IN his first appearance in the Newcastle United senior side, Michael Chopra missed a penalty in a dramatic shoot-out as their hopes of a famous five were dashed by Everton.

Chopra blazed over the crossbar as Newcastle, who took an early 2-0 lead in the shoot-out, were foiled by the Blues in their attempt to secure a fifth successive home win.

Whereas Chopra, 18, failed, 17-year-old Wayne Rooney scored from the spot, and the tie was over when Laurent Robert failed with the Magpies' fifth effort.

Newcastle were in charge of the shoot-out after Kieron Dyer and Nobby Solano scored - and Steve Harper saved from David Unsworth.

Steve Watson then beat Harper before Hugo Viana was denied by Richard Wright, and Rooney levelled at 2-2.

Chopra was then off target and Kevin Campbell put Everton in front for the first time by coolly slotting home.

Robert, after a lazy approach, could not hit the target, and Newcastle were out of the Worthington Cup.

In normal time, Dyer scored twice in a minute to put Newcastle in front after they had trailed to Campbell's early strike, only for Watson to force extra time.

Alessandro Pistone then headed into his own net from Dyer's cross, but Unsworth levelled from the penalty spot after Steve Caldwell had handled Campbell's goalbound shot.

Neither side could force a winner after two hours of football, and 12 years after seeing his England team go out of Italia 90 on penalties, Sir Bobby Robson was again a shoot-out loser.

With trips to Arsenal and Feyenoord looming large on the horizon, Robson chose to make eight changes to the side that began Monday's win against Middlesbrough.

Certainly, Newcastle's makeshift strikeforce of Carl Cort and Lomano LuaLua in particular looked rusty for much of a game that Robson could have well done without at such a pivotal stage of the season.

Campbell's seventh goal of the season, a simple header from four yards after he had been given the freedom of the Newcastle penalty box at Gary Naysmith's corner, gave Everton a lead they seldom looked like losing.

But the arrival of the three substitutes revitalised the Magpies, and perhaps the most important change was Dyer's switch into the centre of midfield.

Having earlier appeared inhibited rather than inspired by the honour of captaining Newcastle, Dyer turned the game on its head.

His first goal, after 77 minutes, was a neat finish that found its way under #Wright after Viana's glorious pass had dissected the Everton defence.

With the Blues still reeling from squandering an advantage they had held for so long, Dyer unleashed a blistering drive to put his side 2-1 up.

Seizing on Cort's lay-off from Solano's pass, Dyer let fly from 25 yards with a shot that scorched past Wright as it arrowed into the top corner.

That seemed to be that. Everton appeared deflated; Newcastle were buoyant, and content to play out time.

But the irrepressible Rooney escaped Nikos Dabizas's clutches again, and from his pullback Watson had a simple task in slotting home from close range.

Everton started extra time in the ascendancy. Solano almost stabbed the ball past Harper, who watched helpless as Tomasz Radzinski's deflected shot sailed just over.

But Newcastle regained control, and Chopra - who had a glorious opportunity to win the match at the end of normal time foiled by Wright - saw another shot blocked by the goalkeeper's legs as he raced from his net.

Pistone then nodded past Wright, and Cort and Dyer went close to putting the game beyond Everton.

But David Moyes's side would not be cowed, and following Pistone's persistence Campbell had his shot illegally blocked by Caldwell.

Unsworth stayed calm to send the keeper the wrong way from the spot - and though Harper later denied the Everton left-back, it was a temporary reprieve for Newcastle.