The fireworks arrived four days early on Tyneside as Newcastle and Bradford staged a seven-goal thriller.

United blasted their way into a seemingly impregnable 3-0 lead in a devastating six-minute first-half spell as Alan Shearer collected his fourth and fifth goals of the season either side of a Daniel Cordone strike. And although Ian Nolan pulled one back before the break, there was not hint of what was to come.

But City manager Chris Hutchings sent on Ashley Ward and Dean Saunders at the break in place of Stan Collymore and Benito Carbone, and the game changed completely.

Ward scored twice as Newcastle wobbled drastically and was only denied a hat-trick by Steve Harper's vital 86th-minute block.

And it was left to 20-year-old defender Steven Caldwell, making his first senior start for the Magpies, to win it 18 minutes from time as the home side got away with it to book a fourth round clash with last season's conquerors Birmingham City.

The ineffectual Collymore and Carbone were replaced with Ward and Saunders at the break, and the move paid dividends almost immediately with a brace from Ward.

However, the joy in the Yorkshire camp was short-lived as, just two minutes later, Caldwell marked his big night in style by thumping Cordone's corner past Davison to restore the lead.

Newcastle: Harper, Goma, Acuna, Lee, Dyer, Shearer, Speed, Griffin (Domi 72), Solano, Cordone (Bassedas 80), S. Caldwell. Subs Not Used: Given, Glass, Ameobi. Booked: Lee. Goals: Shearer 22, Cordone 27, Shearer 29, S Caldwell 71.

Bradford: Davison, Nolan, Wetherall, Whalley, Lawrence, Carbone (Saunders 45), Windass, Sharpe (Grant 83), Atherton, Petrescu, Collymore (Ward 45). Subs Not Used: McCall, Worsnop. Goals: Nolan 31, Ward 57, 70. Attendance: 41,847.

Referee: M Dean (The Wirral).