I would have taken a point before kick-off to be honest, but now I feel that we were desperately unlucky not to have taken all three off the dirty tramps from down the road.
Newcastle arguably deserved the win, but lady luck was to have one final say in proceedings when Asamoah Gyan equalised deep into stoppage time. Harper saved a Bardsley shot but could only parry it against Gyan who ricocheted the ball into the back of the net. It doesn’t matter how they are scored, but that goal is one of them freak things that happen from time to time. Newcastle had the chances to win the game, but it wasn’t to be and a point a piece it is.
It also gives Newcastle the bragging rights. Heading into the game we heard stories of how the Sunderland players, fans, and even their pantomime dame manager, were all looking for revenge following on from the 5-1 spanking we dished out back in October, but it didn’t materialise and Newcastle can feel justifiably aggrieved that they didn’t take more from the game.
It’s fair to say that Newcastle were missing some of their key players in the shape of Cheik Tiote and Andy Carroll, but it didn’t matter in the end as several other players stepped up to the mark. Fabricio Coloccini was oustanding, as was Jose Enrique and Mike Williamson. In fact our whole defence was solid, played well and limited Sunderland to just a handful of opportunities. Shola Ameobi won the aerial battle with the Sunderland defence and Kevin Nolan did what he does best and found the back of the net again, which no doubt won’t be enough to avoid criticism from some quarters.
The pace of the game was frenetic as both sides started off all guns blazing amidst a cauldron of noise, but it was Newcastle who had the first chance through Shola Ameobi who rolled the ball inches wide of the goal after being set up from a superb Joey Barton pass over the top of the Sunderland defence. Shola should have done better to be fair.
Darren Bent forced a fine save from Steve Harper at the other end before Fabricio Coloccini had an effort from a corner cleared off the line by Kieron Richardson. Jordan Henderson then tested Harper from long range, but the Easington lad got down to his right and pushed the ball out of play for a corner.
The game started to settle down after that, although there were some very heated moments sprinkled through the game. Alan Smith was forced off on 36 minutes after beig caught by the trailing foot of Kieron Richardson which meant that Danny Guthrie was introduced for a bit of Wear-Tyne derby action.
Newcastle had the final chance of the half when Joey Barton wasted a free-kick from a promising area as he blazed the ball high and wide. To be honest, it wasn’t very handsome! That free-kick signalled the end of a first-half in which the visitors just about shaded the game.
The visitors got the reward for shading the first-half when they opened the scoring early in the second. Joey Barton swung in a corner which Shola Ameobi headed goalwards only for the ball to be deflected into the path of Kevin Nolan who improvised superbly and backheeled the ball into the back of the Mackem net and send the 3,000 travelling fans into raptures.
Sunderland tried to get back in the game, but their attempts fizzled out and Newcastle continued to call the shots. In fact they could have extended the lead through Leon Best, Jonas Gutierrez or Jose Enrique, who shot instead of squaring the ball for an unmarked Leon Best.
Newcastle were to pay for that profligacy deep into the five minutes of added on time when Gyan just happened to be at the right place at the right time to equalise and send the home fans and manager into celebrations that equal those that we see when a team wins an FA Cup or something.
I guess we’ll never know what Steve Bruce’s song was eh?
Sunderland: Craig Gordon, Phil Bardsley, Anton Ferdinand, Titus Bramble, Nedum Onouha, Ahmed Elmohamady, Jordan Henderson, Steed Malbranque, Kieron Richardson, Darren Bent, Asamoah Gyan.
Subs: Simon Mignolet, Marcus Angeleri, Paulo da Silva, Cristian Riveros, Bolo Zenden, Andy Reid, Jack Colback.
Newcastle: Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Joey Barton, Alan Smith, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi, Leon Best.
Subs: Tim Krul, James Perch, Danny Guthrie, Dan Gosling, Wayne Routledge, Peter Lovenkrands, Nile Ranger.
Referee: Howard Webb.
Attendance: 47,864.
Ah well, let’s all laugh at Liverpool 😆
El Toro(Quote)
And now we’ll never know what song Brucey boy had planned to play for us. 😆
MrT76(Quote)
Would have loved to have got into the 30 points zone, so gutting but yes a great performance. Defence looks good, midfield looks good, especially now with Gosling and Ben Arfa to come in, but do need more of a strike force. Whoever says we are not going forward is wrong, Pardew is now in and it doesn’t seem to have rocked the boat, if anything they are playing with a bit more control. Try and compare this to 2 and 3 seasons ago, no comparison. Keep hold of the good of what we’ve got and add a few others slowly. Some tough games ahead though.
BandWChina(Quote)
Well, the Liverpool score has finally put a smile back on my face after that f—ing equaliser. 😆
BandWChina(Quote)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/9363346.stm?
Good interview from Pardew. There are a few sly digs at Sunderland just for good measure 🙂
El Toro(Quote)
I think the Mackems score about 95% of their goals in the last 5 minutes-including stoppage time. Too many NUFC men froward chasing the 2nd goal left a glimmer for the vermin to crawl out from under their rock and get lucky. I don’t know how he could have done it, but AP would have served himself well, if he had just Loven and Ameobi past the half way line during stoppage. “Mark your man & hoof it downfield would have done fine, instead there were several blazing and half lucky opportunities while NUFC players got back into position. Better luck next time.
BeeGuy(Quote)
I agree. Gosling seemed alright in the five minutes he was on. I’d like to see more of him now. Perhaps give him 30 minutes against Tottenham?
toonsy(Quote)
Can take alot of positives. Ive calmed down a bit now. Good point-they dnt lose at stadium of *****. Rather than dwell the lads must take the positives into spurs game.
MarkToon(Quote)
Would have taken a point before the match but a bit cruel that it came so late.
jay jay(Quote)
Weird enough,i go to home page,yet can’t find this article. 😯
Well,hate to concede so long.
gosling looking good.
Let’s hope we can beat spurs. so as to recover the 2points lost. 🙁
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
concede late* 😈
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
BBC SPORT:
1425: The Press Association are reporting that a fan was arrested on the pitch after a confrontation with Newcastle keeper Steve Harper late in the game at the Stadium of Light. More on that as and when we get it.
—————-
I didn’t realise this happened DURING the game. WTF are those scummy b@stards apparently known as Stewards doing?..how does a lad get onto the pitch as the game is still going? I completly missed this, but apparently Howard Webb stopped the game, to point the fan out to police and Doubtfire had a right good go at him as he was dragged away?
Ross(Quote)
Also my 59points prediction took a hit. 👿 😥
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Ross – Hopefully Sunderland will get hammered for that after events at Stevenage last week 😈
toonsy(Quote)
So a fan came on the pitch to have a go at Steve Harper eh?? Now I know where those 5 mins of stoppage time came from. Horrible scummers the lot of em.
MrT76(Quote)
@toonsy: Are u happy with that draw? 😥
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
AOD – I’m not happy that we conceded so late on, but I would have taken a draw at the start.
It’s called: Keeping it real…..
toonsy(Quote)
On the plus side 2nd in the FF league, although it’s a .org league, feel like a cheater 🙁
jay jay(Quote)
im still really really f**ked of about it
pearceet(Quote)
Is a wasted opportunity as bolton lost to stoke,and we can literally go up to 7th.
Oh well.
I feel down under pardew,we might not see those surprise wins against big teams,like what CH does,and instead we will not lose those mid-bottom clubs.
Even out situation.
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
If we manage to sneak a win past spurs I will be delighted. Need Manure to kick the chip of their shoulder later!
Nathandio(Quote)
MrT76-The fan apparently hit/pushed Harper to the ground when he managed to confront him.
Toonsy-He should be given a lifetime ban, fined, jail time or whatever else they see fit. Certainly shouldn’t get away with it.
As for the trouble after the game aswell, there’s mackems across the web trying to claim we were the original source of the trouble, which is quite clearly sh!te. None of them taking into consideration the fact that we’re not actually allowed to leave the ground, our lads are held there. Around 40/50 of them have waited for the seats to clear and made their way to the away end. The footage from Sky does show some of us throwing chairs like, which is just as pathetic, but to try and blame our lot for the trouble in the first place is pathetic.
Ross(Quote)
AOD – League position is only really relevant if
– You are near the bottom
– At the end of the season
We stay ninth.
toonsy(Quote)
aye Ross, all I saw was Harper going to the ground and a fan running away, didn’t know what happened, it was when they equalised. Few people got nicked after the match and the police walked them in front of the NUFC fans, was brilliant.
Got punched right in kisser when we scored like lol, going f*cking nuts! Everyone was sayng the same thing after the game though “would have taken a point before hand, but being so close just makes you a bit sick doesn’t it”
I Love Mike(Quote)
Alway aim High,toonsy. 😎
We got a chance,but gave it away.
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
HAT-TRICK OF DERBIES MATCHES END UP DRAW. 😯
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
A sad result. Bad luck? Not sure. The book on Sunderland predicts late scores. Of course we’ll take the one point, no choice, but what a missed opportunity.
ToonTyne(Quote)
ILM-The way they equalised made me feel sick, along with the fact they deserved sweet F.A from the game. I’ve already said though we didn’t help ourselves. We had 3 or 4 golden opportunities to grab another goal and put the game to bed but we couldn’t do it.
I’d have taken the point but to miss out on 3 thanks to a scrappy goal that the Scum celebrated like it was a 30 yard winner was just frustrating more than anything else.
We still have bragging rights however and anyone that tells me they’re lightyears ahead of us I will now point in the direction of these two games. They’ve put in embarrassing performances twice, have been thoroughly outplayed twice and should have 0 points from a possible 6.
Ross(Quote)
@Ross: well said
ToonTyne(Quote)