LAST TIME COVENTRY CAME TO NEWCASTLE ...
2004/5 NEWCASTLE 3 COVENTRY CITY 1
NEWCASTLE: Harper, Carr, Bramble, Andrew O'Brien, Babayaro, Dyer, Faye (Hughes 81), Jenas, Kluivert, Shearer, Ameobi. Subs Not Used: Given, Milner, Taylor, Robert.
COVENTRY: Steele, Duffy, Williams, Leacock, Giddings, Doyle, Hughes, Negouai, Morrell (Adebola 3), McSheffrey (Jorgensen 80), John (Johnson 80). Subs Not Used: Shearer, Shaw.
Att: 44,044
Newcastle launched life without Craig Bellamy in style as a miserable week for Graeme Souness had a happy ending.
As the repercussions of the Welshman's bust-up with his manager continued on Tyneside, the Newcastle players got back down to business to make sure the club's name was in the hat for the Monday's FA Cup fifth round draw.
They did so emphatically in front of 44,044 supporters, a proportion of whom turned up ready to voice their support for the dissenting Bellamy.
But ultimately the fans allowed themselves to enjoy a rare comfortable afternoon at St James' Park this season.
It was a game Newcastle could have won by a wider margin, as Patrick Kluivert passed up a series of golden opportunities and Coventry goalkeeper Luke Steele made notable saves from Celestine Babayaro, Jermaine Jenas and Kieron Dyer.
However, goals from Alan Shearer - his 12th of the season - Shola Ameobi and Babayaro, with substitute Dele Adebola replying for City, were more than enough to see them home.
Debutant Amdy Faye did a good job of anchoring the Magpies midfield and Dyer worked hard throughout, while a defence robbed of injured £8million signing Jean-Alain Boumsong gave little cause for concern.
There was much for Souness to appreciate, despite the opposition languishing in the lower reaches of the Coca-Cola Championship.
After another embarrassing week on Tyneside, what was required was a good performance, a resounding victory and a firm message that life without Bellamy could still be sweet.
What Souness got was largely that as his side went about their task with relish.
The game, as so often in recent weeks, should have been all over by the time referee Neale Barry blew the half-time whistle, but once again it was finishing which had let Newcastle down.
That was due in part to the profligacy of Kluivert - more Sunday league than Champions League - and the now customary lapse of concentration in the home penalty area.
The former Ajax and Barcelona striker missed his kick in front of goal from Babayaro's fifth-minute cross, dragged another effort wide from Dyer's 21st-minute pass and them scuffed another shot into Steele's arms 11 minutes before the break as the home fans looked on in disbelief.
But there was salvation at hand and it came from Shearer, who accepted Jenas' pass before smashing a low shot into the bottom corner after 36 minutes.
Ameobi repeated the treatment with a superb solo effort five minutes later, and the game was in the bag.
Or so they thought.
Andy O'Brien, in for the injured Boumsong, intercepted well to deny Stern John a shot at goal a minute before half-time, but Newcastle did not heed the warning and when Stephen Hughes floated in an injury-time corner, Adebola was able to climb virtually unopposed to head past Steve Harper and rekindle his side's faint hopes.
Having given themselves a lifeline, the visitors were happy to sit back and soak up pressure early in the second half.
But it proved a dangerous policy as Dyer began to enjoy the game, showing his best form.
A Dean Leacock block and another Steele save denied Dyer twice within a minute, but he and his team-mates did not have to wait very long for the third goal to arrive.
There were 52 minutes gone when Babayaro cut in from the left and burst between Michael Doyle and debutant Richard Duffy before unleashing a shot which deflected off defender Ady Williams and past the 'keeper for his first goal for the club.
If Kluivert had been less than clinical before the break, he was plain unfortunate after it.
In the 61st minute, he met Shearer's driven cross with a firm header but saw the ball crash against the crossbar and on to the line before it was hacked away.
Shearer sliced a 65th-minute shot wide from an intelligent Dyer pass and Kluivert tested Steele with a half-volley nine minutes later, but the game had assumed the air of a practice match.
Newcastle passed the ball confidently on their newly-relaid pitch and dragged City all over the place with Dyer and Jenas in particular running them ragged.
But there was little real urgency with the result beyond doubt.
Faye was withdrawn to warm applause eight minutes from time, but by then, it was simply a case of seeing out time on a job well done.
NEWCASTLE v COVENTRY ... THE HISTORY
2009/2010 Wed 09 Dec Coventry City 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Championship
2008/2009 Tue 26 Aug Coventry City 2 - 3 Newcastle Utd. League Cup
after extra time, 90 minutes 2-2
2004/2005 Sat 29 Jan Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Coventry City F.A. Cup
2000/2001 Sat 13 Jan Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Coventry City Premiership
Wed 06 Sep Coventry City 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1999/2000 Sat 29 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Coventry City Premiership
Sat 16 Oct Coventry City 4 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1998/1999 Wed 17 Feb Newcastle Utd. 4 - 1 Coventry City Premiership
Sat 19 Sep Coventry City 1 - 5 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1997/1998 Sat 14 Mar Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Coventry City Premiership
Sat 08 Nov Coventry City 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1996/1997 Sat 15 Mar Newcastle Utd. 4 - 0 Coventry City Premiership
Tue 17 Dec Coventry City 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1995/1996 Sun 14 Jan Coventry City 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 19 Aug Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Coventry City Premiership
1994/1995 Sat 17 Dec Coventry City 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Wed 24 Aug Newcastle Utd. 4 - 0 Coventry City Premiership
1993/1994 Wed 23 Feb Newcastle Utd. 4 - 0 Coventry City Premiership
Sat 08 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Coventry City F.A. Cup
Wed 18 Aug Coventry City 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1988/1989 Sat 11 Feb Coventry City 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 08 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 3 Coventry City First Division
1987/1988 Sat 26 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Coventry City First Division
Sat 24 Oct Coventry City 1 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1986/1987 Sat 03 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Coventry City First Division
Sat 13 Sep Coventry City 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1985/1986 Sat 01 Feb Newcastle Utd. 3 - 2 Coventry City First Division
Mon 26 Aug Coventry City 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1984/1985 Wed 17 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Coventry City First Division
Sat 13 Oct Coventry City 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1977/1978 Tue 04 Apr Coventry City 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 24 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Coventry City First Division
1976/1977 Wed 23 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Coventry City First Division
Sat 16 Oct Coventry City 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1975/1976 Sat 27 Mar Coventry City 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Wed 28 Jan Newcastle Utd. 5 - 0 Coventry City F.A. Cup
Sat 24 Jan Coventry City 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
Sat 06 Dec Newcastle Utd. 4 - 0 Coventry City First Division
1974/1975 Sat 14 Dec Coventry City 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 17 Aug Newcastle Utd. 3 - 2 Coventry City First Division
1973/1974 Sat 09 Feb Newcastle Utd. 5 - 1 Coventry City First Division
Sat 22 Sep Coventry City 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1972/1973 Sat 10 Feb Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Coventry City First Division
Sat 16 Sep Coventry City 0 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1971/1972 Sat 08 Jan Newcastle Utd. 4 - 2 Coventry City First Division
Sat 28 Aug Coventry City 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1970/1971 Sat 01 May Coventry City 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 26 Sep Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Coventry City First Division
1969/1970 Tue 14 Apr Newcastle Utd. 4 - 0 Coventry City First Division
Sat 22 Nov Coventry City 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1968/1969 Sat 29 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Coventry City First Division
Sat 07 Sep Coventry City 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1967/1968 Sat 20 Jan Coventry City 1 - 4 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 16 Sep Newcastle Utd. 3 - 2 Coventry City First Division
1966/1967 Sat 28 Jan Coventry City 3 - 4 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
1964/1965 Sat 16 Jan Coventry City 5 - 4 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 12 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Coventry City Second Division
1947/1948 Sat 21 Feb Coventry City 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 04 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Coventry City Second Division
1946/1947 Mon 16 Sep Coventry City 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Wed 11 Sep Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Coventry City Second Division
1938/1939 Sat 04 Feb Newcastle Utd. 0 - 4 Coventry City Second Division
Sat 01 Oct Coventry City 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
1937/1938 Sat 12 Feb Coventry City 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 02 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Coventry City Second Division
1936/1937 Sat 13 Mar Newcastle Utd. 4 - 2 Coventry City Second Division
Sat 07 Nov Coventry City 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Second Division