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Barclays Premiership Match 12 |
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Season 2007-2008 |
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sunderland |
1 v 1 |
NEWCASTLE UNITED |
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Danny Higginbotham 52 |
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James Milner 65 |
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Date: |
Saturday 10th November 2007 |
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Venue: |
Stadium of Light |
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Kick Off: |
12:45pm (BST) |
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Australian
Live TV:
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Foxsports 1 |
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Attendance: |
47,701 |
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Referee: |
Martin Atkinson
(Leeds, Yorkshire) |
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Match Preview |
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sunderland: Gordon, McShane, Nosworthy
(Collins 25), Higginbotham, Harte, Edwards, Leadbitter, Etuhu, Wallace
(Stokes 72), Chopra, Jones
Subs Not Used: Ward, Miller, Connolly
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Booked:
Chopra |
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Newcastle:
Harper, Taylor,
Faye (Beye 61), Rozehnal, N'Zogbia, Milner, Smith, Barton, Emre (Geremi
88), Owen (Martins 83), Viduka
Subs Not Used: Forster, Jose Enrique
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Booked:
Faye, Taylor |
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Post
Match Comment:
Sam Allardyce said:
"The response after we conceded was very pleasing but I wanted to see
that kind of performance before we went a goal down. When we scored I
thought we might have gone on to win the match. Sunderland out-muscled
us and we could not get our passing game going. But a draw was a fair
result and we are happy with a point away from home."
sunderland boss Roy Keane:
"We didn't have that bit of luck today and we can talk all day about
being unlucky but we keep getting these lessons in the Premier League
and you have to take your chances. We had chances to win the game and
these things come back to haunt you. But if we keep performing like
that, we'll be okay. In terms of work-rate and performance we were
different class. We worked extremely hard and I thought our performance
was outstanding." |
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Match Report: |
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A James Milner cross
that beat everyone earned us a point over in the dark place, meaning we
have now gone 27 years without defeat on Wearside.
As pictures of Mike Ashley wearing his Toon top and standing amongst the
travelling Toon Army where beamed around the world just before kick off,
the stage was set for another smash and grab against the old enemy.
However, when the lads run out in our unfamiliar blue away strip instead
of our traditional Black & White stripes, my heart sank a little. Our
home strip wasn't deemed a clash last time or on the numerous
occasions previously, so it annoyed me that we were denied the
opportunity to wear it this time. I'm not a fan of away strips,
even the ones which look good, I'd be happy for us to play in Black &
White every week.
The first half was a typical derby match fast and scrappy. We just
didn't seem at the races with sunderland looking by far the better side.
Ross Wallace could have given them the lead inside two minutes but he
volleyed wastefully over the top from Carlos Edwards' cross.
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Wallace and Edwards
were providing good service to
Kenwyne Jones and strike partner Michael
Chopra. The next 2 chances again fell to sunderland, with Chopra testing
his former employers goal.
Abdoulaye Faye was having a good game handled the dangerous Kenwyne
Jones impressively in the first half.
Playing at left-back Charles N'Zogbia was pushing forward with a series
of lightning breaks and our best chance of the half fell to Michael Owen
on 28 minutes when he collected the Frenchman's deep cross beyond the
far post and although his control was not perfect, he managed to get in
a shot which Gordon blocked.
Just before the break a
fired up Michael Chopra forced Steve Harper into a decent save, as
sunderland tried to press home there pressure.
A feisty half ended in
suitable fashion with Dickson Etuhu and Joey Barton in each other's
faces after the Bartons high late challenge, but both left the field
without a card. (FA later took no action after viewing the video
evidence)
We started the second half slightly better as Mark Viduka flashed a
50th-minute cross just over Owen's head with Paul McShane desperately
trying to get across, but the fireworks came at the other end two
minutes later.
Faye wastefully conceded possession on halfway line to force David
Rozehnal to concede a corner, and it was taken quickly for David
Leadbitter to cross to the far post for Higginbotham to head firmly past
Harper.
The goal
finally sparked us into life,
Owen flashed a header high over on the
hour and then
we were level after 65 minutes
when Milner exchanged passes with Barton
and then he sent a low
left-flank cross which drifted in via the post with
Sunderland keeper Gordon rooted to the spot.
The action wasn't finished there and the finally 25 minutes saw plenty
of chances for both sides.
sunderland
almost restored their lead within seconds of our goal, Kenwyne Jones
shooting inches wide after a clever turn on the edge of the area.
Michael Owen then had his best chance of the game when he controlled
Harper's long clearance, but he could not get enough power on his left
foot shot and Gordon saved comfortably.
And Chopra nearly struck against his old club nine minutes from time
when he headed Ian Harte's far post corner against the bar with Harper
beaten.
The game ended 1-1 and honours even.
Not a great performance from the us, however, it wasn't as bad as Derby
and Reading away but there certainly is a hell of a lot of room for
improvement. Playing players out of their natural position can't be
helping our inconsistent but one fact that can't be mistake, is that the
amount of talent we have out on the pitch isn't being reflected in our
performances and results. Let's hope Big Sam can sort out his formation
during the international break, as this might give us a chance to take
on Liverpool at home.
At the Melbourne meet in the Charles Dickens Tavern about 20 Aussie Mags
were joined by what looked to be between 10 to 15 Mackems (a lot of whom
were obviously ashamed as they came in Soccer Casuals!), which lead to
plenty of lively exchanges, swearing, abuse and chanting. I was going to
take pictures but in the tension and emotion of it all I forgot!
Watching this game in a bar with sunderland fans was a first for me and
something which kept me even more on edge than normal. Despite the
tension in the bar, we obviously didn't have any idiots as we were
fortunate enough to be spared the scenes that happened at the Sydney
meet*. |
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AUSSIE MAGS
* In light
of what happened at the Sydney meet Aussie Mags would like to reiterate
that it has a responsibility for the Australian Newcastle United
community and that it does not condone football violence what so ever.
However, it does appreciate that in some unprovoked attacks that self
defence can be the only option left open to people. |
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