Fabian Schar’s coolly-taken penalty eased Newcastle into the Carabao Cup fourth round as League Two AFC Wimbledon’s adventure drew to a close.
The Switzerland international struck from 12 yards in first-half stoppage time to secure a 1-0 win which was significantly more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.
A week after the third-round tie was scheduled to be played at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, before flooding caused severe damage to the pitch, a crowd of 51,739 saw the Premier League side and 2023 finalists book a home tie with Chelsea in the next round without ever threatening to cut loose.
Head coach Eddie Howe made eight changes to the side which started Saturday’s 1-1 league draw with Manchester City with only Schar, Joelinton and Harvey Barnes retaining their places, and that meant a first start for 21-year-old striker Will Osula, a £10million summer signing from Sheffield United.
Osula was presented with his first clear opportunity with just four minutes gone when Miguel Almiron played him through, but he was unable to get the ball out of his feet and Dons skipper Joe Lewis intervened before he could shoot.
Wide men Barnes and Almiron were seeing plenty of the ball, but without causing too many problems as the visitors defended in determined fashion, while Dons front two Omar Bugiel and Joe Pigott sporadically kept a revamped Magpies rearguard on its toes.
Sean Longstaff swept an 18th-minute shot into keeper Owen Goodman’s arms after exchanging passes with Tino Livramento on the edge of the box and Barnes curled another just wide after cutting inside full-back Huseyin Biler from Schar’s long ball.
Schar was the provider once again in similar fashion with 27 minutes gone when he played Almiron behind the visitors’ backline, but the Paraguay international blazed over with just Goodman to beat.
Osula was similarly inaccurate with a 32nd-minute attempt after creating space for himself 25 yards out, and Newcastle had to wait until added time to get their noses in front after Pigott was adjudged to have felled Almiron in the area and Schar stepped up to beat Goodman from the spot with aplomb.
Howe made a double change at the break when he sent on debutant keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos for Martin Dubravka, who had been hurt in a first-half challenge with Bugiel, and Bruno Guimaraes for Barnes.
Guimaraes quickly got himself involved and forced a solid save from Goodman with 57 minutes gone with the top-flight side dominating without creating clear-cut chances, a situation which prompted further changes when Lewis Hall and Anthony Gordon replaced Emil Krafth and Joelinton.
Riley Harbottle needed treatment after blocking Joe Willock’s goal-bound 65th-minute shot with his face and Osula fired off target before Guimaraes saw a speculative attempt deflected past the post, but Schar’s contribution ultimately proved decisive.
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