WELSH wonder Craig Bellamy continued his Worthington Cup scoring exploits last night to book a fourth round spot for the Magpies.

The £6m man followed his 12 minute hat-trick against Brentford in the last round with the only goal of the game after Newcastle had found the south Yorkshire outfit a tough nut to crack.

It took the Magpies almost 80 minutes to find a way past former Sunderland keeper Andy Marriott who was in sparkling form.

But with extra-time approaching French winger Laurent Robert released Bellamy in the box and his right foot shot went under Marriott's body.

Newcastle boss Bobby Robson appears to have decided the Worthington Cup maybe the Magpies best chance of European football next season.

He kept his promise of keeping changes to a minimum but gave French loan star Sylvain Distin a start.

He also brought in another Frenchman Olivier Bernard on the left of defence and Worthington Cup expert Steve Harper came in.

The changes appeared to have a worrying effect on United and with just two minutes on the clock Barnsley cut the new-look defence wide open and should have been one up.

Lee Jones broke on the left and fed Bruce Dyer who advanced unchallenged into the box.

His goalbound left-foot shot had the beating of Harper but with Dyer about to celebrate the opener Bernard slid in to clear the ball off the line.

The Newcastle back-four appeared to be taking their time to get to know each other, but the Tykes were struggling to find any real form going forward and Newcastle were soon making the difference in class tell.

After efforts from Robert and the impressive Andy O'Brien had flown wide of the target, Marriott soon found himself in action.

On the quarter hour the Welsh international was happy to hold onto a Robert piledriver but his reflexes were soon tested again by the Frenchman.

A super through ball by Solano set Robert free in the box but his left foot drive was turned away by Marriott.

On 25 minutes Bellamy found himself free in the box exactly in the same position as Robert. This time a right foot effort produced the same response as Marriott palmed the ball to safety.

O'Brien was leading from the front in defence - one tackle on Rory Fallon sending a shudder through the aptly named van Damme stand - but Distin was finding it difficult to adjust to the pace of the game.

A quick free-kick by Barnsley just after the half hour saw Dyer escape the attentions of the Frenchmen who tried, in vain, to hold him back.

But with Dyer bursting free in the box referee Chris Foy inexplicably decided to bring the play back for the foul.

The free-kick was eventually cleared by Alan Shearer -subject of the customary abuse by opposing fans - who ended up with an elbow in the face which brought a booking for Lee Jones.

The Tykes started the second period as they had the first with substitute Kevin Gallen this time seeing a goalbound effort turned away.

A cross from Sunderland loan man Chris Lumsdon on the Barnsley right was headed into the former QPR and Huddersfield striker's path.

He turned and with his first touch of the game produced a super volley which Harper did brilliantly to tip over.

Newcastle immediately hit back and a super break saw Lee feed Solano on the right.

His first time cross was straight into the path of the unmarked Bellamy who, with just Marriott to beat, somehow screwed his effort horribly wide from 12 yards out.

Barnsley responded with Gallen again proving a real handful for the United defence.

A quick move down the right on 57 minutes released Kevin Donovan whose cross was struck first time by Gallen producing a fine stop from Harper.

With Distin becoming more assured at the back Newcastle were gaining in confidence and Shearer fired a 20-yard effort just wide after the hour mark.

It appeared that extra-time was on the cards, but on 78 minutes the deadlock as eventually broke with Bellamy getting onto the end of Robert's excellent pass.

* Newcastle defender Stephen Caldwell, 21, has joined Second Division Blackpool on a month's loan.

* Martijn Reuser's two goals, on the Dutchman's return from a thigh injury, saw Ipswich to a 3-2 victory over First Division Grimsby. Former Hartlepool midfielder Tommy Miller made his first start for Ipswich

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