Rumours of this show being catastrophically bad are unfounded
Gordon Brown could call an election next June in the hope of benefiting from a "recession bounce", allies have revealed
More...
Newcastle resistance wilts in the face of Blackburn onslaught
Last updated at 22:52pm on 01.12.07Even Joey Barton would have to concede that the Newcastle fans were blameless on this occasion. The only vicious elements on view at Ewood Park yesterday were David Bentley's shooting boots.
Six thousand members of the Geordie army — described last week as 'vicious' by millionaire rentaquote Barton — sung themselves hoarse to show why they are commonly regarded as among the best fans in the country.
But once again they were let down by the players they had come to support.Despite the fillip of the opening goal from Obafemi Martins, Newcastle snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and have now taken just one point from a possible 15.
The first two goals were testimony to the quality of Bentley and showed why he is one Englishman who could never be accused of poor technique.
His first was a 30-yard free-kick worthy of David Beckham and the second an instant shot in which he did tremendously well to keep the ball down as he beat Shay Given.An injury-time goal from Tugay merely rubbed salt into North-East wounds.
As Newcastle trooped off still looking for their first away win since opening day, £45,000-aweek Barton might have spared a thought for the Geordie factory worker or call-centre operator who would have spent £100 getting to Blackburn and buying a match ticket.
Those supporters, who Barton accused of driving players like Scott Parker and Jermaine Jenas away from St James' Park, sung merrily throughout a turgid first half, and even gave a few renditions of 'Big Sam's Barmy Army' to their beleaguered manager.
The game desperately needed a goal to liven up and it arrived two minutes after the restart. Geremi's free-kick should have been cleared but somehow Blackburn allowed the smallest player on the field, Martins, to find space in the six-yard box to send a bullet header past Friedel.
The goal could have destroyed Blackburn's confidence, given the severity of their 4-0 beating by Villa a few days before.
But their own Goldenballs,David Bentley, stood up and levelled with a free-kick of stunning quality. Charles N'Zogbia was penalised for halting Roque Santa Cruz and, though the free-kick was central, Given must have fancied his chances with Bentley 30 yards away.
Rovers' glamour boy hit a right-foot curler and the ball flashed into Given's top left-hand corner before the Republic of Ireland international had even moved.
Mark Hughes sent on Morten Gamst Pedersen but it was Newcastle who nearly regained the lead just after the hour. Barton charged down Christopher Samba's clearance on the six-yard line but when he prodded the loose ball goalwards, Friedel was able to block with his feet. Barton tried manfully to net the rebound but his feet were not quick enough.
Martins then headed over from six yards and the importance of both misses became clear when Bentley added another touch of class after 67 minutes.
Santa Cruz surged past two defenders and when Stephen Carr stuck out a leg to tackle, he only diverted the ball into Bentley's path.
The Rovers winger needed just one touch to dispatch his shot past Given from 18 yards, showing admirable technique to get his foot over the ball and send it low and hard into the bottom left-hand corner.
Brett Emerton then struck the post and Jason Roberts had a shot blocked as Rovers poured forward looking for a third goal.
It finally arrived in injury time. Substitute Roberts was denied by Given but Tugay was on hand to steer the rebound into an empty net. Three goals conceded by Newcastle to Liverpool last weekend. Three more goals yesterday.Now, that is vicious.
11°c
1°c
