Premier League - Magpies slip to another defeat

Eurosport - Sat, 27 Sep 17:43:00 2008

Crisis-ridden Newcastle slumped to a fifth straight defeat as they lost 2-1 against Blackburn at St James' Park.

Roque Santa Cruz, Michael Owen - 0

First-half goals by Christopher Samba and Roque Santa Cruz put Rovers firmly in charge of the match, and the visitors hung on to win after Michael Owen's 50th-minute penalty brought Newcastle back into contention.

Despite the bewilderment of Newcastle's fans at the decision to appoint forgotten man Joe Kinnear as interim manager, 42,000 turned up to cheer on the home side.

The crowd failed to inspire the men in black and white in the first-half, however, during which Newcastle failed to register a single shot on target.

The only surprise in the first period was that it took Rovers 30 minutes to take the lead. Shay Given had earlier made heroic saves from Matt Derbyshire and Santa Cruz to keep his side in it, while Sebastien Bassong cleared a Derbyshire header from off the line.

Newcastle's rearguard action crumbled after half an hour, when Samba powered home a free kick from the influential Carlos Villanueva into the net. The defender appeared to be in an offside position when the Chilean summer signing whipped the ball left-footed into the box from the right, but the goal was no more than Blackburn deserved.

Ten minutes later Santa Cruz doubled the Lancashire outfit's lead when he guided a header past Given and into the same corner as Samba's opener from a Brett Emerton cross from the right.

Chris Hughton, in solo charge of the Magpies for the final time, sent his side out early for the second half, and they responded with a lively opening effort.

That was rewarded five minutes in when Rovers skipper Ryan Nelsen was adjudged to have fouled Owen just inside the area by referee Steve Tanner. Owen took the resulting penalty himself, and stroked the ball down the centre of the goal to beat Blackburn's otherwise excellent stand-in keeper Jason Brown.

Damien Duff looked dangerous on Newcastle's left wing during the second period. He created two headed chances for Geremi either side of Owen's goal, but the Cameroonian failed to find the target with either.

Nelsen was booked for a high challenge on Owen with 65 minutes on the clock, and was then extremely fortunate to avoid a second yellow for a late, late tackle on N'Zogbia on the edge of the United area ten minutes later.

A red card would certainly have made Blackburn's task harder, but with their full quota of players on the pitch Rovers dealt comfortably with Newcastle's attempts to equalise.

The Magpies had the vast majority of the ball after halving the deficit, but failed to create any clear-cut chances after the second Geremi chance.

The result leaves Newcastle in 19th place with just two points from six games, while Blackburn are riding high in sixth.

Ben Phillips / Eurosport

Comment 2 - 21 of 21

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  1. It's way too early to talk about relegation. Things can still be sorted out, although pre-season should have prepared the club for all eventualities. I remember the last time Newcastle were relegated, they came back with a vengeance!! Still I do not wish to see them go down. They can still make it, it only takes a few good results at least playing at St. James' Park they should avoid defeat at all costs. Don't blame the players. The culprits responsible for this mess are others.

    From Manwel, on Tue 30 Sep 2:34PM

  2. come on blackburn another good win under our belt, Blackburn - one of the second tier elite!!!!!!!

    From Steven, on Mon 29 Sep 8:10AM

  3. I'm reading this morning that Owen had ONE attempt in 90 mins and that was the Pen it's a disgrace. they are experienced players regardless of the fudge that Ashley is making they know how to play they just choose not to.

    From R G, on Sun 28 Sep 12:05PM

  4. Ok Michael, I think its time to pack up, & go back to Liverpool, where ur place is

    From bacwin013, on Sun 28 Sep 8:21AM

  5. Farewell Magpies, you are going down. Rest in peace. :-)

    From sappercommando25, on Sun 28 Sep 4:48AM

  6. blue and white blood you need to be up the rovers!

    From chris, on Sun 28 Sep 3:10AM

  7. why dont you people talk about your own club? why do you have such an opinion on newcastle?does it make you feel better about your lack of intelligence of what your club has actually done in the last few years?all us nufc fans want to see a decent game of football and players who try.so please dont call us fickle,we only want the best for our team. BLACK N WHITE BLOOD

    From andy m, on Sat 27 Sep 11:26PM

  8. Blackburn have beaten them,so have Hull,West Ham and Spurs.How long until "The Rovers Return" over 60's ladies Sunday league team beat them??????????

    From p p, on Sat 27 Sep 10:27PM

  9. stevecfc57,
    Howay man, I can take all the poison being thrown our way, but you trying to say that wor Peter Beardsley's ugly - now that's bang out of order that is, bang out of order! And i hear your reservations about my ticker mate but you try supporting The Toon - it really is bad for your health!
    Chelsea to clean up this season, but Terence p, mugs like you don't deserve a winning team!

    From cameron w, on Sat 27 Sep 10:17PM

  10. For God's sake Kevin Keegan and Shearer come up front and tell us all when you're coming in to revive us Geordies. The approaches have all been made, we all know that. Stop boring the football nation and come clean.

    From Alan H, on Sat 27 Sep 10:00PM

  11. For God's sake Kevin Keegan and Shearer come up front and tell us all when you're coming in to revive us Geordies. The approaches have all been made, we all know that. Stop boring the football nation and come clean.

    From Alan H, on Sat 27 Sep 9:58PM

  12. "WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH A STORM" sorry wrong team. Geordies now 4/1 for the drop Ha,Ha,Ha.I gave you 20/1; 8/1; 6/1 and now 4/1 you are well and truly in the @#$%. Chelsea league leaders at present Hooray!!!

    From Terence P, on Sat 27 Sep 9:50PM

  13. cameron w
    Calm down old chap you'll give youself a heart attack, wisey will sort it all out for you. Vinnies on the way and pretty boy beardsly going to take the geordie lingo lessons with Gazza as his assistant. By the way why do geodies always shout? are you all deaf or what?

    From Steve, on Sat 27 Sep 9:38PM

  14. What on earth did they do bringing in Kinnear as caretaker. It is yet more unrest at Newcastle. Having a new manager appointed on the day before a match no wonder they lost. He's in until the end of October. Who is running the club at the minute. Ashley can't be bothered with it at the minute. Everything that should be right is wrong at Newcastle but when they are bought the attitude will change and maybe just maybe a certain Keegan will come back.

    From kieranm1@..., on Sat 27 Sep 8:21PM

  15. Have you heard yourself sean h?
    What planet are you on?
    Keep your nose out of stuff you know absolutely nothing about.
    'Other people drafted in to scour the world for sensible buys' - do you mean the striker Xisco, the centre-half Collocinni and the midfielder Gonzales?
    Yes, very sensible, considering we desperately, desperately needed a left-back and a right-back! All signed from Spain i see; hardly 'scouring the world' is it!
    As for 'a group of people who haven't hit back through the media'. Did you not see ashley's 1600 word statement or any of the other numerous 'leaks'. Take the blinkers off and open up your mind . . . . we did not demand anything but a team to be proud of. Contrary to belief, we never demanded £20 or £30 millions to be spent on players, and we have never demanded silverware. Look at the transfers conducted during ashley's time and you will see that he is making a tidy net profit - he is about to make a £150 million profit for 18 months work. Don't tell me that he 'saved' Newcastle United - destroyed it more like.

    From cameron w, on Sat 27 Sep 7:33PM

  16. And some for Dennis of course.

    From Terence P, on Sat 27 Sep 6:50PM

  17. Well played Newcastle, for one moment I thought you had fcuked it. At least a lot a positives out of the game - you're going down, and all the 6/1 has gone. I bet that nice rich business man Mr Ashley has taken it all. Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha.

    From Terence P, on Sat 27 Sep 6:49PM

  18. What on earth is going on at Newcastle?.I hope they don't go the same way as Leeds

    From Doodle O, on Sat 27 Sep 6:43PM

  19. I have it on very good authority that Keegan knew exactly what was planned and he accepted it, then he starts chucking his toys about because he knows that his choice in potential buys are @#$%, hence other people drafted in to scour the world for sensible buys, granted maybe not the best choice of people to do that. But wake up Newcastle fans, there's more than this than meets the eye, Ashley told keegan in no uncertain terms that he didn't have 20 million to spend on one player so there would have to be harsh decisions made. He is certainly not the messiah and I feel sorry for the fans because they deserve better than this, but don't fall into the trap of pointing the finger at a group of people who haven't hit back through the media, unlike Mr keegan.

    From sean h, on Sat 27 Sep 6:38PM

  20. I think the Toon deserve much better.Mike Ashley has fcuked up big time.Anyway relegation beckons.

    From kenneth, on Sat 27 Sep 6:17PM
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