The biggest play of the first half was when a brilliant through ball to Robinho had Styles giving a penalty against Habib Beye and sending the Senegal player off – but on the TV replay is was definitely not a penalty and therefore not a sending off.
The slow motion replay showed Habib in fact made a good clearance and deflected the ball away from Robinho before he then brought the player down with his momentum.
So it was not a foul and it should not have been a red card. But that’s Newcastle’s luck and Robinho easily dispatched the penalty past a helpless Given.
Newcastle had been holding the talented City side until this time with Coloccini having a solid game at the back and Shola Ameobi making himself an Emile Heskey type player up front, giving the two City center backs a very hard time of it.
The penalty and red card were a terrible blow to this Newcastle side but that’s how it goes when you’re having no luck. Newcastle were able to hold the City side, even thought they were a man down, with Martins going to the left wing and Ameobi up front.
Newcastle had a chance after 35 minutes, when Duff had a chance from just 8 yards out, but his weak finish was saved easily by Hart – and Kinnear had his head in his hands and Damien should have done better – and he knew it.
And then after 43 minutes the incredible happened as a nice cross ball from Martins found Ameobi with the ball with two City players a round him. But somehow Shola managed to get the ball in the net for his first goal for the club in almost two years.
It was a good opportunist goal from Shola and finished off a very good first-half display from the 26 year-old.
But the second half promises to be a battle with Newcastle still in this game – and there’s time for some heroes in this Newcastle side tonight.
NUFC News 24/7 
90 comments so far
Rasko a.k.a Hadji
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:05 PM
Comment #1Right now the draw is as good as the win.
Good luck in the second half boys.
Brazilian Geordie
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:06 PM
Comment #2Robinho son of a bitch. Shola will score again and again to show him what is the real football.
ObaFan2
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:07 PM
Comment #3A good game spoilt by the ref and we deserved a goal and maybe even to be ahead. Craig Burley is slaggin Poll off now 😆
neeraj
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:08 PM
Comment #4now sorry to ameobi
but i got the secret why he scored…..
he scored from knee, thigh or whatever part of his leg …..
should use that portion of his body more often…..
just kidding
gr8 game shola gr8 game
and as for robinho, after all the transfer business this summer he has sunk to new LOW….
god this man was tipped to be next pele
ziad
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:09 PM
Comment #5Lets remain cautious defensively! Man city are a very quick team … dont want to lose this after a good fightback! good work by the lads…
ObaFan2
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:09 PM
Comment #6Ok second half, send a City player off to make it fair and COME ON THE TOON.
ObaFan2
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:10 PM
Comment #7Wonder what JFK was calling Styles…. something like “cant” 😆
Tripp
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:15 PM
Comment #8Beye’s red card will be thrown out, like John Terry’s a few weeks ago. Wasn’t that against Citeh too?
ToonKing
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:17 PM
Comment #9Colo is immense today.
neeraj
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:20 PM
Comment #10what is with brazilians they are proud they are good with diving….
jo same as robinho
beyethegreat
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Comment #11has any 1 plz got a decent link mine has cut out
Heavy hitters
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Comment #12Styles is ruining the game !!
Toon Olly
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Comment #13Yes tripp was just gonna mention that, beye will be playing the mackems there’s no way that red will stand!
robhino is a diving piece of shit, all i can remember is that corner against england when he fell over after the ball got kciked back to him, can’t remembr who he got sent off for us but if he keeps getting players sent off unfairly hes gonna have more than a few enemies in english football…
UP THE LADS, COME ON BOYS LETS MAKE IT TWO LIKE!!
IndiaMag
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Comment #14My links not working too.. Any links?
ToonKing
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Comment #15Were playing decent , even with 10 men.
lee
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Comment #16http://www.justin.tv/spok88
Patrick
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:25 PM
Comment #17http://zh-tw.justin.tv/spok88
It looks smooth.
IndiaMag
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:27 PM
Comment #18Thanks a million lee!!!
kelvin
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:27 PM
Comment #19that was rivaldo wasn’t it that fell down at the corner? anyway newcasle just scored!!!!
ToonKing
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:28 PM
Comment #20ARGHHHQ!!!! YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dubsea
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:28 PM
Comment #21wow…we’re winning
neeraj
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:28 PM
Comment #22c’mon newcastle
ObaFan2
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:28 PM
Comment #23get in u beaut dunne own goal yeeeeeee haaaaaaaaa
Laszlo
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Comment #24Okay come on get Mr X and Zog on the field, stat!
toonarmy08
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Comment #25Shearer nxt manager ,you heard it here 1st !!!!!
reillers
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Comment #26Good stop from Given.
ToonKing
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:37 PM
Comment #27Good sub by Joe, not sitting back, i like.
Heavy hitters
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:40 PM
Comment #28City are pathetic !!
Bobby Ollox
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:41 PM
Comment #29Ed – just landed at RDU – is it on any of the local stations ?????
justin tv is ok, but….. the hotel room has a 50 inch tv – wasted ?
ToonKing
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:42 PM
Comment #30Carroll ?? now thats daft….why not Xisco, Joe ?
neeraj
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:42 PM
Comment #31just thinking about the wow signing thing
COLO was our wow signing
Bobby Ollox
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:43 PM
Comment #32Good Sub – can make a name for himself now – come on Andy
Toon Olly
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:47 PM
Comment #33ahh yes kelvin good point, robhino wouldn’t quite of been in the national team back then anyway…ahwel, diving brazillions- they’re all the same!
‘MON THE LADS!2-1 and to think we tried to buy dunne over the summer! hahaaa
reillers
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:49 PM
Comment #34GIVEN!! What a stop.
Bobby Ollox
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:49 PM
Comment #35That man is worth every penny – great save
Toon Olly
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:52 PM
Comment #36ireland you piece of shit!
reillers
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:54 PM
Comment #37FFS. Was a good goal though. TYPICAL defence always switches off.
Ireland though, would he ever grow some and come and play for his country.
Laszlo
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:54 PM
Comment #38We suffer from not having players who can hold the ball even with 10 men – Martins was one who brought composure to our midfield, now we are fighting tooth and nail (and running ourselves ragged) for that one point.
neeraj
Oct 20, 2008 at 10:00 PM
Comment #39great game
great game
Jinal
Oct 20, 2008 at 10:01 PM
Comment #40We played with more heart than we did even against Everton. If it wasn’t for the silly ref, we could have nicked a win.Too bad we couldn’t hold on for the lead in the end.
Lads you did us and the shirt proud!!!