AZ Alkmaar 2 Newcastle 0 (Agg: 4-4, AZ win on away goals):  Newcastle's Uefa Cup dreams were torn to shreds in Holland as Scott Parker saw a late 'winner' disallowed. The Magpies skipper thought he had put the visitors 5-4 ahead on aggregate with three minutes remaining, only for French referee Bertrand Layec to blow for a foul in the build-up.

Trailing 4-2 from the first leg, the Dutchmen reduced the deficit within 14 minutes when Shota Arveladze fired home from close range, and they were ahead on away goals when Danny Kovermans headed home a second 11 minutes after the restart.

In truth, Louis van Gaal's men might have won more comfortably had it not been for the excellence of Shay Given and goal-line clearances from Steven Taylor and 19-year-old left-back Paul Huntington, who was tormented throughout by winger Julian Jenner.

However, both Kieron Dyer and Obafemi Martins passed up glorious opportunities to pile the pressure on the home side, who found themselves 3-0 and 4-1 down in a disastrous visit to St James' Park before launching an astonishing recovery as memories of Newcastle's capitulation in Lisbon two seasons ago came flooding back.