Newcastle 3-1 Bromley (Miley 16′, Gordon 46′ pen, Osula 61′ | Congreve 8′)
ST JAMES’ PARK — This was a useful exercise for Eddie Howe and not just because his Newcastle United side survived an FA Cup scare unscathed.
Newcastle’s form has felt so imperious of late that the January transfer window has been almost forgotten on Tyneside.
With every first-team piston firing, it has felt like there is little urgency around adding new energy to the Premier League’s most in-form squad.
But scratch beneath the surface – as Howe did against a very spirited Bromley – and there remains substantial room for improvement.
For every member of the supporting cast that saw their stock rise on Sunday (think Lewis Miley and the improving striker William Osula), there was another who looked like they might be reaching the end of the road in black and white, most notably Miguel Almiron.
That Almiron remains on Newcastle’s books in an era of suffocating Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) is a reminder of the club’s continuing issues off the pitch.
Nobody could doubt his commitment here or the amount of ground he covered but there was no incision or enterprise from the Paraguay winger. Newcastle have moved past him.
For Paul Mitchell, the club’s director of football, there is an undoubted equation to solve here. Finding a solution that might enable Newcastle to refresh their problem right wing position would be the first feather in the cap of a man who has pretensions to reshape the club. There are options out there, but is there really the willing?
Harvey Barnes and Sean Longstaff also toiled at times and the former remains a mystery. Barnes can look brilliant off the bench but whenever he has been handed a start seems to struggle to impose himself. His half-time exit – with Anthony Gordon replacing him – summed up his season.
In the end Newcastle had enough to beat Bromley, as you always suspected they always would.
But the League Two side were terrific, a testament to the good work done by former Newcastle goalkeeper coach Andy Woodman.
Not for him the misguided approach employed by many at his level of trying to concoct a diet version of Pep Guardiola’s formula – Bromley were direct, counter-attacking and physical and looked all the better for it.
They stung Newcastle’s much-changed side out of their early complacency with a superb opening goal after Cameron Congreve beat Miley to the ball before curling an outstanding effort past Martin Dubravka’s right palm. Among the 3,000 who journeyed from London there was euphoria and what a moment it was for Woodman, who had described this tie as like returning “home”.
Miley was culpable in Newcastle conceding but showed character to bounce back almost immediately. It is more than a year since he first burst onto the scene but he remains a precocious talent, brimming with potential. His equaliser, a beautifully weighted, side-footed effort past Grant Smith, was a delight and calmed nerves around a sold-out St James’ Park.
It was a testament to Bromley’s endeavour that Newcastle only found an extra gear when they introduced Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes at the interval. The impact of introducing two heavyweights was almost instant as Newcastle landed a decisive blow early in the second half. Matt Targett won the penalty and Gordon coolly converted.
Then came a big moment for Osula, Howe’s current project player. The striker is raw but clearly has something and his first goal in black and white encapsulated all of that, some smart footwork preceding a brilliant fizzing finish. It was a popular goal, with the entire squad embracing the young Dane as he milked his big moment.
Both teams departed having done what was required. Bromley’s big payday was deserved, but for Newcastle, progress should not obscure the work still required to support Howe’s tilt at history.
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