Goals from Kieron Bowie and Jay Stansfield sent Fulham into the last eight of the Premier League Cup as the young Whites completed a routine victory over Newcastle United at Motspur Park this afternoon.

Steve Wigley’s side were quick out of the blocks against a side they beat 6-1 in the league a fortnight ago but this was a far more even contest as the Magpies set up in a disciplined 4-5-1 formation designed to try and frustrate Fulham’s forward line. Luke Harris spurned a couple of early openings before the hosts went in front in the ninth minute. Sonny Hilton’s flighted free kick from the left caused all sorts of problems in the Newcastle box with Idris Odutayo’s header deflected onto the crossbar beforeBowie nudged home his fifth goal of the season from a couple of yards out.

Harris had a header cleared off the line by Jack Scott as he peeled off at the back post to connect with a Hilton corner before the midfielder turned provider in the final minute of the first period. He floated in a fine ball from the right flank and Stansfield should have done better than send a free header fractionally over the crossbar. The home side dominated possession throughout the first period, but only held a slender lead at half time.

Newcastle were much more adventurous after the break, but the Whites still created the clearer chances. Ziyad Larkeche looked set to double the lead midway through the second half after Tyrese Francois’ snapshot fell kindly for the French full back but he was denied by a superb sliding tackle by Brad Cross. Substitute Santiago Munoz almost made an immediate impact after coming off the bench shooting wide of goal after a sensational solo run had taken him past three Fulham defenders.

Fulham probed patiently for the killer second goal with Bowie almost wriggling his way through the Newcastle defence after more excellent approach work from Larkeche but the Scottish striker was denied by the feet of goalkeeper Jake Turner. Harris curled a fabulous finish into the far corner, but referee Tom Kirk ruled out the goal for a foul in the build up. The home side weren’t to be denied, however, as Stansfield took matters into his own hands in the final minute of the ninety.

There looked to be little danger when the England under-20 international picked up the ball on the right side of midfield but Stansfield surged away from two Newcastle defenders before rifling an emphatic finish into the top corner to make certain of Fulham’s place in the quarter finals of the competition. Stansfield’s seventh goal of an injury-disrupted campaign was a timely reminder of his prodigious talent in front of first team coach Marco Silva.

FULHAM UNDER 23s (4-2-3-1): Borto; D’Auria-Henry, Larkeche, C. Robinson, Odutayo; Francois, Pajaziti; Hilton, Harris, Stansfield; Bowie. Subs (not used): J. Schwarzer, Bowat, Ameyaw, Lanquedoc, Sanderson.

BOOKED: Francois.

GOAL: Bowie (9), Stansfield (90).

NEWCASTLE UNITED UNDER 23s (4-5-1): Turner; Barrett, Scott, Wiggett, Cross; Brookwell, de Bolle, Sangare (Munoz 63), Turner-Cooke, Crossley (Oliver 73); Stephenson. Subs (not used): Brown, Miley, Thomson.

BOOKED: Sangare, Brookwell.

REFEREE: Thomas Kirk.