Marcus Hall challenges Charles N'Zogbia

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Substitute Michael Owen was Newcastle's hero as his extra-time goal saw off Coventry in a Carling Cup thriller at the Ricoh Arena.

The Magpies went ahead when James Milner linked up well with summer signing Jonas Gutierrez in the 21st minute before firing in a dangerous low cross which Scott Dann could only turn beyond his own goalkeeper with Charles N'Zogbia closing in.

And seven minutes before the interval, Milner made it 2-0 when his curling cross towards the on-rushing Geremi at the far post eluded Andy Marshall and found the back of the net.

Clinton Morrison's stunning curled finish reduced the arrears just before the interval, before Dann took the game into extra time with a header from Aron Gunnarsson's monster throw as the clock ticked down.

However, it was the Magpies who regained the initiative when Owen beat the offside trap in the 97th minute to collect Jose Enrique's long ball and beat Marshall with a cool finish.

Hesitation

The first goal came as a result of Milner's burst of pace down the left, which caught Coventry napping, allowing the former Leeds man to send a low cross towards the near post which squeezed home via Dann and N'Zogbia.

Milner scored the second himself, although it was hardly one of his finest as Marshall's hesitation allowed the cross-shot to skip through the Coventry defence and into the far corner.

Badly outclassed, Coventry looked ripe for a hammering. But a couple of outstanding interventions from Dann, the second of which left Milner with his head in his hands, kept Newcastle in reach.

And when Jay Tabb failed to collect Morrison's square pass, the ball bounced back to the Republic of Ireland hit-man, whose well-struck shot hit the net just as the stadium announcer was confirming one additional minute to be added on.

If Marshall was at fault for the visitors' second, he redeemed himself immediately after the restart with a fine block to deny Milner before Danny Guthrie fired wildly over.

The former Bolton man thought his next effort was going in before it cannoned wide off Marcus Hall midway through the second period, Newcastle again dominant even though their lead was precarious.

Bomb

Owen's introduction for Geremi eventually came 15 minutes from time in a bid to quell the head of steam Coventry were starting to build up.

But Newcastle could not survive one more bomb from Gunnarsson, whose long throws had been a problem all night.

And with the contest deep in injury time, Dann leapt highest to power the tie into an extra half hour.

Coventry came desperately close at the end through Robbie Simpson before Elliott Ward's header crashed back off the bar, and kept trying until the end.

But Owen was the match-winner, in an instant proving his worth to club and country.

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