Premier League - Spurs deepen Newcastle woe

Eurosport - Mon, 20 Apr 09:38:00 2009

Newcastle slumped closer to relegation with a 1-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur that leaves them four points from Premier League safety.

2008-2009 Tottenham-Newcastle - 0

Darren Bent's first-half goal was enough to settle a match that the home team dominated and should have won more convincingly.

Alan Shearer's men have five games to maintain their top-flight status, but their performance over the first hour at White Hart Lane suggests they have little hope.

Things picked up a little after the introduction of Obafemi Martins, but the result means they remain second from bottom on 30 points, four behind Blackburn Rovers and Hull City.

Tottenham moved to within a point of seventh place, which would give them a place in the Europa League that looked unlikely for most of the season. Spurs have won six of their last eight league games.

The visitors might have found themselves a man down as early as the second minute when Sebastien Bassong clumsily hauled Bent down in front of goal, but referee Mark Halsey deemed the coming-together a simple tangle rather than anything more malicious.

Tottenham's technical superiority allowed them to enjoy two-thirds possession, while they took the ball off their opponents with embarrassing ease.

Newcastle cannot be faulted for their endeavour, but they simply looked like relegation fodder as they were outclassed in every department of the pitch.

Harry Redknapp will be concerned over the loss of centre-back Michael Dawson to what looked like a twisted ankle, and the 25-year-old was carried off on a stretcher after landing awkwardly following an aerial challenge.

With Ledley King's troublesome knee keeping him on the sidelines, Redknapp had to deploy substitute Alan Hutton at right-back and slide Vedran Corluka to the centre.

The goal came on 24 minutes after a rare foray forward for Newcastle, with Kevin Nolan shooting straight at Heurelho Gomes from the edge of the box.

Fifteen seconds later the ball was in Steve Harper's net, although Spurs benefited from two large slices of luck. As they counter-attacked Luka Modric's through-ball, intended for Robbie Keane, was deflected by Bassong into the path of Bent.

Harper parried Bent's initial shot but the rebound fell straight to the striker who slotted into the unguarded net from close range.

Tottenham proceeded to toy with their opponents, passing through them in slick, stylish fashion but failing to add a killer second.

Tom Huddlestone went close with three long-range piledrivers, while Modric had a shot that deflected off two defenders, with the second touch off Bassong bouncing fortuitously into the arms of Harper.

As the second period wore on, Tottenham grew increasingly anxious at their inability to add to Bent's opening goal.

Shearer acted decisively, bringing strikers Martins and Mark Viduka off the bench, and the former had a goal disallowed.

Gomes came rashly out to meet a corner and was left in no-man's-land as a clearance thwacked into the Nigerian's hand and he drilled the ball in off the right-hand post.

Referee Mark Halsey awarded handball, but his assessment that Martins handled deliberately was a harsh one.

Martins again looked lively when he won an aerial duel with Corluka in unorthodox fashion and tested Gomes with an instinctive shot.

His energy and invention put Newcastle skipper Michael Owen to shame. The £17 million signing was completely anonymous and few will shed a tear when he leaves St James' Park on a free transfer this summer.

Martins went on to have a penalty appeal turned down, then shot over from close range. He must surely start the remainder of Newcastle's games if they are to have any chance of survival.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

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  1. Bob I aggree with you on the Bobby Robson bit He was­ one of the best managers this country produced for club­ and country. A proper north east lad who although he­ leaned more to NUFC still followed and still does­ follow the two NE teams (4get Boro they yorkshire).­ Slanging him is uncalled for. As for the 8 points you­ mentioned a possilbe 9 points there(ya 3 home games)­ 4get L/POOL AND VILLA. But they must show some fight­ which was very much lacking yesterday. Portsmouth next­ monday will decide ya season win and you stay up up­ draw or lose ya knackered. WE need to beat WBA as we­ nowhere near safe also.

    From TUSKA 08 FTM, on Mon 20 Apr 8:17PM

  2. Why does everyone on here act like children? Why all­ the moronic @#$%? Can't we have an informed­ discussion for a change?

    From m.brown1, on Mon 20 Apr 7:58PM

  3. BOB never mentioned cities ? It a great place its you­ idiots who smash it up when results go tits up. Double­ Maxium was @#$% also BUT Newcastle(made in­ Gatesheed)Brown Ale is not much better.

    From TUSKA 08 FTM, on Mon 20 Apr 7:55PM

  4. TUSKA 08. You cannot possibly claim sunderland is a­ finer "city" than Newcastle. Our beer is­ pish? Were you old enough to drink VAUX?

    From Bob R, on Mon 20 Apr 6:22PM

  5. Where have all these mackems come from? Some­ unbelievable comments. The prat who called Sir Bobby a­ senile cretin who should rot in hell really needs to­ get a life. Disgusting. I think NUFC will get 8 more­ points and that will be enough for safety with Hull and­ Boro joining West Brom.

    From Bob R, on Mon 20 Apr 6:08PM

  6. wannabbee geordies thats what you crave for....football­ or no football you,s will always be soft southerners­ that drink your own P1SS 6 times over Im told. no­ wonder southerners look imbreds...good swimmers tho­ with the webbed toes and fingers

    From ben, on Mon 20 Apr 5:56PM

  7. Can't wait to come on here after the next 3 games;­ NUFC will be above sunderland in the table and boy will­ we get our revenge. He who laughs last girls; make the­ most of this, 'cause things WILL change before the­ season has ended . . . . MARK MY WORDS!!!! And you will­ receive a barrage of abuse like never before witnessed­ on these pages.

    From cameron w, on Mon 20 Apr 5:54PM

  8. Is Ben.S. The Byker Rat Boy.your life eh! Football wot­ football ? ya beer's pish, ya woman are Dogs (quote­ former Chairman ) and YOU ARE A SKUNK. GET A F@%KI$G­ JOB YOU TOE RAG.

    From TUSKA 08 FTM, on Mon 20 Apr 5:49PM

  9. Ben S (post 97) don't you Geordies have jobs to go­ to then? Newcastle must be a pretty boring place if if­ the best 8,000 people can do, on a 'winters­ morn', is to go and watch that rabble train.

    From Ace, on Mon 20 Apr 5:11PM

  10. Keystone Geordies, running around with they're boot­ laces tied together. Whoar Shearer man! divin't­ think wha ganna stay up man..

    From KCUFTHEU, on Mon 20 Apr 5:01PM

  11. linesally if yr 22 sexy single girl with a nice shape y­ the hell r u on here looking 4 guys shouldnt u already­ have 1 if yr that fit

    From garylocker, on Mon 20 Apr 4:42PM

  12. couthern sunts

    From CARL, on Mon 20 Apr 4:26PM

  13. Newcastle's problem is the club are run badly from­ top to bottom, the fans are great supporters but­ clearly deluded..............the club is nowhere near­ being a big club again. The team is very poor and has­ been struggling since you got rid of Robson as your­ manager. they need to get in someone who will just get­ them playing win dirty football for a season and build­ from that. Shearer was a panic move from a owner who­ cant sell, and see's the clubs value falling thru­ the floor. COYS

    From Wayne, on Mon 20 Apr 4:16PM

  14. Spurs fan here, I think Newcastle will stay up! great­ fans and loads of good players, look who they have sold­ us in the past. Gazza, Ginola, Sir Les.... Wait maybe­ thats why they are falling they keep selling good­ players.

    From Is this the Bestway, on Mon 20 Apr 4:04PM

  15. Only Jackie milburn can save you, even 6ft under­ he's better then the tosh you have now!! COYS

    From Wayne, on Mon 20 Apr 3:57PM

  16. i'd love it just love it­ if.....................................................­ ......... newcastle had a team hehehehehehehehehehe

    From John F, on Mon 20 Apr 3:47PM

  17. thats all we live for up here in the toon beer birds­ football and skunk, if we have any money left over we­ tend to just waste it. thats why the rest of the world­ pretend to be geordies, If jesus ever rises again he­ will have a geordie accent (just likes his dad)

    From ben, on Mon 20 Apr 3:25PM

  18. please! please! Newcastle United fans take this­ relegation issue on the chin, act like men not like you­ have done in the past when things go wrong you go out­ and smash your own town up you are really a great big­ joke you are going to get what you deserve you have­ laughed at others inthe past sweat you­ b*&%$£"s

    From willhay, on Mon 20 Apr 3:15PM

  19. I wonder how 50,000 get into syd james's park when­ you see the size of there ugly magy heeds why don't­ you mags cool it and try to earn a little respect for a­ change instead of going around thinking you are better­ than anyone else GROW UP.

    From willhay, on Mon 20 Apr 3:07PM

  20. i heard ant n dec were running for the managers job at­ newcastle,also roy chubby brown has been mentioned­ lol.6 easy points for aldershot next season lol

    From robbieisfineshedyahoooo, on Mon 20 Apr 3:04PM
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