Newcastle United are into the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in five seasons, courtesy of a 3-1 win over Birmingham City at St James' Park.
The Magpies ended their third-round hoodoo thanks to a Matt Ritchie brace either side of a fine Yoan Gouffran strike, setting up a meeting with Oxford United later this month.
Brum boss Gianfranco Zola is now winless in seven games since taking charge of the Midlands outfit, meanwhile, with three draws and four defeats - the latter of which brings an end to the club's cup hopes for another campaign.
United were up and running less than 10 minutes in thanks to a Ritchie pen, which came as a result of Adam Legzdins bringing down Gouffran inside the box.
Viv Solomon-Otabor dragged a shot wide as City looked for a leveller, while David Cotterill came even closer when curling a shot narrowly over the crossbar from range.
Legzdins fared better when next called into serious action as he denied Jonjo Shelvey down low, but Birmingham were looking bright themselves and nearly levelled through a blocked David Davis attempt.
Gouffran did give his side some breathing space prior to the interval, however, as he controlled the ball and volleyed into the corner, just moments after seeing a flick come back off the post.
Ritchie then saw his own attempt kept out by the frame of the goal and Achraf Lazaar was thwarted by Legzdins, but the visitors were still creating the odd chance and that pressure told 71 minutes in when Cotterill sliced the ball over Matz Sels.
Lukas Jutkiewicz could have equalised with his headed attempt, and referee Lee Probert also made a big call when rejecting Che Adams's penalty appeals, yet it was Newcastle who made the most of the stretched feel to the game thanks to a late third of the night through a slammed Ritchie finish.
Daniel Lewis
