Season 2009-2010 – Match 45

Date: Saturday 24th April 2010
Kick-off: 3:00pm (BST)
Venue: St James’ Park
Attendance: 52,181
Referee: Carl Boyeson (Humberside)

Teams:

Newcastle: Harper, Simpson, Enrique, Nolan (Butt 76), Coloccini, Williamson, Routledge, Guthrie (Barton 76), Gutierrez, Carroll, Lovenkrands (Ameobi 66)
Subs Not Used: Krul, R.Taylor, Smith, Best
Booked: None

Goals: Carroll 26, Ameobi 84pen

Ipswich: Brian Murphy, David Wright (Clark 86), McAuley, Smith, Peters, Walters, Leadbitter (Garvan 86), Norris, Colback, Daryl Murphy (Rosenior 71), Wickham
Subs Not Used: Richard Wright, Martin, Quinn, Eastman
Booked: David Wright, Norris

Goals: Wickham 42, Walters 90

After the game, Chris Hughton said:

“Days like this are what you are in the game for. You have to enjoy every moment of success and that is what we are going to do tonight. It was a great moment to see the trophy being handed over and to have gone through the season unbeaten at home. That is a fantastic achievement. It is really sinking in what an achievement this is. In some ways it, is a bit of a relief after a long, tough season. It doesn’t get any better than that. It was an immensely proud moment to walk out in front of a full house and collect the trophy. Moments like that don’t come around too often so they have to be enjoyed and you have to cherish them. It was a shame we didn’t get the win to finish off the home campaign but I think that disappointment only lasted for a short while. The lap of honour was a nice way to say thank you to the fans for what has been a tremendous support this season. We’ll enjoy this period while it lasts but very quickly the hard work and planning will start for next season.”

Reports:
An injury time goal from Ipswich Town spoiled Newcastle United’s championship party at St James’ Park but the draw was enough for the Magpies to accomplish the feat of going the whole season unbeaten at home.

Newcastle took the lead on the 26th minute when a header from Andy Carroll gave the striker his 19th goal for the season. That lead was cancelled out just before the half-time break by teenager striker Connor Wickham.

With the match looking like rounding off into a total non-event, Nicky Butt was tripped in the box on the 84 minute and Shola Ameobi tucked home the penalty for what looked like the winner. Sadly for the vast majority in the ground Ipswich hadn’t read the script and in the 94 minute they equalised to round off what was a anti-climax of an event.

Despite poor game the main reason the fans had turned up to St James’ Park happened afterwards. The players and management team were presented with the old Division One trophy on a podium in the middle of the pitch and what a joyous occasion that was. The fact that we had to be relegated to win this trophy shouldn’t be forgotten, however, today is not the day for dwelling in the past, we should just sit back and enjoy it for what it is.

A quality achievement by Chris Hughton and his players. Well done lads!

Andrew McTernan – Row ‘S’ Army

Season 2009/20010 – Match 9

Date: Saturday 26th September 2009
Venue: Portman Road
Kick Off: 5:20pm (BST)
Australian Live TV: None
Attendance: 27,059
Referee: Michael Jones (Chester)

Ipswich: Richard Wright, Rosenior, Bruce (Smith 39), Balkestein, Delaney (Peters 60), Walters, Trotter, Colback, Leadbitter, Edwards, Priskin (Counago 61)
Subs Not Used: Lee-Barrett, Martin, Stead, Quinn
Booked: Bruce, Walters

Newcastle: Harper, Khizanishvili, Steven Taylor, Coloccini (Lovenkrands 68), Jose Enrique, Ryan Taylor (Donaldson 78), Smith, Nolan, Butt, Carroll, Ranger (Harewood 65)
Subs Not Used: Krul, Ngo Baheng, Tozer, Vuckic
Booked: Nolan

Goals: Kevin Nolan 30, Kevin Nolan 32, Ryan Taylor 34, Kevin Nolan 51

Post Match Comments:

Ipswich boss Roy Keane said:

“Clearly we are disappointed. We started alright but the first goal knocked our confidence.

You have to persevere and encourage players. We have given teams a helping hand and we can’t keep doing it.

I’m sure Kevin Nolan thought it was Christmas with the first goal and before we knew it we were three down. We certainly have to defend better.

I don’t like losing football matches, the expectations are high but we have got to deal with it and get on with it.”

Newcastle caretaker manager said:

“It was the perfect win in many ways in that we’ve scored good goals at good times, kept a clean sheet and, of course, all this away from home.

I’d say this has been the most satisfying win of the season so far and we’re delighted to be back top.

We were aware of what those around us had done with West Brom getting beat and Boro drawing.  But we managed to keep our nerve and weren’t fazed by it.

I thought the lads showed great mental strength and, from the first minute, we were excellent.  To score three goals in six minutes was tremendous and after that the result was never in doubt.

We never looked in trouble at the back and controlled the game from start to finish.”

Match Report:
Kevin Nolan scored a hat-trick as Newcastle United thrashed Ipswich Town 4-0 at Portman Road to move two points clear at the top of the Championship.

The victory piles more misery on Roy Keane with his Ipswich side now sitting 2nd bottom on only four points.

It was a three goal burst in only four minutes during the first-half minutes that ensured Newcastle were able to bounce back to winnings ways after crashing out of the Carling Cup in midweek.

Firstly, Kevin Nolan powdered home a header from a Ryan Taylor free-kick, then two minutes later Nolan scored again after being put clear through, and then Ryan Taylor scored a free-kick to make it 3-0.

Six minutes into the second-half and the game was affectively over, good work by debutant Zurab Khizanishvili found Ryan Taylor down the right, his cross was met by Nile Ranger who headered downward into the path of Nolan who scored.

A sweat win for all concerned with Newcastle as the Ipswich team contained a host of ex-sunderland players, and will hopefully go some way in condemning Roy Keane to the dole queue.

Andrew McTernan – Row ‘S’ Army