Dunn slinger wins cup-tie shoot-out for Rovers

And the youngster, who confidently volunteered for the huge responsibility of taking the deciding shootout spot kick, summed up his feelings in a single word -- "Amazing!"

It was a story-book finale to a dramatic night of League Cup action for the ice-cool Dunn, who was sent on as a substitute for experienced Italian Dario Marcolin at the start of extra time.

He could hardly have imagined he would have to defy the jeers of around 34,000 Geordie fans to strike home the penalty which gave Rovers their first shootout win of modern times and a trip to Leicester in the quarter finals in the first week of December.

This time last year, Dunn was playing in youth matches but he showed the maturity of a seasoned pro in testing circumstances.

"No, I wasn't really nervous at all," he said afterwards.

"I just got my mind focused and thought to myself that I just had to score.

"It was amazing.

"I have taken penalties before, in the youth teams. But to do it in front of a big crowd and an atmosphere like that was a bit different."

But for Rovers' crippling injury list, Dunn might not have been anywhere near the first team, despite the immense promise he has shown at youth and reserve team levels.

And he revealed that, when the opportunity came, he was determined to grasp it.

"When I was on the bench, all I wanted to do was to get on the pitch and play," he told me.

"Then when it went to penalties, I said I would take one -- I said I was willing to take the fifth one!

"The atmosphere was amazing but I just had to blank everything out and do the job. "I didn't think about anything else."

A trip to Leicester was scant reward for a Rovers display full of character and resilience but manager Roy Hodgson was more concerned with giving his players the credit they deserved.

"It was nice to win a penalty shootout at last and even nicer to do it with two teenagers wanting the responsibility of taking penalties -- David Dunn the decisive one," he said.

"So that's also very positive.

"We've had three teenagers on the field in Duff, Dunn and Johnson, Dario Marcolin playing his first full game and Christian Dailly playing in what is still an unaccustomed position. I thought the team handled the situation very well.

"I thought we defended well throughout the game and handled the threat from Newcastle.

"And, on the counter attack we created enough chances to be deserving of the victory over 120 minutes."

Hodgson also revealed why Jeff Kenna was nominated to take the penalty in stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes, when Shay Given kept Newcastle in the game.

"He is our third-choice penalty taker. In the absence of Sutton and Gallacher, he is our number one," explained the manager.

"When I asked him if he wanted to take one in the shootout he said 'I'm the penalty taker, I missed that one but I won't miss the next one'.

"We gave him the option but he was okay and that was good enough for me. Tim Sherwood also took an enormous amount of responsibility going round with me to make sure those who wanted to take one should take one. Strangely enough he was the only one to miss. So that's the thanks he got!" Rovers, and several other clubs, have not had any joy so far from the Republic of Ireland who are still refusing to allow players to turn out for their clubs on Saturday, prior to next Wednesday's international, despite attempts by FIFA to mediate.

Damien Duff and Jeff Kenna are both involved but, ironically, Duff had to be substituted at Newcastle last night with a groin strain and could miss the Irish match anyway.

The full quarter final draw is: Wimbledon v Chelsea, Tottenham v Man United, Sunderland v Luton, ties to be played week starting Nov 30.

Tickets are available at Ewood for Saturday's screening of the game against Manchester United at Old Trafford on the giant TV. Admission is £5 but free for season-ticket holders.

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