St. James’ Park witnessed yet another forgettable night as Newcastle
and Middlesbrough played out a goalless draw. The match itself was
a dull affair with relatively little chances for both teams although
Newcastle missed a glorious opportunity to nick all three points at
the death as Charles N’Zogbia blasted over from 6-yards out. But it
was the Boro fans who go back to smogland with their heads held high
as they earned a well deserved point against their North East rivals.
Greame Souness opted to deploy the same team that played so well at
Old Trafford on Sunday with the exception of Keiron Dyer who replaced
Shola Ameobi. However, his comeback game was short lived as he succumbed
to injury and was himself replaced by Ameobi. Why he was ever risked
if there was a chance of him breaking down is a question only Souness
can answer.
The first half was largely uneventful as the two teams toyed with
each other. Both displayed a lack of quality in their injury-ridden
side's and both goalkeepers had no real saves to make. However, Boro
did knock the ball around well and settled from the off with Newcastle
chasing shadows at times.
The second half was slightly better as Newcastle upped the tempo.
But, it was visitors who had the best chances early in the half. Nemeth
fizzed the ball inches past Shay Given’s bottom right hand post and
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink missed a glorious one on one - chipping the
ball into the 'keepers grateful arms. Unusually Newcastle attacked
the Leazes end in the second half, well at least James Milner did.
Milner took the game by the scuff of the neck and all Newcastle’s
creativeness came from his perseverance down the flanks. His gritty
determined runs were the only source of any possible way through the
stubborn Boro defence. Probably his best match in a Toon shirt. The
other young lads did well especially Peter Ramage playing only his
second match for the Toon.
With the match was riddled with poor play and breaks for injuries
the referee added 5 minutes of added time at the end. Was he taking
the piss and trying to prolong our agony or what? However, Newcastle
almost nicked it at the death but Charles N’Zogbia blazed over from
6-yards out following good work from Shearer. It was not to be and
to be honest we did not deserve to win. Boro to their credit played
well and looked the most likely to take all three points in an otherwise
thoroughly forgettable night on Tyneside.
Half-Time: 0-0
Full-Time: 0-0
Yellow Cards: 4
Red Cards: 0
NUFC Facts & Stats
Goalscorers: None
Yellow Cards: Ambrose
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 1
Ameobi (Dyer35)
Injuries: Dyer (hamstring)
Boro Facts & Stats
Goalscorers:None
Yellow Cards: Hasselbaink, Doriva
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 2
Downing (Zenden 65), Graham (Nemeth 83)
Injuries: N/A
Given
Jones
Ramag
Davies
Boumsong
Ehiogu
O'Brien
Southgate
Elliott
Queudrue
Milner
Parlour
Ambrose
Doriva
Carr
Boateng
N'Zogbia
Zenden
Dyer
Hasselbaink
Shearer
Nemeth
Substitutes
Bench
Harper
Reiziger
Brittain
Graham
Ameobi
Knight
Robert
Downing
Kluivert
Wheater
NUFC Milestones
The draw brings to an end our 5 game losing streak. Only our second
0-0 draw in the Premiership this season and only our 5th clean sheet
in the League. A full home debut for Peter Ramage. 8th League game
in which we have failed to score in. Kieron Dyer's 20th start of the
campaign. Stephen Carr's 35th appearance of the season. Charles N'Zogbia's
15th appearance of the season. Jean-Alain Boumsong's 10th start in
the Premiership since signing from Rangers. Alan Shearer's 360th Toon
appearance. James Milner made his 50th club career start.
Match Reaction From
NUFC
Graeme Souness on the match:
"We
were the better team.
"I asked for effort and commitment from my players, and I got that.
I can have no complaints on that score, they all gave me what I asked
and that was 100 per cent.
"I felt we were on top in the first half in terms of possession, and
after the break we put them under a lot of pressure and had the better
chances.
"James Milner was denied by a brilliant save from the goalkeeper,
and then even at the end we could still have won it with Charles N'Zogbia's
chance.
"We haven't had the best of runs over the last couple of weeks, but
I can take a lot of positives from that performance."
Match Reaction
From Boro
Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren on the game:
"A draw was a fair result, we've never won or even got a point there
since I came to the club and I think it was a point gained.
"You're always in with a chance if you keep a clean sheet and our
back four were very good, especially the two centre-halves, and we
had chances at the other end.
"We dominated and were in control in the first half and we just said
let's get stronger in the second. We did that especially at the beginning
and we missed two glorious chances and they get stronger at they end
but we held on magnificently.
Yellow Cards: Ambrose
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 1
Injuries: Dyer (hamstring)
"We
were the better team.
