After Saturday’s debacle at SJP, Glenn and his boys knew it was important to get things back on track with a victory over the Glory Hornet Boys at Vicarage Road. After 3 games in 6 days, the last thing we needed was extra time, but after 120 mins or hard graft and a share of 4 goals, the match went to penalties. For once, United stood up to the task. Here’s what the press had to say about it…

Newcastle keeper Steve Harper eased the pressure on under-fire boss Glenn Roeder with a crucial save in the penalty shoot-out win at Watford. Harper saved from Jordan Stewart after a thrilling 2-2 extra-time draw. Antoine Sibierski headed Newcastle ahead from Emre’s free-kick but Watford drew level when Damien Francis slid the ball in from Ashley Young’s free-kick. Danny Shittu’s extra-time header put the Hornets 2-1 up but Scott Parker’s calm finish forced penalties. And the fit-again Sibierski provided that boost within four minutes, meeting Emre’s fine free-kick to head the ball home past Richard Lee to put the visitors 1-0 up. That set the tone for a thrilling game that saw both sides create a host of chances. Harper was the hero in the shoot-out, saving from Stewart and securing Newcastle’s place in the quarter-final draw.

Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder had Steve Harper to thank after the goalkeeper’s penalty shoot-out save booked his side a place in the Carling Cup quarter-finals at Watford’s expense. The result was the break the former Hornets player and manager had been hoping for following a dismal run of results in the Premiership that had put him under immense pressure. Antoine Sibierski headed Newcastle ahead in the third minute but Damien Francis levelled the scores midway through the second half. A Dan Shittu header in extra-time gave the Hornets the advantage before Scott Parker set up a shoot-out, and Harper saved from Jordan Stewart to seal a sudden-death victory.

Newcastle eased the pressure on Glenn Roeder as they rode their luck before seeing off Watford on penalties in the Carling Cup. The Magpies led early on through Antoine Sibierski, but Watford looked on course to dump Roeder’s charges out of the competition as Damien Francis forced extra time before they then got their noses in front through Danny Shittu on 108 minutes. Newcastle seemed devoid of ideas but Scott Parker strode forward to send the game to penalties with a cool finish. The shoot-out was a tense affair, James Milner and Ashley Young missed from 12 yards, but Newcastle held their nerve the better to progress 5-4 on penalties - with Steve Harper saving decisively from Jordan Stewart.

GLENN ROEDER watched hero Steve Harper help Toon to Carling Cup glory — but admits victory will count for nothing if he is to avoid the Newcastle axe. Toon keeper Harper saved Jordan Stewart’s spot-kick in a sudden-death shootout to send his side scrambling into the fifth round. His save came after Scott Parker had sent the match into penalties with a dramatic equaliser four minutes from the end of extra-time. But Roeder, whose struggling side are second from bottom in the league, admitted: “This result has no relevance in the Premiership.”

THE PRESSURE eased on under-fire manager Glenn Roeder last night when goalkeeper Steve Harper put Newcastle in the quarterfinals of the Carling Cup in a dramatic penalty shoot-out at Vicarage Road. Reserve goaloe Harper defied Jordan Stewart to give United a 5-4 win on penalties. Watford seemed to have the game tied up after Damien Francis cancelled out Antoine Sibier-ski’s third-minute opener for United to take the game into extra-time and Danny Shittu put the Hornets ahead in the 108th minute. But Scott Parker threw Newcastle a lifeline four minutes from the end. Back at the scene of his first sacking in club football 10 years ago, Roeder paced up and down helplessly as Newcastle squandered a dream start when they should have been over the horizon by half-time. As if lurking bear the bottom of the Premiership and a huge injury list was not bad enough, Roeder suffered another blow in the warm-up when 18-year-old goalkeeper Tim Krul joined the cast of crocks. Krul, hero of last week’s UEFA Cup win in Palermo on his debut, was carried off 45 minutes before kick-off with a knee injury which may prove to be serious.

The air of gloom hovering over Newcastle United and beleaguered manager Glenn Roeder was lifted, at least for the immediate future, at Vicarage Road last night when they moved into the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup following a penalty shoot-out. Newcastle were five minutes from defeat and the guarantee of more pressure for Roeder, but the sudden-death finale saw Newcastle extend their unbeaten record in cup ties this season into double figures when Steve Harper saved Jordan Stewart’s kick. Watford looked to be heading for victory when Richard Lee saved from James Milner, but when Ashley Young fired over and Stewart missed, the visitors enjoyed a rare piece of good fortune.

Through the mist at Vicarage Road last night shone a glint of light for Glenn Roeder. His Newcastle team progressed to the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup with a dramatic 5-4 penalty shoot-out victory over Watford to draw a line temporarily beneath the protests and inquests that followed Saturday’s dismal defeat at home to Sheffield United The hero last night was the stand-in goalkeeper Steve Harper, who saved from Watford’s left-back, Jordan Stewart, after James Milner and Ashley Young had earlier missed in the shoot-out. Yet Newcastle were within four minutes of being eliminated as they trailed in extra-time before the captain Scott Parker’s late equaliser ensured there would be penalties. The victory was celebrated as if Newcastle had lifted silverware and, after a turbulent three days, the collective sigh of relief could have sent a tidal wave up the River Tyne. “The last word I said to the players was ‘bravery’ and we showed bravery,” said Roeder. “The game should have been won at half-time but it was just reward when Scott Parker burst through and finished really well.” Newcastle seem to like cup competitions. They are without a win in their last seven Premiership matches but are unbeaten after 10 games in Europe and in the Carling Cup. “We keep hoping when we have a good cup result it will get us going in the Premiership,” said Roeder. “Football is not an exact science. Saturday was easily the poorest [we have played]. We have dropped points by not taking chances. The quality of the play has deserved more. We have a big responsibility now to pick up points as soon as we can, starting on Saturday, hopefully.”

WATFORD’S interest in this year’s Carling Cup ended in the fourth round after losing a penalty shoot-out to Newcastle United. Jordan Stewart’s spot-kick was decisively saved by Steve Harper after we had gone into sudden death. Ashley Young had missed one of the original five. It was tough luck on the Hornets who had had the better of the game and indeed led with just four minutes to go. Antoine Sibierski had put the Geordies into an early lead only for Damien Francis to equalise and then Dan Shittu put the Hornets in front in extra time. Newcastle made a spectacular start to the game, jumping into the lead after just two minutes. Emre theatrically won a free kick in midfield and then took it himself from the inside left channel.Antoine Sibierski rose to powerfully head the ball beyond the diving Lee to put the Geordies in front. Newcastle started the second half strongly with Parker coming close from 20 yards as Watford struggled to impose themselves on the game, in contrast to Saturday’s performance against Middlesbrough. Ashley Young come close to levelling things up just after the hour mark when his free kick from the left eluded everyone and was inches away from curling in at the far post. However, on 68 minutes, the Hornets were level and the goal was similar in it’s craft to Newcastle’s opener. Young swung in a free kick, again from the left, DeMerit flicked on and Francis provided an emphatic finish at the far post. Within the first two minutes of the seconde period of extra time Watford were in front. Taylor gave away a stupied foul on Young wide on the right when the Hornet looked to be going nowhere. Young promptly got up and crossed onto Dan Shittu’s head and the big centre back made no mistake from six yards out, bulleting the ball beyond Harper. In a desperate attempt to save the game, Roeder brought on N’Zogbia for goalscorer Sibierski with six minutes remaining. The change worked because Newcastle were level within two minutes. Watford were sliced open with ease as Solano picked up possession on the right and centered for the unmarked Parker to finish comfortably from eight yards out.

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