IF Joey Barton needs “some thinking time and space” to weigh up a move away from Tyneside, Newcastle United gave him both last night.

Time – extra, in fact – to consider an offer from QPR, and room for manoeuvre to see, live on TV no less, that while the Magpies could clearly do with him, he might well be better off without them.

Are you Grimsby in disguise, asked the Scunthorpe fans. It is not much of a one.

Still, after Ryan Taylor’s free-kick overhauled Chris Dagnall’s early opener, Sammy Ameobi popped up in the 112th minute with a nippy dribble and shot to nudge a nervous and edgy United into the third round.

It was that late the bus to the train station had already departed, leaving hundreds of Toon fans seeking alternative means of fetching home.

They were not bothered by then though, only by what they had been forced to endure beforehand.

For while Alan Pardew displayed his intention to take matters seriously by fielding a strong side – including a debut for Sylvain Marveaux – his side were well off the pace for long periods.

Sure, the manager will point to the lion’s share of chances but more clinical superiority would have hammered The Iron. Instead, the League One side – yet to win a league game this season – were allowed to show their mettle, and push their Premier League opponents all the way.

From the off, they were the better and busier.

On nine minutes Jimmy Ryan hacked well over Tim Krul’s crossbar from distance, after 13 minutes Eddie Nolan thumped an angled effort at the United goalkeeper and moments later Dagnall’s shot was only deflected wide thanks to a partial block by Fabricio Coloccini.

There was near-instantly an impending sense of the inevitable, and Dagnall – whose girlfriend and her family hail from Newcastle, and are United supporters – was not to be denied again.

On the quarter-hour mark a Scunthorpe corner was merely half-cleared. Sam Togwell retrieved possession and from right of the area, curled goalwards.

Former Hartlepool United captain - whose son is also a Toon fan – headed back across goal and the unmarked, mooching Dagnall glanced the ball beyond the out-rushing Krul.

It was no less than the hosts deserved, for their opponents, limp and lacklustre, had yet to register.

When they finally did, Ryan Taylor arced a 22nd-minute free-kick narrowly wide, and after Andy Barcham volleyed just off target at the other end, Newcastle at least enjoyed a brief spell of slight pressure, but no more than that.

In the 29th minute Marveaux’s teasing cross from the left was well met by the head of Leon Best, but Josh Lillis saved well low to his left and then clung cleanly to Yohan Cabaye’s long-range effort after Peter Lovenkrands had cut in from the right and smashed a shot across the face of goal.