Premier League - Stoke hold Newcastle

Eurosport - Sat, 06 Dec 17:46:00 2008

An injury-time goal from Abdoulaye Faye earned Stoke City a 2-2 Premier League draw at Newcastle United as they came from two goals down in a match that saw Toon boss Joe Kinnear sent to the stands.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Stoke City Newcastle-Stoke Fuller - 0

Faye's last-ditch strike and a goal on the hour from Mamady Sidibe pegged back the hosts, who raced 2-0 ahead thanks to a brace from Michael Owen in the opening 25 minutes.

A furious Kinnear was sent to the stands by referee Mike Riley in the final moments of a match which Newcastle should have put to bed long before the referee added five minutes of injury time.

Newcastle dominated the first half, and Owen had already tested Thomas Sorensen with a low shot from the edge of the area before he made the breakthrough after just nine minutes.

The Magpies' skipper scored with a cool finish after a fantastic run and pass by Jonas Gutierrez.

Stoke's best chance of the opening half came after quarter of an hour, when Sidibe pulled a half-volley wide from the edge of the area after he was teed up by a knock-down from a long ball.

Newcastle almost scored a second moments later when Charles N'Zogbia's low cross from the left deflected invitingly into Jonas's path, but a desperate lunge by Stoke defender Danny Higginbotham blocked the Argentinian's goal-bound shot.

N'Zogbia almost scored himself a couple of minutes later when his mis-hit cross came close to catching Sorensen out at the near post, but the Danish keeper just managed to scramble across his line to palm the ball out and away.

But Newcastle did not have to wait long for their second goal, as Obafemi Martins bamboozled Stoke captain Andy Griffin on the left wing and fired the ball across the six-yard box towards Owen, who tapped the ball into an empty net from a yard out.

Newcastle continued to put pressure on the Stoke goal but failed to score after winning a flurry of corners and free-kicks around the box towards the end of the half.

The result seemed a formality at the interval, but Stoke were a completely different proposition in the second half.

Richard Cresswell was put through on goal soon after the restart, only to be denied by a fantastic sliding tackle by substitute Steven Taylor.

Kinnear reportedly ordered his groundsmen to move the advertising hoardings closer to the pitch to disrupt Rory Delap's throw-ins, and with the Irishman's arrowed deliveries failing to cause their usual problems boss Tony Pulis replaced him with Ricardo Fuller (pictured on the far left) after 57 minutes.

And Fuller made an instant impact. Moments after entering the fray he raced into space on the right of the penalty area and squared the ball for Sidibe to pull a goal back.

Newcastle resorted to a rearguard action for the final half hour as Stoke bombarded their area with high balls and Delap-esque long throws from Amdy Faye and Ibrahima Sonko.

That pressure finally paid off in the first minute of injury time when Glenn Whelan's free-kick from the right was flicked on at the near post towards former Newcastle defender Abdoulaye Faye, who shot low past Given from five yards out.

Ben Phillips / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 16 of 16

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  1. martins should leave newcastle cos they dont appreciate­ him, i remember when shearer went to the states for­ knee ops and ameobi was fillin in for him and scorin­ goals, the demonic problems there ruined his­ ameobi's career, other clubs narture their­ homegrown talents but not the case here. there r few­ players in there that are hungry to succeed nd give all­ for the team, martins stands out but the stupid jk will­ remove him at 55mins and still leave greedy lazy owen­ on the pitch wit banana legs, shameful, owens careers­ is over and only newcastle has not realized it, i want­ them to be relegated, that'l b a reality check,­ stupid toon army(rebels)

    From jiggaman, on Mon 8 Dec 3:52PM

  2. stoke are the best going and i dont care what anybody­ says come o stoke you can do it and u will defently­ stay up there

    From , on Sun 7 Dec 7:02PM

  3. jfk is beginning to show his wimbledon history with­ defensive mentality in team selection and ludicrous­ substitutions.His refusal to play martins owen and­ viduka together goes against all the stats last season­ under kk when we showed are best form.He is just going­ to alienate martins who has been on fire of late.sorry­ joe kinnear is now Noe Idear.

    From paul.connor15, on Sun 7 Dec 11:04AM

  4. In case of denilson interiem boss JK will bring him on­ loan though he will take much of the transfer­ wages.
    For the Affely JK will Bid about $12 m by which­ he will certainly beat Arsene wenger and his cheap $8m­ bid for young dutchman.
    Jonas is a vetran striker of­ santos(brasilian league)who scored about 21 gols for­ club santos last season and already popped up about 9­ golas so far this season.
    risse still has problems in­ capital of italy(roma)so JK will keen to bring him on­ the tsynide side for $3.5m.
    In January given will­ certainly exit the club so for replcement for him jk­ will bring in joe hart on black and white shirt for­ about $5m.
    Highly rated spaniard tipped to be the next­ fabregas who attracted Arsene wenger but barca were­ keen to keep him thouh due to lack of his regular start­ he might wear black and white shirt with NUFC on­ loan.
    those who want to argue with me on these­ rumours
    you can add my yahoo id for online chatting for­ this matter and the toon army is especially welcomed.
    ­ toon_terror

    From The Magpies, on Sun 7 Dec 6:45AM

  5. Great 2-0 up and they go throw it away to crappy stoke­ city as if we should be in the championship were not­ good enough to be in the premiership were a joke all­ the quality players we have losers.

    From Steven, on Sat 6 Dec 8:55PM

  6. quatt47,
    'Sad tactics from a sad­ club.'
    Absolutely @#$% priceless!!!!!!!

    From cameron w, on Sat 6 Dec 8:21PM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    It's a pity Newcastle were allowed to move the­ advertising hoardings nearer the pitch to stop Rory­ Delap's long throws. That smacks of cheating, and a­ club, supposedly, as big as Newcastle ought to be­ ashamed of themselves. I hope the league takes the­ appropriate action. After all a throw in is just as­ legitimate a footballing move as a corner, a free kick­ or a winger centering the ball, and if defenders and­ goalkeepers cannot handle it then it's a training­ issue. Sad tactics from a sad club.

    From quatt47, on Sat 6 Dec 8:04PM

  8. Jane W . You should be pleased at getting a point from­ a better team.We even let you have a 2 goal lead. The­ many Newcastle problems will not be solved until you­ get some stability and competence in your board room­ and senior staff. Big name players don't make­ always good managers - you found that out with King Kev­ and your friends down the road have just found that out­ with Roy. Aren't you envious that we have Tony­ Pulis as a manager with Peter Coates as our chairman­ who is a genuine Stoke supporter who doesn't want­ to sell us.

    From Chaseboy, on Sat 6 Dec 6:23PM

  9. The man is a joke=STOKE CITY IS SO SO RUBBISH AND R THE­ BEST.

    From kendal.arnold, on Sat 6 Dec 6:22PM

  10. That person who said Owen should go is right,for is own­ sake he should the team is just not that good for a top­ player like Owen only problem with him is injuries he­ gets to many for top player shame.

    From Roger, on Sat 6 Dec 6:08PM

  11. excellent report for a excellent match and result. COME­ ON STOKE!

    From mccartney351, on Sat 6 Dec 6:03PM

  12. sadly, but totally agree dpreynolds. This should have­ been a win. It beggars belief that you go in at 1/2­ time 2 up and playing like demons, then come out and­ throw it away. As far as Kinnear is concerned though,­ it's getting to the point where no manager of­ decent ability will want to take on the job, and­ I'm not surprised he hit the roof at the result, I­ did too!

    From Jane W, on Sat 6 Dec 5:58PM

  13. dpreynolds1971,
    shut your mouth you fool.
    To any­ sensible people out there.
    This is a truly, truly­ desperate result for my Newcastle United today,­ possibly the worst of the season. It is the manner in­ which they capitulated in the 2nd half that causes most­ concern; i mean to lose a 2 goal lead to a team that­ has managed only 3 goals away all season is just not­ acceptable. Newcastle are drawing too many games, that­ is one of the reasons they are in the position they are­ in; the other reason has got to be that they are simply­ not good enough. No team is ever 'too good to go­ down', and it's time this lot of over-paid­ prima donnas accepted that truism; certainly, this lot­ are not too good to go down. It really is going to be­ touch and go whether this Newcastle United team stays­ up; personally, i don't think they've got the­ bottle (or the quality) and relegation is a distinct­ possibility.

    From cameron w, on Sat 6 Dec 5:40PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    the sooner Owen leaves toon the better

    From Dot G, on Sat 6 Dec 5:38PM

  15. The man is a joke

    From DEREK L, on Sat 6 Dec 5:33PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    This is the same Kinnear who just got a fine for­ bringing the gane into disrepute, not tomention that­ effing tirade against the effing press. Anybody else­ think he should be thrown out of football for good?

    From Derek, on Sat 6 Dec 5:20PM
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