Newcastle United and the FA Cup have been unfamiliar bedfellows in recent years, but a hotchpotch team of youngsters, reserves and a smattering of regulars reached the fourth round of the competition for the first time in five seasons.

It is unlikely to have roused the spirits of the owner Mike Ashley a great deal - he took in the first tie between these teams - but a crowd in excess of 34,000 was a reminder that the competition still resinates amongst the club’s supporters.

It was largely a controlled victory for Rafa Benitez, who felt the breath of the owner down his neck for the first time last week with the reintroduction of a policy to buy young players. Indeed, three youngsters were blooded for their debut, but it was the return of Jonjo Shelvey that was perhaps the highlight of the evening.

The midfielder, handed the captain’s armband on his return after a five-game suspension for using racially abusive language to an opponent, was the game’s outstanding player, setting up all three of the home side's goals. Game time for him, an unexpected bonus of a replay, will aid the push for promotion that remains Newcastle’s priority, despite the victory.

Benitez has experienced boardroom tensions at St James' Park for the first time in recent weeks (Getty)

It is five seasons since the giddy heights of the fourth round were reached, following a victory against Blackburn Rovers. Newcastle fell to Brighton and Hove Albion then, and most now head to Oxford United, and that they did was down to two goals from Matt Ritchie and a fine strike from Yoan Gouffran.

Newcastle established their two-goal cushion just past the half hour mark, and it could have been more. The returning Shelvey was the creator of both, a reminder of what the side has missed during his five game absence.

For the first, the midfielder slipped a fine through ball to Gouffran in the ninth minute. The French forward was knocked over clumsily by Adam Legzdins as he rounded the Birmingham goalkeeper and from the resulting penalty, Matt Ritchie fired Newcastle ahead.

There were chances for David Cotterill, from distance, for Birmingham, but Shelvey almost added a second in the 20th minute, striking a fierce, 30-yard half volley that Legzdins touched away to his right.

Gouffran almost added the second in the 30th minute, touching a low Achraf Lazaar left-wing cross onto the post. The goal was not far away. Four minutes later Shelvey picked out Gouffran with a low free-kick. The forward took a touch on his thigh, rolled his man and tucked a neat finish into the corner of the Birmingham goal.

It could have been three before the half had finished. Ritchie cut inside Jonathan Grounds on the corner of the visiting penalty area and his curling shot cannoned off the inside of the City post.

Yoan Gouffran doubled Newcastle's advantage in the first half (Getty)

Newcastle had looked more likely to add a third than concede. Shelvey shot over the bar in the 49th minute, Ritchie was put clear through by Dan Barlaser but was denied by Legzdins and then in the 63rd minute Gouffran sent over a low cross that Lazaar struck first time, only to see his effort blocked by the Birmingham goalkeeper’s legs. Shelvey saw a corner tip over the crossbar, but from there Newcastle sat back, and, with 18 minutes remaining, Zola’s men grabbed a lifeline.

The substitute Lukas Jutkiewicz, who had equalised in the original tie, laid the ball into the path of Maikel Kieftenbeld, who in turn, found Cotterill. The Wales international, all alone, eight yards from goal, angled his shot past Matz Sels.

There would come an opportunity for Jutkiewicz himself to score, four minutes later, but he headed a Cotterill free-kick over the Newcastle crossbar. In injury-time came Newcastle’s third, Shelvey teeing up Ritchie for his second of the night, leaving Newcastle with the novelty of a fourth round tie to look forward to, at Oxford.

Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Sels; Yedlin (Hayden 75), Hanley, Findlay, Lazaar; Tiote (Colback 83), Shelvey; Ritchie, Barlaser, El-Mhanni (Perez 70); Gouffran.

Subs not used: Dummett, Lascelles, Elliot, Murphy.

Birmingham City (4-2-3-1): Legzdins; Dacres-Cogley, Shotton, Robinson, Grounds; Tesche, Kieftenbeld (Fabbrini 80); Cotterill, Davis (Brown 64), Adams; Solomon-tabor (Jutkiewicz 64).

Subs not used: Gleeson, Spector, Morrison, Kuszczak.

Referee: Lee Probert