FOR the second successive season, Newcastle United suffered FA Cup humiliation at the hands of League One opposition.

Almost a year to the day of last season’s Cambridge United embarrassment, the Magpies were again dumped out of the cup at the first time of asking. But this was no smash and grab. Sheffield Wednesday were good value for their 2-1 success.

The Owls were helped in no small part by a superb showing by goalkeeper Cameron Dawson, but their star at the top end of the pitch was Josh Windass, who fired a double at the start of the second half to stun Newcastle.

Howe was forced to call for his star men from the bench, which wasn’t part of his plan ahead of Leicester City’s visit to St James’ in the Carabao Cup quarter final on Tuesday night. And although one of those subs, Bruno, gave United hope, the League One promotion hopefuls saw it out for a famous win.

Newcastle have enjoyed a transformative year and Howe has supporters dreaming, but the Magpies’ FA Cup woes continue. That’s now three years in a row they’ve failed to reach the fourth round.

This was a cup tie that mattered. A superb atmosphere at Hillsborough and an away housing 4,500 supporters for a clash described by home boss Darren Moore as “mouth-watering”.

Howe’s eight changes weren’t an indication of the FA Cup being an afterthought. Anything but. In fact, it’s the opposite approach that’s been adopted this season that meant the Newcastle boss had to shuffle his pack with the Leicester clash in mind.

Allan Saint-Maximin missed the game through illness but the Magpies were boosted by the return of Alexander Isak, who came in for his first appearance since mid-September.

And the Swedish striker very nearly made an instant impact, superbly denied by Wednesday keeper Cameron Dawson, who clawed away Isak’s close-range header after just seven minutes.

Wednesday came into this unbeaten in 13 in League One and had no intentions of sitting off their high flying Premier League visitors. The opening exchanges were chaotic and riddled with errors. Home captain Liam Palmer pounced on some shaky Newcastle defending and fired wide after just four minutes before an even bigger let-off for the Magpies soon after, Elliot Anderson’s backpass intercepted and poked just wide by Josh Windass.

For all Wednesday were bang up for it, the intensity of the early stages was always going to be extremely difficult to maintain and Newcastle started to get a grip and take control midway through the first half. Isak had a glorious chance to break the deadlock when he was picked out by Ritchie in the box but the striker’s shot was well saved by the legs of Dawson.

Ritchie was busy, buzzing about, and almost started and finished a terrific Newcastle move on half hour. Picking up the ball midway inside his own half, Ritchie played a smart one-two with Joelinton before charging towards the home box, playing it to Manquillo and then getting on the end of the cross, his shot eventually looping just over. Ritchie and Manquillo were Newcastle’s best players in the opening period, linking up well and causing problems down the right flank.

Wednesday almost engineered the opening goal down their right side when Sven Botman tried to cut out a Will Vaulks cross and almost turned it into his own net.

Chris Wood was introduced at half-time for Isak and before the hour mark Howe was forced to turn to his bench again, this time to rescue the tie after falling behind early in the second period. Had VAR been in operation, Josh Windass’s opener would have been disallowed, the striker offside as he got the finishing touch to a move started superbly by George Byers. But the goal stood.

Anderson almost struck an instant equaliser, denied by the brilliant Dawson, before Howe introduced Bruno, Almiron and Willock, players who, in an ideal world, would have had the evening off.

The hope was that the big guns would inspire a comeback but instead Wednesday doubled their lead, the home side pouncing on some sloppy midfield play and Windass racing through to slot home his second.

Within four minutes, though, the Magpies had hope, substitute Bruno bundling home after Wood’s flick-on from Trippier. This time it was Newcastle who were thankful for no VAR, for the Brazilian was clearly offside. 

Newcastle committed bodies in search of the equaliser and left themselves open to the threat of a counter. Windass almost had his hat-trick when a free-kick crashed back off the crossbar 15 minutes from time.

Wednesday’s refusal to sit back allowed Newcastle the chance to counter, with Joelinton teeing up Wood with a glorious chance to level, but the substitute striker skewed horribly over with only Dawson to beat. It was their best and last chance.