SCOTTISH Under-21 skipper Steve Caldwell emerged as an unlikely hero on his first senior start with the goal which booked Newcastle a fourth-round Worthington Cup clash against Birmingham.

United had thrown away a 3-0 lead against battling Bradford and extra-time looked a distinct possibility until Caldwell forced home Daniel Cordone's left-wing corner in the 72nd minute.

Alan Shearer had celebrated the news that he is set to become a Freeman of Newcastle by opening his home goal account for the season with a double first-half strike.

The United skipper scored in the 22nd minute and grabbed his second seven minutes later shortly after Argentinian Cordone had brought a ten-game goal famine to an end with his third this season.

Cordone owed a debt of thanks to Bradford new boy Stan Collymore, whose wayward pass enabled assist ace Nolberto Solano to set up the 27th-minute goal.

Collymore paid for his sins when he was substituted at half-time along with Italian sidekick Benito Carbone.

But Shearer, too, was guilty of a defensive gaffe which gave Bradford a lifeline. He left his defence stranded with a stray back-pass in the 31st minute and left-back Ian Nolan nipped in to reduce the arrears.

It gave Bradford the impetus for an impressive fightback, with interval substitute Ashley Ward netting twice in the 57th and 69th minutes.

Caldwell was a late replacement for a flu-hit Aaron Hughes as United boss Bobby Robson made three changes to his starting line up.

Steve Harper was handed another cup chance by Robson, with first-choice goalkeeper Shay Given rested, while Cordone took over from Lomana LuaLua, who was ineligible.

Chilean international midfielder Clarence Acuna, a £1.2m signing from Universidad de Chile, made his home debut after an excellent introduction in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at West Ham. With Acuna bedding into the role of midfield fulcrum and United short of defensive options, Robert Lee continued as an emergency sweeper.

Collymore, fresh from his goalscoring debut for Bradford in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Leeds, was eager to build on his early success.

But his opening gambit last night was a speculative long-range drive which sailed well over and drew hoots of derision from the home fans.

United soon showed some enterprise, with Cordone's curling cross-shot from the left just out of Shearer's reach. Cordone then fired wide of the angle after being fed by Kieron Dyer before United won a free-kick on the edge of the D after Shearer had been brought down from behind by Peter Atherton.

Shearer took the kick but couldn't find a way through the wall and Solano's follow-up went straight to grateful keeper Aidan Davison.

The Magpies maintained the onslaught, with Shearer's 12th-minute header from Solano's cross smacking against the bar.

But the breakthrough finally arrived ten minutes later. Cordone collected Lee's pass to advance on goal and make room for a fierce shot which Davison blocked with his legs before Shearer pounced on the loose ball to fire home.

Davison had to go full length to deny Solano and the Peruvian was the provider when Cordone ended his lean spell. Collymore gifted the ball to Solano and his low centre was turned in by the unmarked Cordone at the far post.

Solano kept the supply-line going when he whipped the ball over on the end of Speed's cross-field ball, and Shearer rose to plant a downward header inside the back post.

But Shearer was struck by the Collymore collywobbles when his ball eluded his defence and Nolan raced in to beat Harper.

Dyer should have put the issue beyond doubt when he was clean through in the 56th minute but failed to beat Davison in a one-on-one. A minute later former Bradford loanee Harper met Lee Sharpe's free-kick with a weak punch and Dan Petrescu lifted the ball back in for Ward to glance home.

Ward bundled in his second in scrappy fashion before Caldwell restored United's lead.

And Harper redeemed himself with a brilliant point-blank save to deny Ward a hat-trick five minutes from time. Dyer's trickery almost brought United a fifth in the dying moments when Atherton nearly put through his own goal as he diverted the England international's ball agonisingly wide of the far post.