Newcastle United 1 Queens Park Rangers 1
Newcastle 1 Queens Park Rangers 1
St James' Park
Wednesday 30th September Kick-off 7:45pm
10th Championship Game of the season
Marlon Harewood Scores On Home Debut
Marlon Harewood scored in the 70th minute on his home debut after coming on in the 60 minute for Nile Ranger. following a cross by Danny Simpson, Marlon's new strike partner Andy Carroll provided the header back across goal for Marlon to tap in at the far post. The equaliser followed Queen's Park Rangers scoring as early as the seventh minute as Newcastle struggled to get out of first gear early on in the game.
Looking to go five points top at the league some fans came away frustrated however, in hindsight we should be really pleased and very positive about our club as we are three points clear and looking forward to more fun at home and on the road.
Our outlook all summer and during the pre-season was extremely bleak as Mike Ashley and potentially buyers came and went without any success. Added to this players were jumping ship. So I suggest be very pleased with our league position 'Say We Are Top Of the League'.
Tonight we were just not on the field in the first 30 minutes before we woke up by then QPR had played some good passing moves and were first to every ball in midfield. There was few second balls to contest, obviously we lost those as well. Chances for us followed up to half time with Nile Ranger and Danny Guthrie coming close. The Liverpool lad had a frustrating game before he was replaced by Lovenkrands with two minutes to go.
Guthrie besides not pulling the ball back in the 32nd minute for what would have been a simple tap in goal for Andy Carroll, missed a penalty in the 18th minute. The keeper saved a shot which Danny put down the middle. The penalty was for a hand ball by the Rangers defender after Steven Taylor had powered in a shot following a Danny Guthrie free kick.
Andy Carroll had a header saved in the 33rd minute and Nile Ranger had one just miss after good work by his partner Andy. In between Nolan chipped in with an attempt. The chances began to flow with no end result before half time.
Second half we came out slow again but with Jonas Gutierrez, back from a month-long hamstring layoff, replacing Nicky Butt at the break. Mark Routledge Rangers number seven winger continued to cause havoc for Jose Enrique at left back and throughout the 90 minutes.
Harewood was thrown on just after the hour mark and it took the loan striker just eight minutes to net his first for the club, bundling home Andy Carroll's headed knockdown from point-blank range. After Danny Simpson had lifted a high cross to the far post.
Gutierrez and Enrique combine on the left well and turned Newcastle back into an attacking team, a team with width. Sometimes in the first half over 65% of the playing area was empty as both sets of players camped out in the same space.
Bristol City on Saturday, next.
Caretaker Manager Comments: Chris Hughton
"It's a reminder to anybody of the quality of this league. You are up against Championship-hardened teams who are used to playing the amount of games we will play. If I look at the games we have played so far this season, we have had to fight hard for everything we have got."
talking to The Chronicle
“He was my designated penalty taker and will be again. It’s one of those things – if a player does or doesn't’t score a penalty, the most important thing is that it doesn’t affect him – and with Danny, it hasn’t. If the opportunity arose again, he would be the first one up to take it. I have no problems with him taking penalties at all.
You’re always trying to analyse the game. We just didn’t start well. There are pivotal moments in any game. Had one of the chances gone in, it would have given us the lift we needed.“It didn’t, but as the game went on, it improved.
It’s a strange one – at 1-0 down, all you want to do is get back in the game. Once we got to 1-1, even though it wasn’t one of our best performances, we had the better chances. They were a very mobile, good footballing side, and caused us a lot of problems. In the end, it became an open game, and if somebody was going to win it, it was going to be us.”
QPR Manager Comments: Jim Magilton
"A draw is probably a fair result. I am very proud of the players. To a man, they were outstanding. I think it's going to be a division where - we have seen results already this year - it's going to be open. But if you look at the talent and the ability and the squad-depth of Newcastle, if you finish above them, you will be very close."
Head to Head
Rangers @ St James' Park:
- 2009/10 Drew 1-1 Harewood
- 1995/96 Won 2-1 Beardsley 2
- 1994/95 Won 2-1 Kitson, Beardsley
- 1993/94 Lost 1-2 Allen
- 1988/89 Lost 1-2 Ranson
- 1987/88 Drew 1-1 O'Neill
- 1986/87 Lost 0-2
- 1985/86 Won 3-1 Beardsley, Reilly, McDonald
- 1984/85 Won 1-0 Reilly
- 1982/83 Won 1-0 Keegan
- 1981/82 Lost 0-4
- 1980/81 Won 1-0 Waddle
Match Facts
- Possession Newcastle 49% - QPR 51%
- Shots on target Newcastle 6 - QPR 2
- Shots off target Newcastle 5 - QPR 10
- Corners Newcastle 1 - QPR 7
- Fouls Newcastle 12 QPR 15
Teams
| Newcastle | Queen's Park Rangers |
|---|---|
Subs not used
|
Subs not used:
|
Jonas Gutierrez Said Afterwards
talking to The Chronicle
“Last night against QPR was very frustrating for us, but for me it was good to be back out there. I want to be on the pitch for every game. It was a hard a game – they came here and played well and made it difficult for us. But I think in the second half we could have won it. QPR showed last night that we will have more tough games to come and we must be on top of our game. If we are, then we have a great chance of beating anybody.
It has been difficult for me – there is never a good time to be injured. Nobody wants to be out. In the weeks that are going to come I know I have to bring more. I know that I have to play better than I already have when I have played this season. My injury is OK. I had some pains after the game, which is natural. I feel good and I am trying to be 100% to start the next match against Bristol.
It was important last night to pick something up because we didn’t play at our best. You have to work hard at least and hope for a break, and we got it with the equaliser. But we have to win the home games. But the other teams below us could not win, so we are a little further ahead."
Match Day Tweets
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