FULHAM 0
NEWCASTLE UNITED 1
Premier League
Craven Cottage
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Kick off 5.15pm

Craig Hope reports from Craven Cottage ...

MATCH REPORT

JOEY Barton scored an injury-time penalty to give Newcastle United their first away win since the opening day of the season.

It was the midfielder's first goal for the Geordies and his first competitive strike since scoring on the same ground for Man City on April 9.

The game had seemed destined for a goalless draw until referee Howard Webb pointed to the spot in the 91st minute after Alan Smith was tripped by Fulham defender Elliot Omozusi.

Barton showed no hesitation to step up and confidently slot the ball past Anti Niemi in front of the 4,000 travelling members of the Toon Army in the Putney End.

Barton had gone close to breaking the deadlock in a largely forgetable first-half but saw his close range header kept out by Niemi.

Things improved slighlty after the break as both teams went in search of a winner, Nicky Butt, like team-mate Barton, seeing his header saved by the Finnish stopper.

But United eventually got their reward as Barton's spot-kick made it back-to-back victories for Big Sam's boys and moved them back into the top half of the table. 

SECOND HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest)

90+1min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (0-1): Alan Smith is tripped by the sliding Omozusi inside the area and Howard Webb points to the spot. JOEY BARTON grabs the ball and steps up to slot home past Anti Niemi for his first goal since April 9 on the very same ground.

90min - The Fulham fans appeal for a penalty as Dempsey runs into Cacapa inside the area but Howard Webb rightly waves away the appeals.

85min - Barton gets away down the right and digs out a cross looking for Smith's run at the near post, Hughes arrives on the scene for the hosts to bravely head away.

83min - Alan Smith loses possession on the left and is robbed by Bouazza, he crosses for the far post where Cacapa has to be brave to win from Kuqi and collides with the woodwork in doing so.

82min - Dempsey wins a corner off N'Zogbia but Fulham waste the flag-kick and United clear.

81min - Fulham break down the right and Dempsey's far post ball is half cleared by Beye with Bouazza closing in before Butt hacks away.

77min - Viduka replaces Martins and United have a free-kick on the left. Milner's deep cross evades everyone but is turned back across goal by Rozehnal from the by-line, the ball is begging to be turned in but runs away from danger and Fulham clear. Emre scyths down Healy from the clearance and is booked.

77min - United fail to deal with a hopeful punt into the area and Murphy tries a pot shot from the loose ball, the effort lacks height and Given claims with ease.

73min - Bouazza works a yard to the right of Beye to cross from the left-hand touchline, it's a wicked ball which Cacapa does brilliantly to cut out at the near post, Newcastle can't fully clear and the ball is forced behind amid a crowd of bodies in the penalty area. Davies takes but after a game of head tennis inside the box Cacapa hacks behind for another flag-kick. This time Dempsey heads well over from Davies' cross. Shefki Kuqi replaces Steven Davis before play restarts.

68min - United have another free-kick, Milner's left-wing centre is only cleared as far as Emre who slips it to his right to N'Zogbia, he rides the challenge of Davis but sadly for the Magpies his 20-yard shot flies high into the Toon Army behind the goal.

66min - Emre sends a whipped free-kick into the area from deep, Butt has escaped his marker and heads at goal from eight yards out, Niemi stops the effort and pounces on the loose ball with Milner closing in - it was a real chance for United.

61min - Emre drives United forward and feeds Martins, he has two defenders in close attendance but manages to back-heel into the path of Milner, the young winger bursts into the area and looks for Smith with a low cross towards the near post, Stefanovic is tracking the skipper's run and cuts out the delivery before Bocanegra clears.

60min - Davies sweeps a lovely ball out to the left for Bouazza, the Toon backline are stretched but the Algerian's cross is turned behind by Beye at the near post. The Magpies clear the resulting corner.

59min - Emre replaces skipper Geremi with Alan Smith taking the armband.

57min - Davis' header causes confusion in United's defence and Healy capitalises, the Northern Irish striker decides to shoot first time from 20 yards out but his effort is straight at Given.

55min - Healy slips a pass inside for Bouazza who tries to cross, Butt is sliding to challenge and the ball spins in the air, Given thinks he's prevented the corner but Howard Webb disagrees and awards the flag-kick. Again it's worked short and Bocanegra's header from Davies' centre is saved by Given on his goal-line.

52min - Hughes' wayward header almost lets in Martins, Stefanovic does well to nick in ahead of the Nigerian and steers the ball back to Niemi.

51min - Rozehnal fouls Dempsey 35 yards out. Davis rolls the ball to Bouazza but his strike is high, wide and not very handsome and ends up in the stands.

49min - Healy wins from Cacapa in the air with his flick finding its way to Davies on the right, he crosses looking for Dempsey but Beye climbs above the American to head away for a corner. Fulham work it short and Bouazza crosses, N'Zogbia clears but Fulham are unable to return the ball into the danger zone much to the annoyance of the home crowd.

46min - United lose possession and Bouazza runs at Beye and Geremi on the left, the Algerian darts in-between their combined challenge and takes aim for Given's goal, the deflected effort spins across the target but luckily for the Magpies evades the upright by a matter of inches.

The unchanged Magpies get the second half underway attacking the Putney End where the Toon Army are housed.

FIRST HALF ACTION

It's half-time at Craven Cottage with the score still goalless.

45min - Geremi hooks a ball forward and Martins has stole a march on Hughes, it looks as though he's clean through on Niemi's goal but the Fulham skipper does very well to recover and guides the ball back to his keeper.

43min - Geremi swings over from the right, Hughes jumps with Martins to head clear but the ball only runs as far as N'Zogbia who has a crack from 25 yards, the effort is weak and Niemi is able to save low to his left with relative ease.

41min - Milner crosses from the left looking for the run of Martins at the far post, Niemi is under pressure from the Nigerian but does well to claim inside the six-yard area.

37min - Murphy is late on Rozehnal 30 yards out and Webb blows for a free-kick. N'Zogbia whips over from the right, Rozehnal looks favourite to get there but there is slighlty too much height on the delivery and the ball bounces away for a goal-kick.

36min - Bouazza has the ball on the left and crosses for the far post, N'Zogbia does well to read the delivery and gets there in front of Healy before Barton completes the clearance.

33min - Barton does well to feed Milner on the left, without beating his man the winger digs out a cross which Stefanovic heads away.

29min - Dempsey has possession deep inside United's half and spins to work an opening for a shot, but the American's 25-yard effort is always drawing wide of Given's upright.

26min - N'Zogbia is felled on the left and Geremi's whipped free-kick is headed behind by Stefanovic. Geremi's delivery is caught right underneath his crossbar by Niemi.

25min - Bouazza cuts in from the left but makes a complete mess of his 25-yard shot and puts it high in the stands - much to the displeasure of the home fans.

23min - Milner's wild lunge is penalised by Howard Webb and Fulham have a free-kick on the left. Bouazza's low delivery is headed away by a stooping Alan Smith.

21min - Fulham work an angle on the right but Rozehnal is able to clear Davies' low cross at the near post.

19min - Smith plays a great ball for Martins to scamper after on the right, the Nigerian decides to check inside rather than go for goal and the chance is wasted when Butt slices a pass behind for a goal-kick.

17min - Smith hooks a ball forward for Martins to chase but Hughes deals with the situation and heads back to Niemi.

15min - Butt switches play to Milner, he twists inside and out of Omozusi and crosses deep, Barton gets there first and sees his header saved by the legs of Niemi on the goal-line before Davis pokes behind for a corner. N'Zogbia's cross is only half cleared and Cacapa decides to have a pop from all of 35 yards but screws it well wide.

12min - Geremi is robbed of possession in midfield, Cacapa does well to block Davies' throughball but the Welsh winger gets a second chance, this time he slips in Healy who tries to chip Given, the Irish stopper back pedals before tipping wide. Barton and Beye combine to clear Davies' corner but it only goes as far as Bouazza who immediately returns the ball, the United defenders have stopped thinking Davies is offside but the flag stays down, Given races from his line to slide and claim and looks as if he's taken the ball outside of the area, the home crowd appeal for a free-kick but Howard Webb waves away the protests and Given punts away for a throw-in.

11min - Hughes comes through the back of Alan Smith on halfway but N'Zogbia's free-kick lacks direction and is easily cleared.

8min - The Magpies have another left-wing corner and Geremi's delivery is headed behind at the near post by Davies. The skipper takes but Fulham clear amid a crowd of bodies on the penalty spot.

7min - Beye and Martins combine on the right before slipping it wide for the overlapping Rozehnal, he tries to find Martins on the edge of the area but it's Stefanovic who again thwarts United to clear.

5min - N'Zogbia tries to force his way into the box but is stopped in his tracks by Stefanovic who's screwed clearance goes behind for a left-wing corner. Geremi takes and Davies slices behind at the near post for another flag-kick. Geremi swings in and Barton is unable to get his head on the delivery before Dempsey hacks away.

4min - Nicky Butt hooks a ball towards the far corner of the penalty area looking for James Milner but Stefanovic heads clear.

2min - Cacapa is forced to concede a throw-in on the left-flank after a clever ball from David in-behind the Toon backline, Fulham work it short but Omozusi over-runs the ball and United have a goal-kick.

The 4,000-strong travelling members of the Toon Army are making some noise as Fulham get the game underway attacking the Putney End.

TEAM NEWS

SAM Allardyce makes one change to the side which beat Birmingham City at St.James' Park last weekend with Steven Taylor missing out because of injury.

That means a recall for Brazilian defender Claudio Cacapa after six weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring problem.

The Magpies are again set to start in a 4-3-3 formation with James Milner, Oba Martins and Alan Smith forming a three-pronged attack.

Joey Barton starts in midfield on the ground where he scored his last competitive goal for Man City back in April.

While former United star Aaron Hughes skippers the home side.

TEAMS

FFC: Anti Niemi, Carlos Bocanegra, Dejan Stefanovic, David Healy, Steven Davis, Aaron Hughes (c), Elliot Omozusi, Clint Dempsey, Hameur Bouazza, Simon Davies, Danny Murphy
Subs: Tony Warner, Seol Ki-Hyeon, Alexey Smertin, Shefki Kuqi, Chris Baird

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

Referee: Howard Webb
Attendance: 24, 959

FACTS AND FIGURES

Newcastle @ Fulham - Premiership years

2006/07: 1-2 Martins
2005/06: 0-1
2004/05: 3-1 Ambrose, Kluivert, Ameobi
2003/04: 3-2 Robert, Shearer 2
2002/03: 1-2 Shearer
2001/02: 1-3 Speed

Fulham;

Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 13th
Lowest could fall: 18th

1. Picked up one point out of 12 from a 2-2 draw, home to Blackburn on 25 November.

2. Failed to score in three of the last four.

3. In danger of suffering three successive losses for the first time in 20 outings, since losing to Everton (a), Manchester City (h) and Reading (a) between 6 and 14 April; the last of those three was Lawrie Sanchez' first game in charge.

4. Won three of 21 Premier League matches under Sanchez; just two in 16 this season.

5. The current total of 13 points is their lowest ever return after the first 16 games of a Premier League season; eclipsing the point a game tally recorded in the 2005-06 season, when they eventually finished 12th.

6. Conceded 81% of their league goals in the second half; 22 of 27.

7. The Premier League's draw specialists; seven of 16.

8. Cannot close out games. Lost the lead eight times in league matches this season and beaten in three games in which they held the lead; against Arsenal (a), Middlesbrough (h) and Aston Villa (a). Dropped 17 Premier League points from winning positions. Only Spurs have an inferior record, having squandered 19 points in similar fashion.

9. Both league victories have come at Craven Cottage. The most recent, 3-1 against Reading on 3 November, is their only maximum in seven at home.

10. The remaining matches this year include a home game with Wigan, a Boxing Day derby at Tottenham, and another away game at Birmingham, before the New Year's Day lunchtime west London showdown with Chelsea at the Cottage.

Newcastle;

1. Won six, draw four and lost six of 16 league games under Sam Allardyce.

2. Gone 12 league games without keeping a clean sheet, since the 1-0 home win over Wigan on 1 September. Only managed two shut-outs all season; no club has kept fewer in this Premier League campaign.

3. Failed to score in one of their last 11 league outings; the 0-3, home defeat by Liverpool on 24 November.

4. Not won in six on their league travels, picking up just two points out of 18 since the opening day 1-3 victory at Bolton on 11 August.

5. Scored one goal in each of the last four on the road.

6. Not kept a clean sheet on their league travels for over 13 months, failing to keep the opposition at bay in 20 games since a goalless draw at Manchester City on 11 November 2006.

7. Won just one of their last six Premier League visits to London over 13 months; the 2-3 triumph at Tottenham on 14 January.

8. The remaining matches this year include a home game with Derby, a Boxing Day visit to Wigan, and another away trip to Chelsea, before entering 2008 with a home clash against Manchester City on 2 January.

REF WATCH

Howard Webb - Third time the Yorkshire based official has taken charge of Toon fixture this term - goalless draw at home to Aston Villa and 2-0 Carling Cup defeat at Arsenal being the other two games.

TICKET NEWS

More than 4,000 Geordies are expected inside Craven Cottage with tickets still available on the day from turnstiles 5 & 6 at the Putney End.

NEWCASTLE WORLD

World will be bringing you full match commentary as well as post-match interviews and video highlights after Saturday's game at Craven Cottage ... Click below to join our growing band of Toon fans signing up to World for just £17.99 all season long ...