Season 2006-2007

NEWCASTLE UNITED

2 v 1

LIVERPOOL

I wasn't looking forward to this game.  After a gutless performance away at Fulham and a lucky escape at home against Villa, I thought we were going to get a lesson in footbaal. 

It started badly.  Babayaro played a simple back pass to Harper, who just made a complete mess of clearing it.  The ball went straight to Pennant, who passed it to Bellamy, who, in turn, side footed it home.  With only 6 minutes gone it wasn't looking owa good for us.

Liverpool continued to push forward, the Toon hardly able to get the ball over the half way line.  Harper made amends with a good save from Zenden.  Truth be told the visitors should have been 2 or 3 up when their keeper had a rush of blood to the noggin.  He rushed out to hoof the ball clear from Martins but only succeeded  in smacking off one of his own defenders.  The ball landed nicely at Martins feet, who passed the ball into the empty Liverpool net.

After that the half continued the same way, with Liverpool creating chances but with either poor finishing, good defending or solid goalkeeping preventing them from gaining the upper hand again; and our lot struggled to get out our half.

The second half football wasn't as entertaining or as knicker gripping as the first, the only highlight came in the form of Steve Taylor who was suddenly found doing jinky runs in the oppos box.  One soft tackle later and down he went.  Nobby converted the resulting penalty. While announcing the scorer the match announcer was kidnapped and replaced by Charlie Browns teacher.  After that all further announcements where just a series of wah-wah-wah's, including the one where Milner was subbed then not subbed then subbed then not subbed, resulting in Milner running twice the distance of every other player that afternoon.

And that's it.  Not an end to end thriller (more an end to half way one) but it did have the best atmosphere there been at St James' this season.

AUSSIE MAGS