Newcastle United 1 v 0 Wigan Athletic
Saturday 1st September 2007
Newcastle United finished this game with their unbeaten Premiership start still intact, whilst Latics, shock horror, dropped to sixth place in the Premiership. Although it is fair to state that of the two teams the Geordies did deserve to run out winner, Latics boss Chris Hutchings will be furious with the referee, Steve Bennett, who sent off Kevin Kilbane for two innocuous challenges in the 41st and 46th minutes of the game, which effectively sealed his club's fate despite some resolute defending.
Before the game Hutchings raised a few eyebrows by leaving Luis Antonio Valencia out of the squad altogether, opting to play Michael Brown in midfield from the start for the first time this season. Up front Antoine Sibierski was deemed fit enough to start which meant that new loanee striker, Marcus Bent was left on the bench.
For the first fifteen minutes of the game it is fair to say that the Geordies dominated possession and goal scoring chances, indeed England hit man, Michael Owen, starting his first game of the season, thought he had scored in the 16th minute, but thankfully, the linesman raised his flag to indicate that both the striker and his partner, Mark Viduka, were in off side positions.
Two minutes later Latics had their first effort on goal. Jason Koumas struck a wonderful free kick from the edge of the hosts penalty area, only for Steve Harper to pull off one of the finest saves that anybody will witness this season. Newcastle were bhouyed by the wonder save and were unlucky that N'Zogbia and Viduka failed to capitalise on good goal scoring chances. On the half hour mark Hutchings was forced to take off the injured Denny Landzaat and replace him with Josip Skoko who was making his first Premiership start of the season.
Alan Smith was unlucky not to head the barcodes in front courtesy of a scissor kick and the Kilbane saw yellow when he put out a foot to stop N'Zogbia in his tracks, and then a minute later Kirkland pulled off a good save to deny Nicky Butt. Latics went in at half time relieved not to be at least two goals adrift but within a minute of the restart Kilbane was sent off when the referee deemed him to have head butted Smith as the pair challenged in the air for a loose ball. The decision was certainly a blow, considering, as well, that 'Killer' will now face a ban and he is covering as left back as the club do not currently have one on their books following the sale of Leighton Baines to Everton last month!
Emile Heskey picked up a 'sympathy' booking on behalf of his team mate and Sibierski was the other victin of the sending off as Hutchings had no choice but to bring on Emmerson Boyce in place of Kilbane who had trooped off the field in utter disbelief.
The Magpies then began to make their superiority tell and it is fair to say that the visitors were under the cosh for most of the remaining game. Just when it seemed that Latics would hold out up popped Owen to head past Kirkland, who up until then had had an outstanding game. In the final few minutes Heskey was unlucky not to put the ball in the net following a lovely Scharner free kick, but Harper flung himself at both the Latics hit man and the ball which then ballooned over the bar.
For the remainder of the game the Geordies kept possession well and were overjoyed when the final whistle was blown and it dawned on them that they had beaten ten-man WIGAN!
NEWCASTLE UNITED, Steven Harper, Steven Taylor, Claudio Cacapa, David Rohzenal, Geremi, Nicky Butt, Charles N'Zogbia, James Milner, Alan Smith, (Obafemi Martins 66), Mark Viduka, (Shola Ameobi 46), Michael Owen. Subs not used, Shay Given, David Edgar, Matty Pattison.
Goal scorer, Michael Owen 87 mins
Booked, Alan Smith 58 mins, Charles N'Zogbia 90 ins
WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, Andreas Granqvist, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Michael Brown, Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, (Josip Skoko 29), Jason Koumas, (Marcus Bent 58), Emile Heskey, Antoine Sibierski, (Emmerson Boyce 48). Subs not used, Michael Pollitt, Julius Aghahowa.
Booked, Kevin Kilbane 42 mins, Emile Heskey 48 mins, Paul Scharner 61 mins, Michael Brown 78 mins
Sent Off, Kevin Kilbane 46 mins
Referee, Steve Bennett (Kent)
Attendance, 50, 461
Newcastle United finished this game with their unbeaten Premiership start still intact, whilst Latics, shock horror, dropped to sixth place in the Premiership. Although it is fair to state that of the two teams the Geordies did deserve to run out winner, Latics boss Chris Hutchings will be furious with the referee, Steve Bennett, who sent off Kevin Kilbane for two innocuous challenges in the 41st and 46th minutes of the game, which effectively sealed his club's fate despite some resolute defending.
Before the game Hutchings raised a few eyebrows by leaving Luis Antonio Valencia out of the squad altogether, opting to play Michael Brown in midfield from the start for the first time this season. Up front Antoine Sibierski was deemed fit enough to start which meant that new loanee striker, Marcus Bent was left on the bench.
For the first fifteen minutes of the game it is fair to say that the Geordies dominated possession and goal scoring chances, indeed England hit man, Michael Owen, starting his first game of the season, thought he had scored in the 16th minute, but thankfully, the linesman raised his flag to indicate that both the striker and his partner, Mark Viduka, were in off side positions.
Two minutes later Latics had their first effort on goal. Jason Koumas struck a wonderful free kick from the edge of the hosts penalty area, only for Steve Harper to pull off one of the finest saves that anybody will witness this season. Newcastle were bhouyed by the wonder save and were unlucky that N'Zogbia and Viduka failed to capitalise on good goal scoring chances. On the half hour mark Hutchings was forced to take off the injured Denny Landzaat and replace him with Josip Skoko who was making his first Premiership start of the season.
Alan Smith was unlucky not to head the barcodes in front courtesy of a scissor kick and the Kilbane saw yellow when he put out a foot to stop N'Zogbia in his tracks, and then a minute later Kirkland pulled off a good save to deny Nicky Butt. Latics went in at half time relieved not to be at least two goals adrift but within a minute of the restart Kilbane was sent off when the referee deemed him to have head butted Smith as the pair challenged in the air for a loose ball. The decision was certainly a blow, considering, as well, that 'Killer' will now face a ban and he is covering as left back as the club do not currently have one on their books following the sale of Leighton Baines to Everton last month!
Emile Heskey picked up a 'sympathy' booking on behalf of his team mate and Sibierski was the other victin of the sending off as Hutchings had no choice but to bring on Emmerson Boyce in place of Kilbane who had trooped off the field in utter disbelief.
The Magpies then began to make their superiority tell and it is fair to say that the visitors were under the cosh for most of the remaining game. Just when it seemed that Latics would hold out up popped Owen to head past Kirkland, who up until then had had an outstanding game. In the final few minutes Heskey was unlucky not to put the ball in the net following a lovely Scharner free kick, but Harper flung himself at both the Latics hit man and the ball which then ballooned over the bar.
For the remainder of the game the Geordies kept possession well and were overjoyed when the final whistle was blown and it dawned on them that they had beaten ten-man WIGAN!
NEWCASTLE UNITED, Steven Harper, Steven Taylor, Claudio Cacapa, David Rohzenal, Geremi, Nicky Butt, Charles N'Zogbia, James Milner, Alan Smith, (Obafemi Martins 66), Mark Viduka, (Shola Ameobi 46), Michael Owen. Subs not used, Shay Given, David Edgar, Matty Pattison.
Goal scorer, Michael Owen 87 mins
Booked, Alan Smith 58 mins, Charles N'Zogbia 90 ins
WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, Andreas Granqvist, Titus Bramble, Kevin Kilbane, Michael Brown, Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, (Josip Skoko 29), Jason Koumas, (Marcus Bent 58), Emile Heskey, Antoine Sibierski, (Emmerson Boyce 48). Subs not used, Michael Pollitt, Julius Aghahowa.
Booked, Kevin Kilbane 42 mins, Emile Heskey 48 mins, Paul Scharner 61 mins, Michael Brown 78 mins
Sent Off, Kevin Kilbane 46 mins
Referee, Steve Bennett (Kent)
Attendance, 50, 461
Labels: Newcastle vrs Wigan
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