Liverpool took a 4-2 lead from the first leg into last night's game and were clear favourites to progress. However, it was Newcastle that started the game brighter with goalkeeper Martin Hansen forced into a couple of early saves and captain Jay Spearing forced to clear the ball off the line.
Newcastle reduced the deficit after half an hour following a defensive lapse at a corner. The ball was whipped into the Liverpool area and the Reds allowed Rob Cavener a free header inside the six yard box. The Newcastle captain made no mistake as he made the aggregate score 4-3.
Steve Heighway and John Owens must have been glad to hear the half time whistle. They were able to regroup at the interval and the Reds were a different side in the second half.
Three minutes into the second half Ray Putterill tried a spectacular shot that the Newcastle keeper could only parry into the path of Craig Lindfield, who calmly converted from close range to level the scores on the night.
Just as Liverpool nerves were settling down midfielder Astrit Ajdarevic was sent off for a cynical foul. Although the Reds' coaches will have been fuming at the Swede's indiscipline, they would have been proud of his team mates who shrugged off the loss of a man to take control of the game.
Ray Putterill almost put the Reds in front when he met a Charlie Barnett corner but his header went narrowly over the bar. This was only a temporary respite for Newcastle however as Lindfield soon scored his second following a goalkeeping error.
It then became ten-a-side when Kazenga Lua-Lua was sent off for the visitors. The Reds rubbed salt in the wound by adding a third soon after when Jimmy Ryan scored one of his trademark 25 yard scorchers to wrap the game up.