Shipshape and Bristol fashion? Bristol City 2-2 Newcastle United.
Posted on March 20th, 2010 | 274 Comments |
Some of you may be aware that my wife follows Portsmouth, yet she was there cheering even louder than I was when the ball hit the back of the net for the away side, perhaps through sheer relief that I may not be a moody git this weekend after all, although I claim it’s because I’m turning her into a Newcastle United fan. It’s frustrating, the 2,200 travelling fans looked like having very little return on their 600 mile investment, but yet again they head home happy.
With the only real team news for Newcastle being that Peter Lovenkrands had somewhat expectedly missed out due to his calf strain with Leon Best replacing him, the attention turned to the match. A full house at Ashton Gate and a pre-match display of support for the cities World Cup bid ensured the fans were in fine voice. Buoyed on by said fans and no doubt also by caretaker manager Keith Millen it was the home side who started off the brightest.
The home teams closing down play and hassling very nearly paid off in just the 3rd minute as striker Nicky Maynard glanced a header onto the roof of the net. Several more chances followed and on 10 minutes a soft free kick was awarded against Wayne Routledge who was adjudged to have pushed Cole Skuse whose dramatic, just been hit by a bus falling over may have swayed the decision. Nicky Maynard slammed the free-kick towards goal only for Steve Harper to parry out to the on-rushing Lewin Nyatanga to slot home amidst a static defence, 1-0 to the home team.
A lead that was deserved although with only 10 miutes on the clock there was always a feeling that Newcastle had plenty of time to turn things around, a feeling that the players must have shared as time and again we were caught in possesion, giving away possesion and making sloppy passes. Despite that, Andy Carroll nearly equalised from a corner on 18 minutes, his header just clearing the top of the goal. And it was Newcastle who had the next half chance, Leon Best failing to hit a volley with any conviction which was subsequently cleared. This was more like it, despite never looking convincing we were coming back into the the game and Kevin Nolan was unlucky not to grab the equaliser when his header was collected by Bristol City ‘keeper Dean Gerken who was in the right place at the right time.
The just before half-time, disaster. A quick 60 yard clearance from former Toon player Bradley Orr gave Nicky Maynard a lost casue to chase onto. Maynard got there ahead of Danny Simpson, cut inside and cracked a superb shot from the corner of the penalty area past Steve Harper and in off the post. 2-0. Danny Guthrie could have quickly got one back just before the half-time whistle only to see his shot blocked on the line after rounding the keeper. It really wasn’t looking like it was to be our day and the 2-0 half-time scoreline combined with abject performances across the pitch seemed to echo this.
The second half started in much the same vein as the first, with Bristol City harrassing the Newcastle players. Evander Sno was next to have a pop for the home side though his powerful shot was straight at Harper who saved comfortably. Newcastle then lost Fitz Hall through injury on 51 minutes who was replaced with Hungarian Tamas Kadar, a move which nearly paid dividends as the Hungarian decided to crack a low shot from fully 35 yards that the Bristol City keeper had to deal with. Newcastle were starting to build up a head of steam with a succession of corners causing confusion amongst the Bristol City backline, a backline that was holding firm and you could sense that it was either going to take something special or a horrendous mistake for us to get back in the game.
Those prayers were answered on 69 minutes as City stopper Gerken bowled the ball out to the Bristol City left back only for Jonas Gutierrez to nick the ball and have a free run on goal. The Argentine finished smartly, drawing the keeper out before rounding him and slotting into an empty net. A goal out of the blue which turned the game, and quickly. Just 4 minutes later Wayne Routledge fed the ball from the left into Andy Carroll who finished superbly to level the scores and spark a mini pitch invasion from the travelling Toon Army.
Bristol City looked visibly deflated, all that hard work gone to waste. From then on there was only ever going to be one winner and Newcastle spurned chances to snatch the points out the hands of Bristol City. It wasn’t to be though and the match finished 2-2, a fine result on reflection of the game.
Yet again it was another display of just why it looks like we are going up. The ability to battle back and gain points out of nothing, the never say die attitude of the players. Whilst these lads we have may not be world-beaters, they play with heart and play for the shirt, something that a few of our stars could learn a few things from. Andy Carroll just keeps getting better and better. I was watching him closely and he is improving at a rapid rate. His lay-off and hold-up play in particular have come on in leaps and bounds recently.
Howay the lads!
Bristol City: Gerken, Orr, McAllister, Carey, Ribiero, Nyatanga, Elliot, Skuse, Hartley, Maynard, Haynes.
Subs: Johnson, Clarkson, Akinde, Sproule, Sno, Henderson, Maierhoffer.
Newcastle Utd: Harper, Simpson, Hall, Coloccini, Enrique, Routledge, Guthrie, Nolan, Routledge, Carroll, Best.
Subs: Krul, Taylor, Butt, Ranger, Kadar, Pancrate, Donaldson.
Attendance: 19,144 (including 2,159 mags).
NUFCBlog Author: toonsy
toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.
NUFCELITE!Are u a newcastle fan! If you are you are a very stupid 1