Alan Shearer fired Newcastle United a step closer to a third consecutive FA Cup Final as he broke the hearts of his former club.

The £15million striker delivered the goods after 20 minutes and then again 11 minutes from time as United weathered a Blackburn storm and then produced the killer punch.

Rovers will feel desperately disappointed after dragging themselves back into the game through Matt Jansen's 26th-minute equaliser and then looking the more likely to win it until Shearer and substitute Didier Domi decided otherwise.

The Newcastle striker had never scored against his old club at Ewood Park, but as the home fans who once worshipped him jeered instead, he took his season's tally to 21 goals to send the travelling black and white army home in high spirits.

Much of the pre-match discussion had revolved around how Rovers could cope with the twin threat of Shearer and Ferguson, but for long periods it was the less vaunted Nathan Blake and Jansen who caused the trouble at the other end.

Indeed, had it not been for a superb 65th-minute save by Steve Harper from Jansen, it could have been the Division One side heading for Prenton Park.

Rob Lee returned to the Newcastle midfield after injury, taking the place of Peruvian Nolberto Solano, who picked up a knock in training last Thursday.

Portuguese international Helder replaced Spaniard Marcelino in central defence, but striker Ferguson shook of a hamstring problem to partner Shearer in attack.

The home side made two changes with Jansen and Lee Carsley returning for Egil Ostenstad and Damien Johnson, who had to make do with places on the bench alongside former United winger Keith Gillespie.

Jansen found himself in the action early on when Newcastle keeper Harper stubbed an attempted clearance staright at him, but as he controlled the ball 25 yards out, Nicos Dabizas was able to get in a covering challenge.

Jansen and Blake were making life difficult for Dabizas and Helder, and the Welsh international should have done better with a free header a minute later after the Greek mistimed his challenge.

But as Lee and Gary Speed started to gain the upper hand in the engine room battle with Carsley and Per Frandsen, Newcastle forced their way into the game.

Shearer, who took up a series of wide positions to good effect as the game unfolded, cut in from the left and curled a shot wide on nine minutes and then sent an overhead kick harmlessly wide as Darren Peacock and Christian Dailly struggled to cope with Ferguson in the air.

But the visitors took the lead with 20 minutes gone just as it looked as if they might fall behind.

Frandsen's through ball looked to have put Jansen in the clear, but Helder arrived from nowhere to get in a vital foot, and when Harper cleared, Ferguson flicked on into Shearer's path and the striker fired past Alan Kelly for his 20th of the season.

Dailly almost deflected a Shearer cross into his won net four minutes later as Blackburn rocked temporarily, but they were back on terms on 26 minutes when Newcastle's fragile looking defence finally cracked.

Frandsen's ball over the top allowed Jansen to burst between Dabizas and Helder, and with Harper stranded in no man's land, the striker stabbed the equaliser home, his first goal since September 18.

Blake again failed to beat Harper with a header after being given yards of space inside the Magpies' box, but Bobby Robson's side thought they should have had a 36th minute penalty when Kieron Dyer went down under Callum Davidson's last-ditch tackle.

Ferguson glanced a header just wide after again out-jumping Dailly four minutes from the break, but it was the home side which held sway immediately after the restart.

Helder was replaced by Aaron Hughes with 51 minutes gone, but it was Dabizas who had his hands full as Blake sent a header over and then drove a shot across the face of goal.

Simon Grayson, who had picked up a first-half booking for a trip on Kevin Gallacher, had his heart in his mouth six minutes later when he brought down Dyer inches outside the box after Ferguson and Shearer had combined well on the edge.

The England skipper opted for power from the free-kick, but drove his effort into the defensive wall.

In a breathless encounter, Harper scrambled back across his goal to tip away a cheeky effort from McAteer, and the keeper was fortunate to see Blake's header deflect off Jansen and safely land in his arms.

But the keeper had to be at his best on 65 minutes when he dived full length to block Jansen's point-blank effort after Blake put Frandsen clear on the right.

Jansen sent a left-foot shot on the turn just wide with 17 minutes left, but Newcastle were fighting for their FA Cup lives as Dabizas at last got something of a hold on Blake.

But it was Domi who fashioned the decisive breakthrough for the visitors as he found space on the left, skipped past McAteer and then delivered the perfect cross for Shearer to blast into the roof of the net at the far post.

Kelly kept out a late Ferguson effort and Harper saw an injury-time free-kick from Frandsen sail high and wide to put United into their third successive quarter-final.

Teams

Blackburn: Kelly, Grayson, Peacock, Dailly, Davidson, McAteer, Carsley (Johnson 46), Frandsen, Duff, Blake, Jansen.

Subs Not Used: Ostenstad, Gillespie, Harkness, Fettis.

Booked: Grayson, Johnson.

Goals: Jansen 25.

Newcastle: Harper, Barton, Dabizas, Pistone, Helder (Hughes 50), Dyer (Maric 89), Speed, Lee, Gallacher (Domi 68), Shearer, Ferguson.

Subs Not Used: Fumaca, Given.

Booked: Helder, Shearer.

Goals: Shearer 21, 79.

Att: 29,946

Ref: P Durkin (Dorset).