Barclays Premiership - Match 2
 

Season 2008-2009

NEWCASTLE UNITED

1 v 0

BOLTON WANDERERS

  Michael Owen 71    
     
  Date: Saturday 23rd August 2008
  Venue: St James' Park
  Kick Off: 3:00pm (BST)
  Australian Live TV: Foxsports 3 via viewers choice
  Attendance: 47,711
  Referee: Steve Bennett (Orpington)
  Read Match Preview  
   

Newcastle: Given, Beye, Taylor, Coloccini, N'Zogbia, Milner, Butt, Guthrie, Gutierrez, Martins (Owen 53), Duff (Geremi 46)

Subs n/u: Harper, Jose Enrique, Bassong, Smith, Edgar
  Booked: Taylor
   

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel, Joey O'Brien (Mustapha 85), Nolan, Muamba, Taylor (Gardner 65), Davies, Elmander (McCann 15)

Subs n/u: Al Habsi, Hunt, Dzemaili, Shittu
  Booked: Joey O'Brien, McCann
     
 

Post Match Comments:

 Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan:
"I had lost both my forwards and I had Alan Smith, who is injured and I promised I wouldn't put him on unless there was a crisis.

"There's a lot more to come from Owen. He's at his peak at 28. His goalscoring record, he's one in two for us.

"I don't think he needs to prove anything to me or the fans. He was 75 per cent fit today.  I looked at the bench and he said 'Give me a long warm-up.' Twenty seconds later I put him on and we won a game that we never looked like we were going to win.

"They made it very difficult for us. They're a good side, very well organised. We didn't pass it as well as we could have in the first half.

"They play one way and it's very effective. We put a team out to try and pass it better. It didn't work first half, but we improved in the second half.

"Shay's save was like scoring a goal. It gave us some momentum. The cross from Geremi was superb and Michael was fishing around for a goal and he did."

"Oba was feeling his groin, so he'll be out for two to three weeks. I just put Smith on there to make the bench look good."
 Watch Kevin Keegan's post match interview

Watch Michael Owen speak after the game

Bolton manager Gary Megson:
"People do miss penalties, but since I have been manager of Bolton we have missed the three penalties we have had, all with different takers.

"We have got to start scoring from those opportunities.

"A fair result is neither here nor there. We had an opportunity to get something from the game and I feel win the game, but we didn't take that."

 
     
  BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match:
Newcastle's Michael Owen on 8.53 (on 90 minutes)		  
     
 


Given makes his crucial 59th minute penalty save.

Owen does what he does best.

  
     
  Match Report:  
  A 71st minute Michael Owen header was enough for Newcastle United to secure it's 1000th post war victory on Saturday.

The Magpies had Shay Given to thank for still being in the game, his excellent 59th penalty saved denied Bolton the lead.  After a right wing cross struck the arm of defender Steven Taylor, Trotters captain Kevin Nolan stepped up and hit a low effort that Given saved to his left and then kicked away while still on the ground.
 		  
 

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