the greasy surface and lost possession to Shelvey who was wide with his attempt from 22-yards.
Wolves’ first opportunity came in the 14th minute after Jed Wallace had sprinted down the right flank and hit a low cross to Gladon whose close range shot was blocked by a defender.
On 23 minutes Wolves could have been ahead after Gladon had flicked the ball into Wallace’s path. He was clean through but when he tried to curl the ball past Karl Darlow the keeper made a fine save.
Within seven minutes the Geordies took a two goal lead. First Richie raced onto Jack Colback’s flick before hitting a low, angled shot through a crowded six-yard box into the far corner of the net.
Worse quickly followed and this time Ritchie was the supplier with a cross that Yoan Gouffran volleyed into the roof of the goal giving Andy Lonergan no chance of saving.
Joe Mason couldn’t get anything on a decent cross from Gladon as Wolves looked to hit back and, for Newcastle, Daryl Murphy headed wide after a deep centre from Achraf Lazaar on the left.
Half-Time: Newcastle 2 Wolves 0
Ola John became the second man to make his debut for Wolves on the night when he was an interval replacement for Joao Teixeira.
Three minutes into the half Newcastle were inches away from a third when Mohamed Diame spotted Lonergan off his line. His lob struck the bar and Gouffran, following up, ballooned the ball over from inside the six-yard box.
Gladon’s shot from the edge of the area had the sting taken out of it as the ball struck a defender and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson did well to get in the way of a Shelvey effort at the other end.
Indecision in the Wanderers defence presented Colback with an opportunity and his low drive was only just off target.
Lonergan dived to save a long range shot from Diame as Wolves struggled to get a foothold in the game. Walter Zenga made a second change with Price replacing Joe Mason.
Gouffran became the first man to go into the book after he crudely halted Silvio’s run along the right.
Newcastle then made two changes switching Ayoze Perez for Diame and Christian Atsu for Gouffran.
Dominic Iorfa did well to clear a dangerous cross from Ritchie before John looked on to reduce the deficit. He looked to be pulled back as he ran into the Newcastle box but still go a shot away with Darlow saving at the expense of a corner. Penalty appeals were waved away by the referee.
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson replaced Wallace for the closing stages which included a booking for George Saville who as penalised for what looked like a perfectly good tackle. The midfielder made his feelings known and was promptly shown the yellow card.
Murphy shot over from a good position and, in stoppage time Perez was booked for an untidy challenge on John. In the dying seconds there was a brief scramble in the home goalmouth but there was to be no consolation goal for Wolves.
Magpies: Darlow, Clark, Colback, Hanley, Lazaar, Ritchie (Lascelles 85), Shelvey (capt), Diame (Perez 72), Gouffran (Atsu 74), Yedlin, Murphy.
Unused subs: Dummett, Hayden, Woodman, Mitrovic.
Bookings: Gouffran (63 – foul), Perez (90+3 – foul).
Wolves: Lonergan, Borthwick-Jackson, Silvio, Saville, Hause, Iorfa, Teixeira (John 45), Coady (capt), Gladon, Mason (Price 62), Wallace (Bodvarsson 78).
Unused subs: Ikeme, Doherty, Batth, Oniangue.
Booking: Saville (80 – dissent).
Referee: A. Woolmer.
Attendance: 34,735 (564 away supporters).
