( Ryan Donaldson (85))
Newcastle United 1 Leicester City 0
St James' Park
Monday 31st August Kick-off 7:45pm
Fifth Championship Game of the season
Singing In The Rain 1-0
On a very wet night on Tyneside Newcastle went top of the league with a stunning strike from Danny Guthrie in the 52 minute, following good work from Nile Ranger, who was starting for the first time in a league game. With injuries to Shola Ameobi five-goal top goal scorer, Nicky Butt captain, Jonas Gutierrez Argentine wizard and Andy Carroll the bench was made up of youngsters.
The first real chance came in the 11th minute when Geremi starting his first match of the season supplied Guthrie on the right wing. Danny waltzed passed his opponent and rolled the ball into the path of the Kevin Nolan. The midfielder come part time striker took a first time shot and was only denied a third goal in as many matches by keeper Chris Weale.
An obvious penalty except to the referee and linesman should have been awarded in the 15th minute to Newcastle. Let’s hope these even themselves out as the season progresses. In the 20th minute and Nolan is setup again this time by a header from Ranger, Kevin beat his man but not the stopper.
Steve Howard local Durham boy playing centre-forward for Leicester hit the Leazes when he fired wide and high. Steve and his family are big Toon fans.
The goal came after 52th minutes when Kevin Nolan controlled a long punt downfield and finds Nile Ranger who rolls a pass to Danny Guthrie, the midfielder takes one touch and releases an unstoppable shot 20-yard.
Still raining and the tackles are flying in from Newcastle, the same grit and determination seen against Sheffield Wednesday is on show again tonight, the crowd love it. Nolan links up with Ranger again in the 71st minutes. The pair is starting to gel and we just might have a nice partnership going forward, touch wood.
Steve Harper makes a save to keep us in the lead. The game finishes and we win 1-0. This is the fourth clean sheet of the season, all with Harper in goal following his injury at West Brom where Timmy Krul provided the heroics. At the time I said it was 'Krul Luck' for Steve, I'm glad I was wrong, great night for our keeper.
Nile Ranger worked really hard in the first match to make an impact, however by the second half he had got the hang of this Championship stuff. He controlled and held the ball up very well. He left the field with a few minutes to go to a standing ovation.
The wild rain before the match didn't stop the damp crowd from lifting the roof a couple of times. The atmosphere in St James' this season is a whole lot better that last season.
Fabricio Coloccini was unavailable having joined up with the Argentina national squad, how annoying is that. International week had started so Newcastle had no ground to make a case for him to stay.
On the bench tonight we had French forward Wesley Ngo Baheng named among the substitutes for the first time. Along with the usual suspect youngsters Tim Krul, Tamas Kadar, Kazenga LuaLua, Ben Tozer, Haris Vuckic, Ryan Donaldson. We are now very desperate for a couple of signing before the transfer window to just bolster the squad numbers!
We now head into the international break with a two-point lead at the top of the table with a trip to Cardiff City next up on September 13.
Caretaker Manager Comments: Chris Hughton
on the Team he said to nufcTV
"I did believe that the lads could show real desire to want to do well. I never felt there would be lack of effort or lack of conviction. We didn't know the division, I never felt we would show anything less than we have shown, but whether that was going to bring up points, we didn't know. There's certainly a togetherness in this group of lads. All they could do was get on with the job in hand. If they don't have a big desire to want to get this club back into the Premier League then it's going to be doubly difficult. But they've got on with and trained very well.
I think that's exactly what we expected, for they are a good side. We were probably a little bit surprised to see Steve Howard in their starting line-up, and that added to the power they had in forward areas."
about Steve Harper on nufcTV
"Steve Harper has been a big reason why we've kept four clean sheets in a row and was a big reason why we won tonight. He made two great saves again and that allowed us to get the winner at the other end. But that's why he's in the position he is and that's why he's our number one."
about Chris Guthrie on nufcTV
"He's very capable of scoring goals and it's two in two now, It was a terrific strike and worthy of winning a match. And as Danny gets fitter and fitter, I'm sure he'll continue to get into those positions and add to that tally."
on Transfer Deadline Day he said to nufcTV
"I'm hopeful that we will bring one or two in tomorrow. And I'm even more confident that nobody in this present squad will be leaving. Peter (Lovenkrands) is one that we have been very much interested in. It's a stretched squad - but most of the season so far we've been able to cope with it. We certainly have good enough players, and it's only right that the young lads are given an opportunity because they've deserved that. But we need, by five o'clock tomorrow, a squad that is good enough to complete the whole season."
on Injuries he said to nufcTV
"Jonas has a hamstring and will be out three weeks, while Shola will be out longer than that. He has a stress problem to the bone and we will know in the next two days how long he will be out."
on Nile Ranger (Lone Striker) he said to nufcTV
"It's been quite a tough start for him. What he has learned in this very short period of time is that he will be up against hardened Championship centre-halves. He has been able to do that, and the longer he does that, the more experience he gets."
on Captain Alan Smith Excellent Display talking to nufcTV
"It was an excellent display, What we've got with Alan is that he's enjoying a run of games for the first time in a long time. He's going to get fitter and fitter and better and better. His commitment is outstanding and I thought he really set the tone tonight."
Leicester Manager Nigel Pearson Comments:
talking to nufcTV
"I don't think there was a lot in the game. The goal we conceded wasn't a good one from our perspective. Both sides turned the ball over too easily.. It was a game that was relatively open and either side could have won it - but you've got to take chances. It wasn't a brilliant game - it's a game we looked forward to and expected to get something out of and as far as we're concerned it was a game that we could have come and won."
Head to Head
Foxes @ St James' Park:
- 2009/10 Won 1-0 Guthrie
- 2003/04 Won 3-1 Ameobi, Taggard (og), Jenas
- 2001/02 Won 1-0 Solano
- 2000/01 Won 1-0 Cort
- 1999/00 Lost 0-2
- 1998/99 Won 1-0 Glass
- 1997/98 Drew 3-3 Barnes, Thomason, Beresford
- 1996/97 Won 4-3 Elliot, Shearer 3
- 1994/95 Won 3-1 Albert 2, Howey
Match Facts
- Possession Newcastle 53% - Leicester 47%
- Shots on target Newcastle 6 - Leicester 6
- Shots off target Newcastle 4 - Leicester 6
- Corners Newcastle 1 - Leicester 2
- Fouls Newcastle 13 - Leicester 11
Teams
| Newcastle | Leicester City |
|---|---|
Subs not used
|
Subs not used:
|
Harper Calls for Recognition
talking to nufcTV
"Chris, Colin and Paul Barron have all stepped up and done a fantastic job, They have got the respect of everyone in that dressing room and that shows on the pitch. Everyone has got each other's backs and we're in this together."
Guthrie Calls for Recognition
talking to nufcTV
"Chris and Colin have done wonders. It's testament to the job they've done that we're top of the league and I think Chris more than deserves the manager-of-the-month award. They've kept spirits up and have won the respect of all the lads."
Guthrie Happy Following Wins
talking to The Journal
“It’s seems a funny thing to say given everything that has happened, but this is probably the happiest I’ve been at Newcastle United, It’s always a happy place when a football team is winning and that is what we’re doing at the moment. I know things have not been ideal, but the dressing room has a completely different atmosphere to last year. We’ve all pulled together and it’s a good place to be.
It’s been a good start to the season. From day one we’ve said we can’t do anything about what is happening upstairs in the boardroom. We have pulled close together as a group and I think that has shown on the pitch. It was another good win over Leicester and another deserved one as well.
It was a really tough game and we were delighted to get the three points because it meant we can go into the international break top of the league, which is a good achievement given everything that has happened.
We have found strength in adversity as a football club and I have to say the fans have been brilliant. They have made it really tough for sides to come up here and they have turned up in their thousands. It’s definitely had a big impact on the players.
When we came back for the start of pre-season, with all the turmoil, I didn’t think there would be many coming to watch us this season. We didn’t know how the fans were going to react, but it was predicted that they’d stay away in their droves. But they have been fantastic and as long as we keep putting in performances they will be happy. They just want to see players giving everything to the team and they are getting that with this bunch of lads.
I left Liverpool to get first-team football and despite everything I’ve not regretted it. It was a tough decision to move on in the first place and it was a difficult first season at Newcastle, but I’m really enjoying it again and hopefully we can get this club back to where it belongs.
I think the biggest worry we have is injuries and suspension. The squad is too thin. We need some good luck with injuries and we should just about be okay.”
Kevin Nolan No Regrets
talking to The Chronicle
“People say to me all the time do I regret coming to Newcastle – and I tell them every time I don’t regret it for one second. I never wanted to leave here. This is a new chapter in my life, and I’m still loving every minute of it. I’m fortunate to be at a fantastic club. It’s still one of the biggest in the country and that’s why I came here.
We had 43,000 in for a midweek game against Sheffield Wednesday, and that was the fourth highest crowd in the country, and another big crowd against Leicester City. Those fans deserve success, whether it be promotion or winning the Championship. Hopefully this is just the start for us.”
Podcast After The Match
From he BBC, Simply click here to download the podcast ...
Match Day Tweets
360 Minutes Shut-Out
Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood said to nufcTV
Colin said "Our influence has been almost entirely nil, But no, it's a terrific run and long may it continue. Credit has to go the players. You just feel at the moment that they're so focused and determined that we're going to get something from every game. It's been a great start and we couldn't have wished for better, but there's still a long way to go and we have to keep our feet on the ground."
Chris said "Any plaudits must go to the players. They defend as a team and to go four league matches now without conceding is fantastic. If you do that then the chances are you're going to win games, and that is what's happened."
New Mag On Sale
The first Mag issue of the season - number 238 - goes on sale ahead of this Saturday's home game. Priced @ £2.50 it's available from local news vendors, street sellers on the approaches to SJP and The Back Page on St.Andrews Street
"The Mag was born in 1988, just after we’d sold Gazza and the first game was when he actually came back with Spurs and he was pelted with Mars Bars!" Mark Jensen Editor