SAINTS have left themselves with work to do after a 1-0 loss at home to Newcastle United in the EFL Cup semi-final’s first leg.

Nathan Jones’s men came out on the wrong side of the game’s big moments with a goal disallowed for both teams for accidental handball during the conversion and a pivotal Che Adams one-on-one miss.

Joelinton’s second-half finish was enough to give the visitors an advantage going into the St James’ Park contest, while Saints were reduced to 10 men in the final minutes after Duje Caleta-Car was yellow carded twice.

Jones will take his team to Tyneside next Tuesday to show down for a place in the final.

Saints prepared for a fourth cup semi-final in seven seasons and a first in the EFL Cup since they defeated Liverpool over two legs to reach the Wembley showpiece.

They went on to be unjustly beaten by Manchester United in that 2017 clash after Manolo Gabbiadini had a goal incorrectly ruled out for offside.

This represented a new opportunity to take a step closer to becoming club legends; and for Jones to win more support after a lull in defeat to Aston Villa.

He awarded full debuts to January signings Charly Alcaraz and Mislav Orsic, with Sekou Mara preferred to Adams and Romeo Lavia rested with his minutes managed.

Mohammed Salisu was tasked with playing left-back and it was a rough start for Saints, with Joe Willock firing over from a clear chance and the aforementioned Ghanaian firefighting.

Ibrahima Diallo, James Ward-Prowse and Alcaraz were linking up like a well-drilled trio while Lyanco and Moussa Djenepo received regular words from Jones on the touchline.

Newcastle thought they had opened the scoring towards the end of the half when Joelinton turned in after Willock’s effort was saved into danger – but it was controversially ruled out for handball in the scramble.

But while Jones could breathe a sigh of relief on that occasion, he was forced into an early change in added time when Djenepo was cleared out at head height by an onrushing Nick Pope.

Saints were let off the hook big-time early in the second half as Joelinton fired over from close range with the goal at his mercy.

Miguel Almiron, the architect of that chance, then pinged the same fizzing ball across goal for Dan Burn and he too missed the target – albeit a tougher opportunity.

Adams had an equally golden opportunity up the other end as he raced through one-on-one and the flag stayed down, the Scot hit his shot straight at the goalkeeper again.

Adams saw another snapshot saved by Pope as the pendulum swung in Jones’s side’s favour, but the next chance would be scored.

Substitute Alexander Isak made light work of Duje Caleta-Car and Joelinton was there to power in at the back-post and give the Geordies the lead.

Adam Armstrong thought he had levelled against his hometown club just minutes later but after emotional St Mary’s celebrations, VAR ruled it out for handball in an eerily similar fashion to the first-half incident.

Emotions heightened after a skirmish started by Lyanco, in which he was booked, and with a few minutes to play Caleta-Car was given marching orders for a second yellow card – seeing the reintroduction of Jan Bednarek to defend the free-kick.

Saints: Bazunu; Walker-Peters (Bednarek, 88), Lyanco, Caleta-Car, Salisu; Diallo (Lavia, 81), Alcaraz, Ward-Prowse; Djenepo (A Armstrong, 45), Orsic (Edozie, 57), Mara (Adams, 57).

Unused subs: Perraud, Maitland-Niles, Elyounoussi, Caballero (g/k).

Booked: Caleta-Car, Alcaraz, Walker-Peters, Lyanco, Salisu.

Sent off: Caleta-Car.

Newcastle: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Willock (Saint-Maximin, 67), Almiron, Wilson (Isak, 67).

Unused subs: Lascelles, Lewis, Manquillo, Murphy, Anderson, Ritchie, Darlow (g/k)

Booked: Trippier, Saint-Maximin.

Referee: Stuart Attwell.

VAR: Andre Marriner.

Attendance: 30,090.

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