NEWCASTLE UNITED 2
BIRMINGHAM CITY 1
Premier League
St.James' Park
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Kick-off 3pm

Craig Hope reports from St.James' Park

MATCH REPORT

SENEGAL star Habib Beye was Newcastle United's hero as his first goal for the club snatched a late victory for Sam Allardyce's side.

The game seemed destined for a draw until the 29-year-old popped up at the near post in the 90th minute to head home Emre's corner to spark mass celebration inside a rain-soaked St.James' Park.

Just like on Wednesday night against league leaders Arsenal, the Magpies had to show character to bounce back after conceding an early goal.

This time it was former Cardiff youngster Cameron Jerome who capitalised upon David Rozehnal's hesitancy before rounding Shay Given and slotting into an empty net.

The Geordies refused to buckle and, with the backing of the Toon Army, went in search of an equaliser.

James Milner and Joey Barton both went close before Oba Martins (37) restored parity.

Mat Sadler felled the Nigerian inside the area with Rob Styles showing no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

The Toon No.9 dusted himself down before firing left-footed into the Blues net via the hand of Taylor and the woodwork for his seventh of the season.

Man-of-the-match Milner was then denied twice in the space of a minute by Taylor, first seeing his close range volley pushed over the bar before the Northern Irish stopper palmed the young winger's 20-yard shot onto the crossbar from the resulting corner.

Birmingham were argubaly the better side after the break and went close through Larsson just before the hour mark.

The home side had a good penalty shout waved away in the 88th minute - Jerome handling from Emre's free-kick - and the game had seemed destined to end all square.

However, Toon new boy Beye had other ideas and his last gasp header will surely make him the toast of Tyneside tonight.

SECOND HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest)

90+2min - The Blues are pressing for an equaliser but waste a free-kick as Sadler sends the ball straight out of play for a goal-kick.

90+1min - Jose Enrique replaces Oba Martins as the Magpies play for time.

89min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-1): Emre takes a corner from the left-flank and HABIB BEYE dashes in at the near post to head into the ground and up into the roof of Taylor's net for what could be a dramatic late winner.

88min - Muamba trips N'Zogbia as he tries to force his way into the penalty area and it's a free-kick in a good position. Emre takes and the ball clatters into the wall amid a big penalty shout from the Turk and the home crowd, it's all on eyes on Rob Styles as he waves away the protests - TV replays clearly show the ball struck the arm of Jerome.

86min - The visitors have a corner as Kapo's left-wing cross clips the foot of Beye and drifts behind. Larsson takes but Beye makes amends as he clears from Forssell's knockdown.

83min - Martins turns inside Kelly in the penalty area and takes aim for the far post, his right-footed curler looks destined for Taylor's net but the Blues stopper manages to dive and palm away.

82min - Barton concedes a corner on the left which Larsson takes, Rozehnal clears but only as far as the Swede who immediately returns into the area, this time the Magpies do clear.

80min - Larsson is booked for dissent following a Ridgewell foul on Martins.

79min - Liam Ridgewell has popped up on the right-wing and wins a corner from the sliding challenge of N'Zogbia. Kapo takes from the right but Jerome can't direct his header on target and United have a goal-kick.

78min - Barton loses possession on halfway and in his frustration trips Cameron Jerome for which he receives a yellow card.

76min - Mikael Forssell replaces Daniel De Ridder.

75min - Milner is driving the Magpies forward and he slips a pass into the area for Martins, the Nigerian has Schmitz in close attention but swivels to get a shot away, the left-footed effort is always rising and ends up high in the Gallowgate End.

71min - Geremi is replaced by Emre.

69min - Viduka's clever turn creates space 30 yards out, the Aussie star swaps passes with Smith and the ball is worked wide for Barton, he tries to force his way into the area and wins a corner off Kelly in doing so. N'Zogbia takes and Birmingham can only half clear, the ball drops to Barton but his first time shot is blocked by the sliding Nafti.

65min - N'Zogbia crosses low from the left and the ball skids right across the face of goal, but again, unfortunately for the Magpies, there is no-one to turn the delivery home and the Blues survive.

63min - Barton gets around Kelly in the right full-back position and bursts along the Blues by-line, the United midfielder decides to chip for the far post but the ball evades both Smith and Viduka and runs away to safety.

62min - Olivier Kapo replaces Gary McSheffrey.

56min - Milner tries to get the Magpies going and darts in from the left flank, the young winger has worked a yard for a shot in-between Kelly and Schmitz, the balls skids up off the surface but evades both the dive of Taylor and his far post.

53min - The Blues have started the second period much the stronger of the two sides and Jerome burns by Taylor on the left, the goalscorer cuts back looking for the arriving McSheffrey but Rozehnal has read the situation and slides to concede a corner. Larsson takes but Given is able to claim at his near post.

50min - Birmingham have possession on the left and work an angle for Larsson after a neat interchange between the Swede and Cameron Jerome, the winger advances into the area and manages to get a snap shot away, luckily for United the effort draws wide of Given's upright - it was a good opening.

48min - Muamba has a go from all of 25 yards with Rozehnal in close attention, the shot is always rising and easily clears Given's crossbar.

Birmingham get the second period underway attacking the Leazes End with the rain still lashing down at St.James' Park.

FIRST HALF ACTION

It's half-time at St.James' with the score level - 1-1.

44min - McSheffrey wins a corner off Taylor and takes the resulting flag-kick, the ball boucnes around the penalty area before Given plucks Larsson's looped header from the air.

41min - The Magpies should be in front! James Milner gets on the end of another wicked N'Zogbia delivery but somehow Maik Taylor manages to push the winger's close range volley up and over the bar. N'Zogbia takes from the right and the Blues can only half clear as far as Milner lurking 20 yards out, he takes a touch before arrowing a right-footed strike for Taylor's top corner, again though the Northern Irish stopper denies the England Under-21 star and palms the stinging effort onto the crossbar and the Blues clear the loose ball.

39min - Given is called into action at the other end and does well to save low from Jerome's shot-on-the-turn.

37min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-1): N'Zogbia's shot is blocked inside the six-yard area with the ball spinning free for Martins, Sadler slides to deny the Nigerian a clear strike on goal but trips the United forward in doing so and Rob Styles points to the spot. It is MARTINS who steps up to fire into the net via the diving Taylor and a post for his seventh of the season.

35min - N'Zogbia is next to have the home crowd on their feet as his 25-yard, left-foot strike flies just inches wide of Taylor's right-hand upright.

32min - Martins digs out a cross from the right with Barton arriving at speed in the penalty area, the United ace gets his head to the ball first but Ridgewell has recovered to block the goalbound effort.

31min - Nicky Butt looks to be carrying an injury and is replaced by Mark Viduka.

28min - The Geordies are searching for that much-coveted leveller and James Milner is next to have a go, the young winger skipping by the challenge of Ridgewell on the edge of the area before seeing a low drive skid wide of Taylor's far post - it's an effort which brings a cry of "There's only one James Milner" from the Gallowgate terraces.

26min - Newcastle have a free-kick on the right after Beye is fouled by McSheffrey. N'Zogbia goes over to take and whips a delightful cross into a crowded penalty area, the ball whistles through bodies before being turned goalwards by Martins from point blank range, somehow a combination of Maik Taylor a Stephen Kelly keep the Nigerian's effort out and the visitors hack clear - that was a real let-off for Birmingham.

21min - It's head tennis inside Birmingham's area with the ball eventually dropping for Geremi who sees a 20-yard strike deflected wide. The skipper takes the resulting corner before Sadler hacks behind for another flag-kick on the opposite flank. This time it's N'Zogbia who dashes across to the East Stand touchline to take but his high delivery is easily gathered by Maik Taylor.

18min - Milner wins the Magpies first corner of the game and takes the flag-kick himself, it's damgerous and beats the first man before zipping through a crowded six-yard box, Rozehnal dives to head against the post but Styles has seen an infringement and the visitors have a free-kick.

16min - N'Zogbia and Milner combine on the left with the England Under-21 winger ultimately crossing from deep, the ball skids up off the surface and is difficult for Ridgewell to deal with, Smith tries to take advantage and there are shouts for a penalty as he goes down under the Blues skipper's challenge but Rob Styles waves the protests away - it would've been harsh had it been given.

12min - Butt tries to get Martins away with a chip into the Blues penalty area, Rafael Schmitz is backtracking for the visitors to head clear, it was an important interception as Martins would have been clean through.

8min - BIRMINGHAM GOAL (0-1): Liam Ridgewell plays a straight ball forward from deep which skids up off the surface, David Rozehnal is tracking the run of CAMERON JEROME but is unable to cut out the pass and the Blues striker is one-on-one with Given, the former Cardiff youngster takes a touch before rounding the Irish stopper and slotting into an empty net.

7min - Both sides are struggling with the wet conditions and there have been a lot of wasteful passes from either team.

3min - Milner tries to work an angle for a cross on the right but sees his delivery deflect back off his own shins and behind for a goal-kick.

The raining is lashing down at a noisy Gallowgate as the Geordies get the game underway attacking the Leazes End.

TEAM NEWS

SAM Allardyce names an unchanged starting XI for Saturday's clash with Alex McLeish's Birmingham City.

That means the players which came within a whisker of inflicting Arsenal's first defeat of the season on Wednesday night will again take to the Gallowgate turf as United look to get back to winning ways on home soil.

Big Sam also names the same five substitutes with Abdoulaye Faye (calf) and Stephen Carr (hamstring) still out.

While Michael Owen (thigh) remains sidelined along with long-term absentees Peter Ramage (knee) and Celestine Babayaro (hamstring).

Birmingham are without club captain Damien Johnson as he continues his comeback from a hamstring lay-off.

Midfielder Gary McSheffrey has a minor hip injury but has recovered in time, while forward Garry O'Connor (groin) returns to the bench.

TEAMS

NUFC: Shay Given, Habib Beye, Charles N'Zogbia, Steven Taylor, David Rozehnal, Nicky Butt, Joey Barton, Geremi (c), James Milner, Alan Smith, Oba Martins
Subs: Steve Harper, Jose Enrique, David Edgar, Emre, Mark Viduka

BCFC: Maik Taylor, Stephen Kelly, Mathew Sadler, Rafael Schmitz, Liam Ridgwell (c), Sebastian Larsson, Cameron Jerome, Gary McSheffrey, Mehdi Nafti, Daniel De Ridder, Fabrice Muamba
Subs: Colin Doyle, Garry O'Connor, Mikael Forssell, Stuart Parnaby, Olivier Kapo

Referee: Rob Styles
Attendance: 49, 948

FACTS AND FIGURES

Blues @ SJP - Premiership years

2006/07: 1-5 Milner (FA Cup)
2005/06: 1-0 Emre
2004/05: 2-1 Ameobi, Bowyer
2003/04: 0-1
2002/03: 1-0 Viana

Newcastle;

1. Claimed two points out of the last available 18, since the 3-1 home win over Tottenham on 22 October.

2. Completed 11 league games since a clean sheet; 1-0, home to Wigan on 1 September - only their second shut-out of this league campaign.

3. Conceded 12 goals in five Premier League matches.

4. Failed to score in one of 10 league games; the 0-3 loss, home to Liverpool on 24 November.

5. One of two clubs yet to be awarded or to concede a penalty in Premier League competition this season. The other is Middlesbrough.

6. Unbeaten in five home Premier League matches against Midlands' clubs.

7. One draw shy of 3,500 points from top-flight football.

8. Only two clubs have left St James' Park with maximum points so far this season; Portsmouth, 1-4 on 3 November, and Liverpool 0-3 on 24 November.

9. Two pre-Christmas matches follow this, away to Fulham, and home to Derby.

Birmingham;

1. Holding a 100% record under Alex McLeish following last Sunday's 2-3 win at Tottenham.

2. Not recorded back-to-back wins in the Premier League in 71 matches since registering four on the spin on 28 December 2004.

3. Their four wins this season have come against bottom five clubs; Derby (a), Bolton (h), Wigan (h) and Tottenham (a).

4. Lost nine times; only the bottom two, Wigan and Derby, have been beaten more often - 10 and 11 respectively.

5. Completed eight league games since keeping a clean sheet; 0-0 at Liverpool on 22 September.

6. Conceded two goals in each of the last three outings.

7. The two pre-Christmas fixtures are against Reading (h) and Bolton (a).

REF WATCH

Rob Styles - First time this season that the Hampshire official has presided over a United fixture - the last time was at Vicarage Road on the final day of last season with a Kieron Dyer goal helping the managerless Magpies to a 1-1 draw.

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