Morecambe 0 Newcastle United 7: Shrimps' Carabao Cup run ends in emphatic fashion

The Shrimps were utterly outclassed by their visitors, even before they were reduced to 10 men when Toumani Diagouraga was sent off just past the half-hour.

Goals from Joelinton (2), Miguel Almiron, Jacob Murphy and Isaac Hayden made it an opening 45 minutes to forget for Derek Adams’ players.

Jamaal Lascelles added the sixth early in the second half before Sam Lavelle’s late own goal made it 12 goals conceded and none scored in Morecambe’s last two home outings.

Adams made five changes from the side beaten by Cambridge United at the weekend.

In came Lavelle, John O’Sullivan, Jordan Slew, Cole Stockton and Mark Halstead, restored in goal with Shrimps loanee Jake Turner ineligible to face his parent club.

Also out of the team from the weekend were Nat Knight-Percival, Ben Pringle, Adam Phillips and Liam McAlinden.

For their part, the visitors made nine changes but it was a team packed with Premier League players - and they only needed five minutes to take the lead.

A fine move down the right-hand side culminated in Joelinton sweeping the ball past Halstead.

It was almost 2-0 four minutes later when Murphy drove into the area and lobbed Halstead, only for the ball to cannon back off the post.

Murphy sent two further efforts off target and Joelinton had a shot blocked before the lead was doubled on 20 minutes.

Almiron got behind the Morecambe defence and rounded Halstead before firing into the empty net.

In comparison, Morecambe’s attacks had been more fleeting with Slew’s deflected effort the nearest they came in the first 20 minutes.

Their best opportunity fell midway through the half as Diagouraga advanced into the Newcastle area but his effort was well blocked by Mark Gillespie.

With the half-hour approaching, Murphy scored the goal he had threatened when advancing at the Morecambe backline and firing emphatically beyond Halstead.

Four minutes later and the visitors scored their fourth when, with Morecambe appealing for an offside that never came, Joelinton cut in from the left and unleashed another fiercely-struck shot beyond Halstead.

An already bad night then became worse when, on 33 minutes, Diagouraga saw red for a poor challenge on Sean Longstaff.

Midway through the four added minutes before the break, Hayden made it five with another shot from distance, this one taking a deflection on its way past Halstead.

Any respite was brief as, having scored after five minutes of the first half, Newcastle repeated the trick after the break.

It was Lascelles who got in on the act this time, meeting Matt Ritchie’s corner and heading beyond Halstead.

The keeper was called into action again shortly afterwards, keeping out Hayden’s long-range attempt, moments before Longstaff sent a dipping effort narrowly over.

Both sides made changes as the half progressed, though much of it continued to be a game of attack against defence with Newcastle enjoying the vast majority of possession, winning a number of corners.

One of these almost led to a seventh when Halstead flapped at the ball, Emil Krafth stabbed it towards goal but O’Sullivan was in the right place to clear off the line.

Though Morecambe didn’t let their heads drop in the second half, the visitors could have added to their tally three times in the last few minutes.

Andy Carroll was unable to direct a header on target from Murphy’s cross, seconds before another replacement, Ryan Fraser, headed against the bar.

Then, with time running out, Morecambe’s night was summed up when Ritchie’s attempted flick across goal struck Lavelle and crept past Halstead.

Morecambe: Halstead, Mellor, Lavelle, Davis, Hendrie, Diagouraga, Wildig, O’Sullivan, Mendes-Gomes (Phillips 35), Slew (Cooney 70), Stockton (McAlinden 58). Subs not used: Da Silva Mendes, Knight-Percival, Kenyon, Pringle.

Newcastle United: Gillespie, Krafth, Lascelles, Clark (Fraser 46), Yedlin, Hayden (Barlaser 62), Longstaff, Murphy, Almiron (Carroll 62), Ritchie, Joelinton. Subs not used: Darlow, Shelvey, Wilson, Hendrick.

Referee: Darren Drysdale.