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. I work for BT. and I cant wait for the end of the­ season. All the overtime I will get repairing phone­ boxes in skunk land. will get that new car. bye bye­ toon .You wont be missed.

    From TUSKA 08 FTM, on Mon 20 Apr 7:09AM

  2. Can't wait to see Newcastle go on a free fall like­ Leeds, they have the worst fans in the world,­ completely deluded into thinking they're a­ 'big' club, and blaming it on some fat bloke­ from London, who's only doing what the fans tell­ him to do... bye bye Newcastle!

    From Ashley B, on Mon 20 Apr 5:46AM

  3. the reason the toon get 50 odd thousand at home games­ is coz there sweet fa to do in newcastle

    From Jimmy B, on Mon 20 Apr 4:57AM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I'm 22, a sexy single girl with nice shape. I have­ a hot profile on 'se ek r ich C om'. And­ I'd like to find my true gentleman. Chat with me­ there. I'm always online. Don't forget I'm ­ 'cutegirl4u' there.

    From linesally, on Mon 20 Apr 3:41AM

  5. does anyone really want wolves birmingham reading or­ the like to replace the Toon?. Bottom of the pile yet­ 50 odd thousand every home game not unsusual to see­ 7-8 thousand at there training ground on a winters­ morn. how many clubs in the world can boast that kind­ of loyalty when there teams are @#$%,,thats why­ geordies are special thats why the top flight would be­ the poorer without us, anyone can fill a ground when­ they are winning thats what makes us special LOYALTY­ to the toon

    From ben, on Mon 20 Apr 2:39AM

  6. \\Bye Bye nufc

    From Ray O, on Mon 20 Apr 2:13AM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    i would love it if newcastle went down.......i cant­ stand geordies or NFC.......i hate leeds united aswell

    From Malky T, on Mon 20 Apr 1:18AM

  8. Newcastle themselves are to blame for their demise.­ they only want geordies, and nobody else will do. what­ a pathetic way to be. i heard that they where thinking­ of employing Gazza aswell. the man is not a legend, he­ is a self indulgent alcoholic loser, who thinks that­ football owes him a living.
    Shearer seems to be a good­ honest guy, it's a shame his managerial career had­ to begin at Newcastle.
    Mike Ashley has spent millions,­ but you geordies just slag him because he is not one of­ you.
    I think with current form you will even struggle­ in the championship.

    From PAUL H, on Mon 20 Apr 12:46AM

  9. looks like derby r gonna get an easy 6 points next yr­ ;) LMAO

    From Henry H, on Sun 19 Apr 11:59PM

  10. Newcastle Unite lost the plot on the departure of the­ legendary Kevin Keegan. If the upper levels of the­ establishment had left Kevin Keegan to do the job, the­ whole situation would be different. This goes to prove­ that the higher the personal are in management, the­ less they know of the reality of what really goes on.­ Most have vested business interests in the sport, the­ actual action on the field is irrelevant to them.

    From sappercommando25, on Sun 19 Apr 11:31PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I would confine all those Northerners to the­ Championship. Useless, the lot of them......

    From sappercommando25, on Sun 19 Apr 11:26PM

  12. Jack have you read all this filth your fellow­ sunderland 'fans' have posted!
    Not on mate!!

    From cameron w, on Sun 19 Apr 11:11PM

  13. im not a newcastle fan,but dont think the premiership­ wud be the same without them. fell bad for­ shearer,first managment job and he's goin down to­ the championship. too much money spent on­ less-than-average players over the years. relegation­ has been creeping up on newcastle for the last 5­ seasons....they cant escape it now..... newcastle are­ down to the championship already,they just have to show­ up and play their final 5 games.

    From c_hamilton1, on Sun 19 Apr 10:36PM

  14. Poor Alan 'Just 8 games' Shearer I hear Gaza­ might be capable of holding down a joab these days :-)

    From art_tidesco, on Sun 19 Apr 10:32PM

  15. bye bye newcastle cant see you staying up. shearer­ should just stay a pundit cant beleave the toon army­ have put all there hopes and dreams on him.set him self­ up for a fall if you ask me.football is a team game.one­ man cant do it.he was a top player but them days are­ long gone as seems prem football for newcastle

    From zest260672, on Sun 19 Apr 10:30PM

  16. Jolly damm bad luck to the Newcastle . Fine bunch of ­ chaps , i don't think there attendace will drop­ awful lot too , they will spring back next season. but­ im afraid its curtains this season. They always seam to­ bank their hopes on one hero . it was unlucky this­ season they had one with glass legs .

    From Harold, on Sun 19 Apr 10:20PM

  17. Alex Chick shut up!
    michael owen is awsome!
    leave him­ alone.
    are you playing in the prem?
    didnt think so

    From ella_lauren93, on Sun 19 Apr 9:51PM

  18. W.B.A.,Newcastle and Hull for the drop....still think­ Boro will beat Man Utd....worth stickin a tenner on­ it!!!!!

    From carl b, on Sun 19 Apr 9:49PM

  19. Newcastle players should hang their heads in­ shame!...Great club with a loyal following and your­ heading for the Championship for sure!!!!Spurs keep­ marching onto Europe.Yid Army!!!

    From carl b, on Sun 19 Apr 9:43PM

  20. Newcastle haven't won in 8.

    From rhyshall21, on Sun 19 Apr 9:39PM
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