By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter
At Whitley Park

Newcastle United Reserves 5 (Dummett 9, Nzuzi 34, Nicholson 50, Airey 74, Taylor 78)
Bedlington Terriers 1 (Shadran 44)

Newcastle Reserves are through to the final of the Sage Northumberland FA Senior Cup after a convincing win over Bedlington Terriers.

From the moment returning defender Paul Dummett opened the scoring in his first appearance since suffering an ankle injury in October, the Magpies looked on course and Patrick Nzuzi made it 2-0 with a fantastic strike from outside the area.

Anthony Shadran pulled one back on the stroke of half-time but Alex Nicholson made the game safe soon after the break with his first Reserve team goal.

Phil Airey, who had squandered a hatful of opportunities, made it four before Dan Taylor added a fifth - all in front of the watching John Carver, who must have been impressed with this five star show. 

SECOND HALF UPDATES

90mins - It's full-time and United are through to the final of the Sage Northumberland FA Senior Cup - and in some style.

86mins - After Edmundsson teed him up, Donaldson had a pop from the edge of the area and his shot whistled inches over the bar. A sixth goal would be sweet for the Magpies after they shipped that number at Manchester United in their last match, at Manchester United.

78mins - NEWCASTLE GOAL (5-1): From the flag-kick, Newcastle clear and break swiftly through McGorrigan as five team-mates burst forward. The ball is worked to Dan Taylor, lurking on the edge of the area, and he curls home for his second Reserve team goal.

77mins - There have been some fine goals tonight, but Chris Carr almost got the best of the night for Bedlington. His shot from almost 35 yards looked to be sailing in, but Alnwick sprung to his left to make a fine save at the expense of a corner.

74mins - NEWCASTLE GOAL (4-1): Phil Airey finally gets his goal - although he could barely miss as Dummett got forward well down the left and crossed low and hard for Airey to smash home at the far post. It's Dummett's last action as he makes way for Ryan McGorrigan, with Dan Taylor also coming on for Yven Moyo.

72mins - Colin Morton replaces Craig Hubbard in Bedlington's third and final change.

66mins - Substitute Chapman has a 'Gazza' moment for Bedlington, as he slides in to try and force home Shadran's low cross but is just a few millimetres away from making contact with the ball - akin to Paul Gascoigne's agonising miss against Germany in the European Championships semi-final of 1996. This particular last four encounter may not mean quite as much, but it was still a case of what might have been for the Terriers man.

62mins - Yet another chance for Airey, who must be wondering what he has to do in order to score tonight. Donaldson played him in for a presentable opportunity, but his shot lacked enough power to beat Pickering.

60mins - A wonderful, inventive effort from Greg McDermott is only matched by a fine save from Greg McDermott, who tipped it over the bar at full stretch. After Edmundsson and Donaldson combined down the right, the latter played the ball along the ground to McDermott who flicked the ball up and lobbed the keeper, who just managed to backpedal and get a fingertip to keep it out.

53mins - There's almost an instant reply from the visitors, as Shadran drags an effort from the left hand side of the box just across goal with Jak Alnwick a beaten man,

50mins - NEWCASTLE GOAL (3-1): United have got their third and it's another unlikely scorer - Academy right-back Alex Nicholson. Joan Edmundsson made a great run towards goal before sliding in Airey, who took the ball past Pickering and looked a certain scorer only for James Novak to somehow steal the ball. However, the Terriers didn't manage to fully clear their lines and when the ball was recycled, Nicholson was there to volley home with an emphatic finish for his first Reserve team strike.

48mins - Refusing to be downhearted by seeing several chances go begging already, Phil Airey continues to hunt for a goal. This time he bustles towards the box before going for a delicate, curling effort but keeper Pickering is equal to it.

46mins - Bedlington have made their second substitution, with former Magpie Stuart Elliott coming on for John Brackstone.

FIRST HALF UPDATES

45mins - It's half-time and Newcastle lead, but that Bedlington goal on the stroke of half-time has put the cat amongst the pigeons here at Whitley Park.

44mins - BEDLINGTON GOAL (2-1): And now Terriers are very much in the match after Anthony Shadran pulls one back. It came out of nothing, as the experienced striker sent an unstoppable shot past Jak Alnwick, and it's a good time for the non-league outfit to score. That is the first time Newcastle have conceded in this competition in two seasons.

41mins - Another chance for Airey, and again he's denied. It would have been a great goal, with Donaldson, Edmundsson and finally Nzuzi - with a fine reverse pass - all involved, but Airey is thwarted by Pickering who races off his line at a rate of knots. The ball is kept alive as Donaldson is then presented with a decent chance, but again the Bedlington keeper is in the way. He's having a brilliant game to keep his side in the match.

38mins - Superb play from Ryan Donaldson sees the number ten win possession in his own half and advance quickly past a couple of challenges, before slipping the ball into Yven Moyo. The French teenager is one-on-one with the Terriers keeper and goes round him, but a covering defender gets a vital touch to Moyo's goalbound effort.

34mins - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-0): What a goal from Patrick Nzuzi - his first at Reserve team level. The Congolese youngster, playing in a midfield role tonight, brought the ball forward before trying his luck from 25 yards and sending a stunning strike into the top corner, past the helpless dive of Pickering, to make it 2-0 to Newcastle.

33mins - Yven Moyo plays the ball out to Dummett, who whips in a good cross, and Joan Edmundsson stabs narrowly wide as the Magpies continue to press for a second goal.

31mins - The visitors have been forced into an early change of their own after Remie Streete limped off for Newcastle. Anthony Chapman is on for Steven Stewart.

20mins - Bedlington respond with their first effort on target, as Mark Convery does well to poke the ball through to Anthony Shadran, but the striker's effort is too close to Jak Alnwick. Moments later, Shadran attempts to burst through once more but after getting the wrong side of Tamas Kadar, goalscorer Dummett makes a superb last-ditch tackle.

19mins - Airey is getting closer and closer to a goal to add to the two he scored in the final of this competition last season, but the young striker - who has already had a couple of sights of goal - saw his thumping strike crash off the bar.

17mins - Remie Streete picks up what looks like a thigh injury and has to go off, to be replaced by Alex Nicholson. It's a straight swap, with the Welsh youth international slotting in seamlessly for Academy colleague Streete. Under-18s coach Dave Watson will be hoping that the defender's injury clears up before next week's FA Youth Cup tie against QPR.

13mins - The Magpies are very much on top so far tonight and Ryan Donaldson almost made it two as he darted into the penalty area and shot low and accurately, only for Pickering to dive to his left and tip the ball behind with a good save.

9mins - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-0): In his first appearance since October, Paul Dummett has got himself a rare goal. The defender popped up in the Terriers box and shot for goal. His effort may have been on target anyway, but it took a deflection off a Bedlington player and beat Craig Pickering to put the Magpies in front. After almost four months of injury hell following an ankle ligament problem sustained against York, that was a sweet moment for the 20-year-old left-footer.

6mins - So far there have been a couple of half-chances for Phil Airey, but the main talking point so far has been an injury to referee Paul Curry. The Northumberland-based official went down like he'd been shot just inside the Newcastle half, but managed to get up and run it off.

1mins - The game is now underway with Newcastle in black and white and Bedlington in red with white piping.

Newcastle United Reserves: Jak Alnwick, Remie Streete (Alex Nicholson 17), Jeff Henderson, Tamas Kadar (c), Paul Dummett, Joan Edmundsson, Patrick Nzuzi, Greg McDermott, Yven Moyo, Ryan Donaldson, Phil Airey

Subs not used: Alex Baird, Steven Logan, Ryan McGorrigan, Dan Taylor

Bedlington Terriers: Craig Pickering, Stephen Harrison, James Novak, Peter Snowden, Chris Carr (c), Steven Bowey, Steven Stewart (Anthony Chapman 31), Craig Hubbard (Colin Morton 72), Mark Convery, Anthony Shadran, John Brackstone (Stuart Elliott 46)

Subs not used: Kevin Morton

Referee: Paul Curry

Attendance: 186