Championship - Nolan strike sends Newcastle top

Eurosport - Mon, 23 Nov 22:00:00 2009

Newcastle United returned to the top of the Championship table as Kevin Nolan's eighth league goal of the season was enough to see them win 1-0 against Preston at Deepdale.

Preston North End's Billy Jones and Newcastle United's Jonas Guiterrez - 0

In a scrappy game, neither side really looked like scoring until Nolan struck in the 74th minute. The former Bolton man turned and guided home a fine low shot into the corner of the net after Danny Guthrie's chipped ball into the box fell by his side.

It was one of only three shots on target from the Magpies but, in truth, Steve Harper had very little to do at the other end, as he picked up his ninth clean sheet of the season.

The win puts Newcastle two points clear of West Brom at the top of the table while 12th placed Preston are now without a win in six.

It was yet another game that emphasised the strong underbelly that Chris Hughton has installed in his side this season as Newcastle muscled their way to the points.

At times they rode a tight line between aggressive and illegal and some referees might not have looked too kindly on the way both Andy Carroll and Alan Smith led with the elbow on two separate aerial challenges.

The first-half was one without any clear chances but Harper did make a smart save to push away a Neil Mellor effort from inside the box.

Just before the break Preston suffered a blow as centre-half Youl Mawene crashed into his own goalkeeper Andy Lonergan and the Frenchman was forced off at the interval.

Both sides looked to start the second-half with attacking intent, but that desire to push forward did not result in a great degree of improved quality and attacks frequently broke down at both ends before the intervention of either keeper was needed.

It did look like Mellor might score in the 66th minute but he fired wide after getting in behind Steven Taylor.

That finish summed up Mellor's performance. He was the one Preston player getting into quality positions but his timid nature in front of goal was there for all to see and he never looked like scoring.

Instead it was left to Nolan to show everyone how it should be done with his Premier League class finish helping Newcastle to keep their dreams of a quick return to the top flight still very much in clear view.

Eddie Nolan and Mellor did again have shots on target after the goal went in but they were both straight at Harper and Newcastle saw out the clock out without too many scares.

It was a classic smash-and-grab away performance from Newcastle, and the boisterous reception the team got from their large travelling support suggests that the Toon Army will be happy enough to keeping winning ugly for the rest of the season.

Seán Fay / Eurosport

Comment 32 - 51 of 51

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  1. I prefer a gin and tonic.

    From PATRICK, on Wed 25 Nov 2:34PM

  2. oh yes us Durham Mackems are just that little bit­ 'spesh' no doubt about it ha ha

    From jack torrance, on Wed 25 Nov 11:00AM

  3. Good comeback Jack but you can tell you are one of the­ Durham mackems as "Spesh" is over a quid a­ tin.

    From Bob R, on Wed 25 Nov 8:40AM

  4. you hit the nail on the head there Bob,it's called­ being sensible.Oh and you're not paying­ attention,it's Carlsberg Special Brew not White­ Lightning

    From jack torrance, on Wed 25 Nov 8:24AM

  5. Jack's comment (38) says it all about the­ difference between Mags and mackems. Whilst we turn out­ in our droves to watch our boys play Doncaster,­ Plymouth, etc., their gates are only acceptable v­ Arsenal, Liverpool. The rest of the time they prefer to­ sit at home sipping warm tins of white lightning.

    From Bob R, on Tue 24 Nov 8:07PM

  6. p.s mate you should have a look on the 'Ward beats­ Kessler for WBA super-middleweight title' thread,me­ and a kid called noelk999 have been at it all day­ regarding Joe Calzaghe all good clean fun,not like the­ bile on the football sites eh

    From jack torrance, on Tue 24 Nov 7:14PM

  7. Cameron I like the cut of your jib young man always did­ and you're dead right,total snobbery.I really­ don't want to reminisce about those days it's­ just too painful and hopefully a thing that will­ forever remain in the past.Watching your team get­ kicked up a height from one end of the field to the­ other on grounds I wouldn't walk my dog on,no­ don't have any nostalgia for those days mate.

    From jack torrance, on Tue 24 Nov 7:07PM

  8. Jack
    if i didn't know you any better, i would say­ your comment-38 smacked of snobbery!!!
    Now i thought­ with all your (VAST) experience of lower league­ football, you might've dipped in for a spot of­ reminiscing. The good old days Jack, of good old­ fashioned football grounds (shyte-holes really), the­ hustle and bustle, cut n' thrust (huff & puff­ really), the cheap admission prices (apart from SJP of­ course!).
    It's great down here man; but only for­ one season!!!!
    We got a cracker of a game coming up on­ Saturday Jack - you should pop up man . . . if­ there's any tickets left that is!

    From cameron w, on Tue 24 Nov 6:07PM

  9. Remember 1972, Hell, we played well. lol Ronny radford,­ what a goal!! Always liked Newcastle as a football team­ and they don't deserve to be where they are now.­ But,their fans,that's a different matter. MISTAKES­ RECTIFED, Sorry.

    From , on Tue 24 Nov 5:48PM

  10. Remeber 1972, Hell, we played well. lol Ronny radford,­ what a goal!! Always liked Newcasle as a football team­ and they don't deserve to be where they are now.­ But,their fans,thats a different matter.

    From , on Tue 24 Nov 5:45PM

  11. i thought the toon would have spiralled down the­ leagues like man city.. all credit to them and the fans­ for sticking with them

    From mike, on Tue 24 Nov 5:20PM

  12. It was a good match.

    From Alan Hansen, on Tue 24 Nov 4:02PM

  13. A bit of a scrappy match, but away at Preston you­ can't expect much else. Watched the game in the­ pub, didn't think there was any malice in the Smith­ challenge just a case of jumping for the ball, what­ else do you expect but a bit of elbows ?!?!

    Good win­ for you lads, West Brom and Newcastle for promotion !

    From Brian Damage, on Tue 24 Nov 3:07PM

  14. mmm Gary S where do you hail from? wouldn't be­ London with it's streets paved with gold,zero drug­ addiction and none existent murder rate would it? or is­ it sunny Manchester where it never rains and there­ isn't a prostitute on most street corners? have a­ ride into Durham sometime mate,might change your views­ on the NE and it's fantastic people

    From jack torrance, on Tue 24 Nov 1:26PM

  15. A good 3 points from a difficult fixture but can't­ really comment on the quality as although I have SKY I­ just couldn't sum up the interest to watch it, I­ mean Preston at Deepdale, it's not Arsenal at the­ Stadium of Light is it?

    From jack torrance, on Tue 24 Nov 1:21PM

  16. Shaun(30) totally agree, all I was meaning is that with­ the squad we have at the moment I can't see us­ doing very well. The sooner he's out the better,­ he's done a damn good job of bringing us to our­ knees.

    From trevreav, on Tue 24 Nov 11:59AM

  17. Ian the Inbred
    Not sure what satisfies me most, the 3­ points or making you (who doesn't even go to­ matches) squirm!
    Bet you were listening on the radio­ (cause i doubt you can afford Sky), willing PNE on;­ what a sad excuse of a 'football fan' you are.­ You shame your club, and you shame the North­ East!
    Great result and great battling performance; this­ sends out the message that we will not be bullied in­ this league. Tough game at the weekend though, but­ let's just carry this work ethic along, give­ Swansea due respect, and we should be okay!

    From cameron w, on Tue 24 Nov 11:42AM

  18. Give us a giggle Gary S, where are you from then?

    From IAN M, on Tue 24 Nov 11:00AM

  19. Good to see chris hughton doing what others have failed­ to do at newcastle..he was a role model player and­ ...now showing hes a top manager to boot.
    we loved him­ at spurs ....now give him the geordie love to send ya­ back to the prem where ya belong!

    a smug 9-1 spurs fan

    From markeep, on Tue 24 Nov 10:00AM

  20. garyS --it's you, and others like you,who are scum­ and should be banned from going to ANY match until your­ attitude changes!

    From Bob P, on Tue 24 Nov 9:23AM
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