Premier League - Barton returns as Newcastle win

Eurosport - Wed, 29 Oct 08:29:00 2008

Joey Barton marked his return to the Newcastle starting line-up with the first goal in a 2-1 Premier League win over West Brom at St James' Park.

FOOTBALL 2008/09 Premier League Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton celebrates scoring against West Brom - 0

The controversial midfielder netted from the penalty spot after nine minutes before Obafemi Martins doubled the hosts' advantage just before the half-time whistle.

West Brom substitute Ishmael Miller swooped on 65 minutes to give the Baggies hope, but despite some nervy final moments, Newcastle held on to hand Joe Kinnear his first win since taking over as interim manager - and the Magpies their first victory in over two months.

The result saw Newcastle climb a provisional 15th place as the remaining 18 Premier League teams are not in action until Wednesday.

With Barton making his first start since serving a prison sentence - and considering his controversial badge-kissing antics while warming up at Sunderland at the weekend - all eyes were on the midfielder from the moment he emerged from the tunnel.

But it was Shola Ameobi who caught the eye most in the opening exchanges, the striker first latching onto a clever Damien Duff pass in just the second minute, only to see his attempted dink over Scott Carson fail to reach its intended target.

Ameobi was again involved moments later, flicking on to Martins whose slightly deflected shot forced Carson into a smart save.

But Barton refuses to be out of the spotlight for long and he was soon back on headline-making duty, thankfully this time for the right reasons.

Ameobi was tripped in the box by Ryan Donk and referee Mike Dean had no choice but to point to the spot, handing Barton the chance to make his return to the starting line-up a scoring one.

He kept his cool, sending Carson the wrong way to register his first goal of the season and put his side one up.

But following the weekend's furore, this time Barton opted not to kiss his badge, preferring instead to beat his chest in celebration. Needless to say, St James' erupted, although not quite in the same manner as the Stadium of Light had three days earlier.

Barton then fired wide from outside the box before Habib Beye blazed over the bar from Ameobi's cut-back. In between those chances, James Morrison was denied an equaliser by a fine Shay Given save having been put through on goal by Borja Valero.

Morrison was left to rue that miss as Martins doubled the Magpies' advantage on 42 minutes. The Nigerian took advantage of some slack West Brom marking to plant a firm standing header from Beye's cross past Carson.

Two further chances fell Morrison's way soon after the restart - one shot was blocked, the other flew over the bar - as West Brom pushed forward with more purpose than during the opening period.

And Tony Mowbray's side were rewarded on 65 minutes when Miller - on as a 54th minute substitute for Chris Brunt as the Baggies switched to a more attacking 4-4-2 - ran onto a clever Robert Koren through pass to round Given and slot into an empty net.

The goal gave the promoted side new hope and it took a dogged defensive display by Newcastle - and most notably a decent close range stop from Given to deny Miller on 73 minutes - to keep them at bay.

As the full time whistle approached, that defending became ever more dogged, but once Damien Duff had tracked back to mop up some late danger, time had ran out for the Baggies, leaving the Toon Army to breathe an audible sigh of relief and, more importantly, to celebrate a rare victory.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 14 - 33 of 93

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  1. barton has done some bad things and got punished for it end of.....no 1 desrves to have coins or bottles thrown at them and to suggest that he was in part to blame for the violence at sunderland by kissing his badge is load of @#$% ......if a normal bloke does time for his crime should he be stopped from earning a living for the rest of his natural life i think not so all you twats who say so are mindless and your comments are pathetic .........hope they lose tonite tho.........lmao......boing boing

    From srkerins, on Tue 28 Oct 6:25PM

  2. I am afraid there is some sympathy for Barton because he can kick a ball better than many of us and he might help NUFC out of trouble this year. Those honest supporters seem to have spoken their minds here admirably but the thug element of football is strong today and those might admire him for beating people up, because there appears to be genuine hatred amongst groups of rival fans if you read these columns regularly. Unfortunately Barton's background is wind up and violence and I do not think he will ever change. He likes it.

    From taff, on Tue 28 Oct 6:20PM

  3. Anglersworld

    Are you having a laugh?
    Have you been sniffing too much vitalin or betaine?
    What coverage did Barton receive that forced him to kick 7 shades of 5hit out of a 16 year old lad?
    Barton should be on the end of a size 14 when you're going for silvers. He's a maggot and a gutless one at that.

    From sid, on Tue 28 Oct 6:02PM

  4. OK Joey prove us wrong have a good game Good Luck

    From GEORGE, on Tue 28 Oct 5:48PM

  5. Barton deserves all the abuse and obstacles flung at him. He shouldn't be aloud to continue playing football, or be in the public eye. Either should any other ''celebrity'' who has broken the law. His prison sentence was a joke, he has had too many chance, why don't Newcastle just rid themselves of the scumbag?? He isn't even very good, he is just a thug!

    From ryanathompson10, on Tue 28 Oct 5:46PM

  6. Put big money on Newcastle to beat West Brom.

    From ryanathompson10, on Tue 28 Oct 5:27PM

  7. Ooh he is a cheeky chappie, got to love the little tyke lol

    From Christopher, on Tue 28 Oct 5:25PM

  8. Joey barton is cheeky, i love him

    From Newborne!, on Tue 28 Oct 5:00PM

  9. THIS PRIKK HAS BEEN GIVEN ENOUGH CHANCES,HE LAUGHS IN THE FACE OF AUTHORITY...
    HE SHOULD BE SCRUBBING PUBLIC TOILETS..I VOTE TO HAVE THE IDIOT PUBLICLY FLOGGED AND MADE TO HELP ALL THE VICTIMS OF INDISCRIMINATE VIOLENCE THAT PLAGUE ARE A+E DEPARTMENTS.

    fuKIN BASTARRD

    From skyaerialsandsatellites, on Tue 28 Oct 4:54PM

  10. Allen H

    The only reason u get trouble around JB is because of all the attention he recives from media and other sources if they back off so will the trouble. People seem to forgett he aint much more than a kid himself kids make mistakes

    From anglersworld@..., on Tue 28 Oct 4:46PM

  11. leave the boy alone he aint the only footballer to have been to prison hes done his time let him get on with his life,

    From chris p, on Tue 28 Oct 4:30PM

  12. i like newcastle but he is scum. o dear joe, o dear

    From bigdikky5, on Tue 28 Oct 4:23PM

  13. whats the odds on abarton hat trick tonight

    From Allan, on Tue 28 Oct 4:21PM

  14. leave the boy alone he has done his prison time and is a great player people make mistakes and its not like hes killed anyone
    i am pretty
    sure its the pikie makems doing all the moaning anyway and joey is no worse than your gimp of amanager was in his playing days SMB

    From Allan, on Tue 28 Oct 4:16PM

  15. leave the boy alone he has done his prison time and is a great player people make mistakes and its not like hes killed anyone
    i am pretty
    sure its the pikie makems doing all the moaning anyway and joey is no worse than your gimp of amanager was in his playing days SMB

    From Allan, on Tue 28 Oct 4:16PM

  16. When will people learn that whenever barton is aroun there will always be trouble, either from him or associated with him. He and Ashley Cole have to be the two most despicable chaacters in English football today. How long before Barton makes another mistakle and cries he needs a last chance. His facial antics at Sunderland to incite were a disgrace as were the reactions of the crowd. No Barton no angst in football grounds. He is a thug who deserves no further chances - but what a role model to young kids on how not to behave so perhaps he has his very limited uses. And no I am not a Sunderland, Newcastle or Middlesbrough fan, just someone who detests the chav' mentality of the Bartons of this world.

    From Allen H, on Tue 28 Oct 4:02PM

  17. JB is on the payroll at NUFC it is up to the management of the club if they want to play him or not. What he did was wrong but is in the past. Any offender in this country has the right to get on with his life in reletive privicy without the public witch hunt surrounding this guy. I find it sad that the media have nothing better to do than report on JB. lets face it he aint the first footballer ever to be jailed and won't be the last thats for sure.

    From anglersworld@..., on Tue 28 Oct 3:35PM

  18. Newcastle to start winning with Barton! Cheers!!

    From Jackson, on Tue 28 Oct 3:29PM

  19. quinn the terrorist should keep his nose out of what happened on saturday.after all quinn the terrorist openly admits that he paid for pissed up mackems to get taxis when they wouldnt let a plane leave cardifff airport..so st.niall expect coins,bottles and darts at your head come jan 31st you celtic,irish knobhead

    From guy.willoughby, on Tue 28 Oct 1:33PM

  20. barton, not the sharpest tool in the box. kissing the badge, sends a clear message...he's a grade 'A' fool

    From Mickey P, on Tue 28 Oct 1:02PM
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