Chis Hughton has admitted that the 1-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday was far from pretty, and he’s right.
Steve Harper – two great saves from Newcastle ‘keeper
But a win is a win, and the more 1-0 wins we can get shows the lads have both the spirit and that winning mentality.
Chris Hughton also admitted he was delighted to see his side grind out the win, which takes the side to joint top of the Championship table on 7 points.
Local lad Shola Ameobi was again the match-winner, with the Geordie striker putting a beautiful drive past his former England Under-21 team-mate Lee Grant, after getting on the end of an Andy Carroll headed flick-on in the 15th minute.
The lads had to withstand some pressure from the Owls in the second half but they held on well with goalkeeper Harper making a couple of great saves.
Hughton said after the game:
“I don’t think it was the prettiest win, but nonetheless it was very pleasing.” “I think we needed that second goal for the game to open up but their keeper has made some terrific saves.”
“We got the early goal like we’d hoped and it was a great goal, real route one stuff and another fantastic finish from Shola.”
“After that both sides have had a couple of good chances and we’ve got Steve Harper to thank for two great saves in the second-half.”
“But we’ve got the win and that’s the most important thing.” “We’re back up to third and confidence is high and two successive wins.”
Chris is right – we got the win and that’s the most important thing, and good teams churn out wins, even when they don’t play at their best.
That’s what the lads have to do this season, and we have to say we’re extremely pleased with the spirit in the team. It cannot have been easy for the players and the coaches, with all the nonsense going on this summer, but so far they’ve produced the goods this season.
Yes, the lads have made a great start to the season and they are getting the Geordie fans back to St James’ Park with a fantastic 43,904 there last night.
Now it’s time for owner Mike Ashley to make some decisions, and at least give the lads a fighting chance of taking this proud club back to the Premier league at the first attempt.
After all that’s where we belong, and not many would dispute that.
Howay The Lads!!
31 comments so far
BT9MAG
Aug 20, 2009 at 12:18 AM
Comment #1First half was actually alright, had a few chances and Carroll was a decent target man…2nd half we started flat and were flat until the 88th minute when Ranger came on, which picked up the fans and therefore the players.
I don’t feel the same buzz I got on Saturday, I think the 2nd half killed that off, but, I can’t complain…The way I’m thinking is, all these wins add up, we needed just 1 point last season, one point from tonights ‘unattractive’ win could be all important!
DJG
Aug 20, 2009 at 12:42 AM
Comment #2Did anyone see the spurs vs. Hull game. The gap between us and the Spuds now is frightening. One things for sure we wont be doing the double over them anymore in the forseeable future. They’ve got Bassong aswell the cheeky beggers. I think Spurs will break up the top 4 this season not City.
DJG
Aug 20, 2009 at 12:48 AM
Comment #3BT9MAG
1 point! Thats it, It wasnt the best performance tonight, but all that matters is it is 3 points.
Its alright getting draws, but 3 points is a hell of a lot more than 1 point, more than double in fact 🙂
Keeping out the Owls for the win was ALL that mattered. In this league it wont always be pretty. We just need to forget about this now and go to Crystal Palace like a man possesed. Ranger to start, it’s obvious that the lad is gagging for a game and we know for a fact he has goals in him.
Yorkie Dave
Aug 20, 2009 at 1:14 AM
Comment #4Champions of any league always win in style but they also win ugly aswell! if its a case that we grind out those extra wins this season to get us promotion then so be it ill be happy!
Check out my webpage if you looking to save money!
Rodzilla
Aug 20, 2009 at 1:37 AM
Comment #5…….agimmee cheeese strings.
But, Sir, it’s……..
…..just cheese!
😀
ginkoh
Aug 20, 2009 at 4:29 AM
Comment #63 points is 3 points, nothing more nothing less. A little bit worry when second half we’re second best especially in St Jame’s Park. We should control the whole game not let the performance drop after lead.
However after saw Barnsley won against ManU, it show nothing guarantee in football and no easy match out there.
roscoe
Aug 20, 2009 at 5:42 AM
Comment #7Man United have got the Plague from us…
Its called Michael Owen!
He is so shit! No wonder Shearer and Chris both dropped him. HAHAHAHAHA
We rid of him and are now winning again…
Coincidence? I think NOT!
ToonRich
Aug 20, 2009 at 6:52 AM
Comment #8Well I was fairly pleased with the overall performace lastnight, and I’m glad I made the effort to travel the 300mile round trip!
I’d like to echo previous comments, Ranger must get a start. In the few mins he did get he made a difference. I won’t get overly excited but this lad can be a star for us. Much like big Andy, they both were able to win the headers, hold the ball up and distribute it to our lads. Disco had a slow start when he came on, but did show some nice touches and turn of speed.
Colo started nervey, by the 2nd half he was lookin stronger and more up for it 🙂
any more new on take over stuff from our connected bloggers?!
Stuart79
Aug 20, 2009 at 7:06 AM
Comment #9Sooner we sell Collocini the better. He’s a disaster in the waiting. He’s turned ever game and if it was a higher standard he’d suffer the consequences
ToonRich
Aug 20, 2009 at 7:16 AM
Comment #10You’re right there Stuart…Stevie Taylor recovered atleast 3 of Colo’s mistakes in the first half. He looked scared to tackle :-/
I was unhappy at Smiths treatment, the ref was on his back from the start…his rep is gonna follow him all season 🙁 like Joey!
Stuart79
Aug 20, 2009 at 7:19 AM
Comment #11Ranger looked good when he came on.
Better than the Xisco kid by a mile.
Need this takeover sorted. Time running out to bring players in…
doofa the loofa
Aug 20, 2009 at 8:28 AM
Comment #12still no news……
gotta be something soon hasn’t there.
nearly another week over with.
Toon Graeme
Aug 20, 2009 at 8:29 AM
Comment #13Our subs need to be used more effectively and the timing is rubbish. Ranger should have been on earlier than he was.
Did anyone else notice the segregation of the team when we scored. All but Jonas and Colo went to celebrate and they stood there in our half with faces like slapped arses. Then when Steven Taylor celebrated a good clearence piece of teamwork in the box – he blanked of colo.
Divisions me thinks!!
It was pretty and at time it was sh*t but 3 points is 3 points and Ill take em and bask at 3rd place.
doofa the loofa
Aug 20, 2009 at 8:34 AM
Comment #14tg
keeping ranger quiet until the window shuts i think?
Toonmania
Aug 20, 2009 at 8:36 AM
Comment #15perhaps we need to turn the heat up on ashley to sell, it works with lard and that dissappers when you heat it 🙂
anyway good game lads, need those wins hopefully there will be something sorted in the next day or so as stuart says time is running out to get players in.
ho’way the lads
sahota
Aug 20, 2009 at 8:39 AM
Comment #16Hey Guys. If I buy away match tickets from nufc.co.uk box office when do they arrive. Do they give enough time for them to reach every corner of UK.
magpie6699
Aug 20, 2009 at 8:42 AM
Comment #17Hi
nobody mention Jose Enrique? I thought he did some sterling stuff sorting out on the left side – strong and quick in the challenge with some good touches to get out of trouble. Also thought new boy Simpson was very steady. Would still prefer Guthrie to RT or Nolan though and we are DESPERATE for some creativity in midfield. Interesting that while it’s always our defence that gets the media hammer, we’ve so far conceded only 1 goal in 3 games – and back end of last season it was failure to turn 0-0 or 1-0 defeats into more points that did for us, not losing 4-2 or something like that.
Anyway, not getting carried away. I’ve checked the Championship tables and the most points needed to beat relegation was 53, often less needed for safety though. So just another 46 points!
BT9MAG
Aug 20, 2009 at 9:12 AM
Comment #18sahota – they’re posted by 1st class post and therefore should reach any part of the uk soon enough….IF you don’t recieve them, then simply print out the email they’ll send you (just the confirmation of purchase) and take it to the box office and they’ll give you your tickets there.
Magpie6699, I agree mate! There was one point in particular in the 2nd half where Jose was running towards our goal, with his back to play while the shef striker was running next to Collo….He burned Collo and tried to run on the outside of Jose. Jose simply muscled him off the ball, turned inside and passed a simple ball of to Smith – pure class!
sahota
Aug 20, 2009 at 9:14 AM
Comment #19@BT9MAG But I don’t live near Newcastle so collecting from box office won’t be an option for me. But I expect they must be leaving enough time for post to arrive.
ian
Aug 20, 2009 at 9:23 AM
Comment #20Martins scores on his debut at Wolfsburg and the team has its record start and heads the table.
Go on Martins!! Shame he wasnt still here.
jckie15
Aug 20, 2009 at 9:23 AM
Comment #21i love how duff is now slating the toon…..erm if you hadnt kicked the ball in your own goal we wouldnt be in the championship irish tw@
Toon_Factor
Aug 20, 2009 at 9:35 AM
Comment #22Colo looked shaky in the first 10 to 15 minutes but was fine after that, every single time they had a free kick or goal kick it was always played up to his side, so he had much more work to do that S.Taylor. But it was Ryan Taylor who impressed me, I know most people will disagree as he’s not a fan favourite but he was excellent and looked far better at right back than Simpson. We still need another striker though, someone to play off Shola like Lovenkrands.
Stuart79
Aug 20, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Comment #23Toon_Factor // Aug 20, 2009 at 9:35 AM
Will you take ya balls out of Collocini’s mouth!
He’s sh1te.
Gutierrez had his usual game too. Did nothing!
belfast toon
Aug 20, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Comment #24Well done chris and the lads last night. Can you imagine how bad the whole sale saga would be if we wer not putting points on the board.
Well done chris pride starting to be restored.
HalftimeBovril
Aug 20, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Comment #25Another good writeup from George Caulkin
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article6802730.ece
Makes a change from reading such negative reports last season.
Geordie-Gerrard7
Aug 20, 2009 at 10:09 AM
Comment #26fantastic article fro caulkin yet again.
my mate just text me saying he could slit my throat because owen left us for them, he was at the game last night and said owen is by far the slowest player in there team, including old g.neville. all the united fans have been on his back already
Tel
Aug 20, 2009 at 10:13 AM
Comment #27Said yesterday I would take 3 points no matter how we got them. We withstood a lot of pressure, weds played down their right against colo cos he’s slow, its tactics, but we rode our luck and held firm, three more on saturday please.
Off topic but 43904, what did the mackems get against chelsea oh 41179. We are the loyalist football supporters the world has ever had.
BT9MAG
Aug 20, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Comment #28Tel – I’m not overly republican but I’m no loyalist either mate!
Here lads, some interesting watching ahead of our Carling Cup match – Huddersfield winning 6:1!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/8210764.stm
bigted28
Aug 20, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Comment #29Been reading that Espanyol are going to offer 1.4 million Euro’s for Colo, I bet that we accept it as well. These Spanish clubs have some cheek, demanding about 12 million Euro’s for him last season and only willing to offer a tenth of that 1 year later. I bet that we accept the offer too, such is the mismanagement at our club. When will we ever learn…… Can anybody tell me a good piece of business this club has EVER done when they paid more than £10 million for a single player ?(I can only think of 1, Shearer) I must admit, whenever we were linked with an expensive player, the alarm bells started to ring!
belfast toon
Aug 20, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Comment #30What’s the chance of some takeover news today
Lew Davies
Aug 20, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Comment #31nil 🙁