Middlesbrough 2-2 Newcastle United |
|
Date:
Saturday 14th August 2004
Kick Off: 5.15pm UK
Venue: Riverside Stadium
Att: 34,268
Ref: Steve Bennett
Comp: Premiership |
| Premiership
Match Report In Association With Toon
Ale |
|
Same Old Newcastle,
Different Day
It would be easy for us to feel downbeat after blowing the lead twice
and falling to a last minute sucker puncher once again which extended
our winless run on the road to 14 games at the Riverside. But given
our preparation for this match, which forced Bobby to select 4 full-backs
in defence and the fact 3 players were making their full Toon debuts
as well as Jenas and Robert being patched up to play, we can be pretty
pleased with both the result and the performance on our opening day
and in the end we were damn unlucky to pick up the 1 point and not
the 3 after Hasselbaink clearly bundled his last minute equaliser
into the net with his hand.
A result many of us, including Bobby & Co, would have took before
the game. Robbed of Woodgate, O'Brien, Bramble and Taylor - our only
recognised centre-backs, the back four of new boy Stephen Carr, only
at the club for 3 days, Hughes and Elliott, both playing out of position,
and Bernard kept an organised and solid backline for the best part
despite a nervous start that saw recovering Conjunctivitis victim
Shay Given pluck the ball out of the air in the opening minutes and
penalty appeals from the home team when Elliott appeared to use his
hand in the box.
After that we dominated and when Hughes's through-ball wasn't cut
out by Riggot, Bellamy raced onto it, drew the keeper and slotted
it into the net for a cool finish to put us 1-0 up with 14 minutes
on the clock. A lead we fully deserved having pushed Middlesbrough
back, restricting their wide men on both flanks with Carr and Milner
on the right and Bernard and Robert on the left doing all the running.
In the centre Butt, with his vivacious snapping away of red heels
and Jenas composed on the ball, the two bossed the Boro pair of Parlour
and Boateng who simply disappeared and up front Bellamy's movement
and pace was a constant thorn in the home side's rearguard.
Despite the make-shift back four, the Conjunctivitis scare and our
fitness doubts it was Newcastle who looked and played like a team,
with balance and composure on the ball that saw us create quite a
few scintillating moves and each and everyone one of those Black &
White shirts showed tremendous spirit and effort as we chased and
harried the men in red at all times.
Middlesbrough on the other hand, touted as a top 4 challenger, the
team who will finish the Season as the North East's top dog, looked
anything but a team. Fielding their own 'big name' summer signings
in Reiziger, Parlour and Hasselbaink they looked a disjointed, unbalanced
outfit devoid of ideas and quality. North East top dogs? Aye reet!
Into the second half we carried on where we had left off, working
hard, closing down and pressing high with Bellamy and Butt the main
men however as the game wore on legs started to tire and we become
a bit sloppy with Middlesbrough getting gradually into the game. In
the first-half we ruled the wings, forcing Zenden and Mendieta to
come in field which made the centre of the park congested - food and
drink for Butt and Jenas but McClaren changed things after the break
with the introduction of Stewart Downing, formally on loan to the
Mackems, who added a bit of zest to the Boro left flank. Within minutes
of coming on he tested Shay with a 25-yard effort that our No.1 did
well to tip away for a corner.
From that moment we started to sit deep and allowed the home team
to come at us and that's what they did with Downing breaking in the
box to smash home Hasselbaink's right wing cross to level the scores
on 73 minutes. A goal that was more down to poor marking and static
defending than any creativity of Boro.
After a period of sloppy play from both sides Newcastle produced a
great move involving Butt, Carr, Dyer, Shearer and Ameobi that cut
open the Boro defence like a knife to butter. A move that saw Zenden
sending Shola tumbling to the floor to earn a penalty. Up stepped
Big Al, making his 500th League Appearance, to smash home a right-footed
shot for his 50th penalty conversion of his career. 2-1 and only a
few minutes to hang on for the win.
To run down the clock Bobby brought on his final substitution with
our Skipper making way for Patrick Kluivert and within moments the
Dutchman was in the thick of the action, almost getting on the end
of a Bellamy left-wing cross that just evaded the new No.11, eventually
falling into the path of Jenas who missed a near open goal from 4
yards. A glorious opportunity to wrap up the win.
You just knew what would happen next and in typical Newcastle fashion
it happened alright. Racing down their left, Zenden managed to get
to the byeline after Dyer, who was marking him, slipped at the vital
moment. Zenden sent in his cross to the far post where an unmarked
Hasselbaink bundled the ball into the net with his hand. 2-2 and yet
more last minute agony. Yet more luck going against us. Not only was
it a hand ball but Mendieta was clearly off-side.
So for the second Season running we pick up a 2-2 draw away from home
in the opening game. Failing to hold onto leads, failing to win on
the road, failing to keep the door shut in the final moments all cost
us dearly last Season and we'll have to rectify these faults of ours
soon if we are to have a better campaign but we can take many positives
from this game. Positives that far outweigh any negatives.
The spirit, commitment and effort from all was encouraging as was
the manner in which we played our football - mostly on the deck with
some brilliant one-touch, close control passing in tight situations
and the movement of Bellamy and his new found confidence in front
of goal should see us scoring a bigger number of goals this time out.
All 3 of our new signings who started the match all put in good displays
- especially Butt and in Carr and Milner we could get lots of joy
down the right especially given Bellamy's link up with those two.
Robert looked up for it and actually won a few tackles and JJ had
a canny game too. Shay's back and with Woodgate, Bramble, O'Brien
and Bowyer still to come as well as a fully fit Kluivert we can look
forward to what promises to be an exciting Season.
The most important thing on the opening day is to put in a good performance
and not to get beat - we did both and all things considering we can
definitely build on this. We look to have an extra few gears and with
two home fixtures coming up the opportunity to put points on the board
is a big one. My glass is half full.
It's great to be back, well done Sir Bobby and the lads.
Toon
Player Ratings Vs Middlesbrough
Next up: NUFC
Vs Spurs (Saturday August 21st 2004 Premiership 3.00pm K.O)
| Middlesbrough |
Newcastle
United |
Match
Facts & Stats
Half-Time: 0-1
Full-Time: 2-2
Yellow Cards: 4
Red Cards: 0
|
Middlesbrough Facts &
Stats |
Goalscorers: Downing (73),
Hasselbaink (89)
Yellow Cards: Parlour (11) Boateng (29) Ehiogu (48)
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 3
Nemeth (for Job 45min), Downing (for Parnaby 65min)
Injuries: None to report of
Goalscorers: Bellamy (14),
Shearer (pen 83)
Yellow Cards: Carr (52)
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 3
Dyer (for Milner 68min), Ameobi (for Robert 76min), Kluivert
(for Shearer 87min)
Injuries: None to report of (thankfully) |
| Schwarzer |
Given |
| Reiziger |
Carr |
| Ehiogo |
Hughes |
| Riggot |
Elliott |
| Parnaby |
Bernard |
| Mendieta |
Milner |
| Parlour |
Butt |
| Boateng |
Jennas |
| Zenden |
Robert |
| Hasselbaink |
Shearer |
| Job |
Bellamy |
| Substitutes
Bench |
| Nash |
Harper |
|
Cooper |
Ramage |
| Dorivo |
Dyer |
|
Downing |
Ameobi |
| Nemeth |
Kluivert |
| Possession, Shots, Corners
& Saves |
| Middlesbrough |
The
Game |
Newcastle |
| 46% |
Possession |
54% |
| 8 |
Shots
(on target) |
8 |
| 6 |
Shots (off target) |
6 |
| 6 |
Corners |
7 |
| 3 |
Saves |
4 |
Our winless run on the road now stretches to 14 games in the Premiership
and it's now 6 draws in our past 7 League games. Alan Shearer made
his 500th League appearance and scored his 50th penalty conversion
of his career. He is now 27 goals away from breaking Wor Jackie's
record. Full Toon debuts for Stephen Carr, Nicky Butt and James Milner
with Patrick Klluivert making his Toon debut too. Bellamy made his
100th appearance for Newcastle as did Jermaine Jenas.
| How The Goals Were
Scored |
NUFC Goal 14 Minutes: Craig Bellamy
The ball broke loose to Hughes deep in our half who played a 50-yard
through ball in the direction of Bellamy. Riggot hesitated and the
little Welshman raced onto it, drew the keeper and slotted the ball
home for a cool finish. Goal of the game.
Boro Goal 73 Minutes: Stewart Downing
Hasselbaink crossed a low ball into our box from their right flank
which evaded everyone and with the ball bobbling about Downing smashed
it past a diving Carr and Given into the back of the net. It has to
be said that Hughes made a vital slip.
NUFC Goal 83 Minutes: Alan Shearer
A move involving Butt, Carr, Dyer, Shearer and Ameobi was brought
to an abrupt halt by Zenden who tumbled Shola in the box with Shearer
stepping up to smash home the penalty.
Boro Goal 89 Minutes: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
A Dyer slip allowed Zenden to get to the byeline down our right where
he sent in a low cross to the far post for an unmarked Hasselbaink
to bundle the ball into the net with his hand.
| Match Reaction From
Sir Bobby, Shearer & Milner |
Sir Bobby said:
"I'm very upset and the players are as well. We played very well,
fought hard, looked a good side and we were twice in the lead. We
did it so many times last year when we were in winning positions and
lost it right at the end, as we've done again today.
"We were a bit unlucky to concede a goal like that so late in
the game because the linesman's let us down at the back post. The
referee couldn't see it was handball but the linesman could.
"We had it won, all we had to do was see the last cross of the
match out and we didn't do that. We could have been 3-1 up when JJ
got in. It was a great run, I can't knock the kid because he played
very well, worked hard and he got into a striker's position; he's
playing centre forward when he's missed the goal. At 3-1 it would
have been game over.
"I can't be dissatisfied with the performance of the team, we
played very well with a makeshift back four. Carr's only been here
48 hours, Elliott's played his first game since the year dot and we
coped very well.
"Butt did very well, I was very pleased with him, he passed it
well, put his foot in. He hasn't had a proper pre-season and Robert
hasn't trained for 10 days until yesterday.
"James Milner's done very well, his final ball wasn't very good
but he's 18, he's learning so we have to be patient with the kid;
he's got enough in him to be a very good player. He got tired, I took
him off. Laurent was the same, he gave us an hour but three times
he got stranded upfield, three times he couldn't get back.
"Shola came on, he's not a winger but we knew he could play wide,
he's powerful and can go past people, he was dangerous and he got
us a great penalty.
"It was a fine match which we should have won. Ten seconds before
Hasselbaink scored I could never see them scoring, they were threatening
but without looking as though they were going to turn us around.
"I couldn't see the handball straight away but Shola was right
next to him and he was furious, it was clearly handball. It's gone
past his head and he's done a Hand of God - or a Hand of Hasselbaink!"
Shearer Said:
"I don't think Jimmy has meant to handle it - you can't apportion
any blame. He has just got his head down. Maybe he tried to head it
first, and it just hit his arm. The disappointing thing was he was
there three yards away from goal unmarked.
"It was bitterly disappointing to give away a late goal. That was
our Achilles heel away from home last season. We lost so many points
last season conceding goal in the last five or 10 minutes. To see
it snatched away in the last minutes was hard to take.
"Sometimes you can't be too proud to stand in the corner and waste
a bit of time. You see the great teams do that. They play the game
out. It might be boring but it plays the game out."
Milner said:
"I really enjoyed myself. I can play on the left as well but I would
play anywhere as long as I am in the team. It doesn't bother me.
"At my age, getting experience in The Premiership is all that matters.
"I have to use that experience to try and become a better player."
| Match Reaction From
Steve McClaren |
McClaren said:
"It went in the back of the net, the referee gave it and that's
2-2. I'm happy because we've been behind twice in the game, entered
the 90th minute 2-1 down and you think it's not going to be your day.
"It was a typical first-day-of-the-season game, scrappy at times
and I thought Newcastle played very well. Our players showed tremendous
attitude and character to come back.
"It's something we probably wouldn't have done last year. We're
pleased with that, pleased with a point and the way we worked. We
know there's a lot more to work on before we become a good side.
"Jimmy made one and scored the equaliser so we're pleased with
that but we're pleased overall because a lot's been said about Newcastle
missing players but we were missing Gareth Southgate - who should
be right for next week's game - Franck Queudrue and Mark Viduka, so
it was always going to be difficult."
Dready (forum member) said:
"Promising performance, especially from our new players, top
marks for them. I enjoyed our fluent passing through many spells in
the game, Newcastle's luck however endures apparently. Still, given
the make shift central defense and the cluttered pre season preparations
I think our performance was very good."
Paul S wrote in and said:
"We were so unlucky and the referee shouldn't have gave them
that goal but that's typical of our luck. All in all I thought we
were much the better team and we showed loads of effort, skill and
ability. Bellamy was class, Milner looks promising, Butt was outstanding,
Carr looks class and the back four did a great job considering they've
never played together before. AS worked hard and put his penna away
well. We played good football and we should have won but this is promising.
Bring on Spertz! Howay the lads!!!"
More
Reaction From The Toon Army |
 |
Toon
Shirts |
|
Sponsors |
|
|
