Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes came off the bench to ease Newcastle into the FA Cup fourth round after Eddie Howe was forced to turn to his big guns to see off League Two Bromley.
Howe made nine changes to the side that beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg in midweek as he tried to rest key men, but saw his signings fail to impress in the first half during which Cameron Congreve fired the visitors home in the eighth minute advantages.
Lewis Miley equalized before half-time but such was Howe's displeasure that he sent off Gordon and Guimaraes after the restart and saw the England international convert a 49th-minute penalty before 21-year-old striker Will Osula completed the 3- 1 and eighth on the trot for the first time since 2016 with his first goal for the club.
William Osula celebrates after scoring Newcastle's third goal against Bromley
Harvey Barnes came on early as the Magpies looked for a quick start against Bromley's five-man defense and the £38m player should have done better after bursting into the box after six minutes before firing into the side-netting from an unlikely angle when inside any more realistic options.
However, it was the visitors who sent their traveling supporters into raptures two minutes later when Corey Whitely fed Congreve 25 yards out and he eluded Miley's attention before firing a left-footed shot past the sprawling Martin Dubravka.
They might have been in dreamland on 14 minutes before full-back Danny Imray intercepted Lloyd Kelly's pass to Matt Targett deep inside his own half and raced upfield before firing over Dubravka but wide of the far post.
However, the Magpies were level within two minutes when, after Osula had rounded keeper Grant Smith from a Miley cross but could not get a shot, Barnes recycled and Miley beat the keeper and into the net from distance.
The home side had to be patient as Bromley got men behind the ball and they were admirably organised, but not helped by a lack of pace and cutting which hampered their play.
Howe delivered a transparent verdict on a tepid first-half display when he sent on Guimaraes and Gordon for Joelinton and Barnes, and the former Everton striker wasted little time in making an impact.
Targett was tripped by Ben Thompson on his way into the box and Gordon sent Smith the wrong way from the spot to make it 2-1.
Guimaraes in particular injected some much-needed urgency as the Magpies upped the tempo with Gordon seeing a well-worked corner blocked in the 58th minute.
But it was Osula who extended their lead three minutes later when he cut in from the right and smashed an unstoppable drive past Smith to end any hopes of a comeback.
Woodman hopes Newcastle will win the FA Cup
Bromley manager Andy Woodman hugs Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe
Bromley manager Andy Woodman left St James' Park hoping his Newcastle counterpart Howe could lift the long-awaited trophy this season after his FA Cup dream came to an end.
Howe's men, who could be just 90 minutes away from a trip to Wembley in the Carabao Cup, will face League One Birmingham in the fourth round as they look to end their 70-year quest for domestic silverware.
Asked if the 47-year-old could be the man to do it, Woodman said with a smile: “Hopefully I've played my part and they'll pat me on the back for letting him go until the next round. I always want him to get a bit of silver.
“I really hope so because it has been the monkey on the club's back for many years and nothing would make me happier, especially Eddie and his staff and the team of players. They are good human beings, you can say that.
“I spoke to Sean Longstaff, who I've known since I was a kid and to see the players you know and the people you know at the football club – not just the players and the staff but the people around the club – I would really hope, probably like any Geordie fan, that will surely lift the trophy this year.”