Monday, February 12, 2007

Gobshite beaten

Newcastle Utd 2 - 1 Liverpool

An impressive comeback in rotten conditions gave Newcastle a deserved win against Liverpool on Saturday.

Given their relative good form, it was no surprise that the visitors started the brighter side, and with Bellamy's electric pace worrying our back four, it wasn't a massive surprise that we promptly gifted Liverpool a goal inside the opening ten minutes. Steve Harper, choosing to dwell on a Babayaro back pass was promptly harried by Bellamy. His poor clearance fell straight to Jermaine Pennant who fed the ball back into the little gobshite, who promptly fired home into the Gallowgate net.

Undone by an early goal, Newcastle continued to look shaky - with Bellamy in particular a menace. Thankfully through a combination of poor finishing and some last ditch clearances and saves, we stopped Liverpool adding to their total, and then benefited from some generous defending from the visitors. This time it was Reina who was at fault, needlessly hoofing a clearance into Agger, who was under pressure from the advancing Martins. The ball bounced off the defender, and left Martins with the simple task of slotting the ball into the empty net.

At one-all, we suddenly looked like a side who thought they could play at the same level as Liverpool, and from thereon started to make a game of it.

Level at half time, it was Newcastle who emerged the stronger after the break, and sure enough the breakthrough came when Steven Taylor dribbled into the Liverpool penalty area, only to be tripped by John Arne Riise. Solano coolly fired the ball home, having sent Reina the wrong way. From there, the Liverpool onslaught failed to materialise, with Oneywu competing well against Crouch when Benitez chose to throw the tall striker on late in the game.

Newcastle were able to hold on, and as such can be justifiably pleased with the result, which lifts us up to ninth.

On the plus side, Oneywu enjoyed a decent game, second half in particular. So too did Babayaro - playing despite the death of his younger brother from TB 24 hours previously.

Our sympathies go to the Babayaro family at this time.

Other reports: BBC, Guardian
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