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NEWCASTLE UNITED 0
ASTON VILLA 0
Premier League
St.James' Park
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Kick-off 5.15pm
Craig Hope reports from St.James' Park ...
MATCH REPORT
NEWCASTLE United were held to a goalless draw in their first home game of the new season against Aston Villa.
Both teams had chances to win the game, but the Magpies have Steve Harper to thank for a couple of brilliant saves to deny the visitors.
The first of those came as early as the 10th minute when the Easington-born stopper kept the ball out with his chest from Martin Laursen's point blank header from Ashley Young's corner.
And Harps was at full-stretch on the hour mark to tip Nigel Reo-Coker's curling effort around the post when it had looked destined to nestle in the bottom corner.
David Rozehnal had the best chance for the Geordies but his stinging left-footed half-volley was fisted away by Villa debutant Scott Carson.
Michael Owen was unable to inspire a black and white winner after his introduction in the second period, while Cacapa became the club's 1,000th player as he replaced skipper Geremi in the closing stages.
SECOND HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest)
It's all over as the first game of the new season at St.James' Park ends goalless.
The fourth official announces three minutes added time.
90min - Cacapa becomes the 1,000th player to represent Newcastle United as he replaces Geremi.
87min - Reo-Coker is booked for throwing the ball away.
87min - Barry picks out Petrov unmarked in the right channel and the Bulgarian opts to shoot first-time, luckily for the Magpies Harper is equal to it and saves comfortably.
84min - Milner looks for Ameobi on the penalty spot with a right-wing cross but Laursen gets there first to head away.
80min - Barry switches the play to Young on the right, the Villa winger has space to pick out a man and looks for skipper Barry at the far post, he is penalised for a push on Stephen Carr and United have a free-kick.
77min - Shola Ameobi replaces Mark Viduka for the hosts.
73min - Geremi tries an ambitious effort from all of 40 yards which spins wide of Carson's goal.
70min - Young's whipped cross clips off the foot of the backtracking James Milner and the ball loops up and onto the roof of Harper's net for a corner. Barry's delivery bounces high in the air off the head of Smith and it is the United midfielder who puts the ball behind for another corner as it drops. This time Young takes but Harper comes to punch clear.
68min - Craig Gardner recieves the game's first yellow card for a late, sliding challenge on Milner after the Toon winger had poked the ball clear of the tackle. Geremi's set-piece is eventually hacked clear by Reo-Coker.
66min - Luke Moore comes on for John Carew.
66min - N'Zogbia plays a short pass to Geremi in the Villa half and Barry intercepts and the visitors break at pace, the ball is worked to Young but his shot is sliced in the wet conditions and goes well wide.
63min - Michael Owen receives a rousing welcome from the Toon Army as he replaces Oba Martins.
62min - Milner checks inside Gardner on the left and whips over a teasing cross which Laursen is equal to inside the six-yard box.
60min - There's a bit of head tennis in the Villa box and Laursen's headed clearance drops for Smith who lashes goalwards first-time, the Danish centre-back is in the way however and the ball deflects wide for a corner. Geremi takes and this time it's Gardner who hacks clear. The visitors break and Reo-Coker runs at the Toon defence, he curls towards the far corner from 20 yards out and, with the ball looking likely to nestle in the bottom corner, Harper is at full-stretch to tip clear.
57min - Barry rolls a quick free-kick to Reo-Coker, the England Under-21 man takes the ball on a few yards and shoots but Nicky Butt throws himself in the way and the ball deflects wide for a corner. Barry's delivery is fisted away by Harper amid a crowd of bodies on the penalty area.
53min - Rozehnal is a little too eager to get ahead of Agbonlahor and the Villa forward spins clear, luckily for United Smith is recovering to guide the ball back to Harper who clears.
50min - Petrov has space on the right and picks out team-mate Carew at the far post who has peeled away to find space, the cross is inch perfect but Carew's first-time volley is not and he spoons his effort well wide.
47min - Smith is pushed in the back by Gardner on the left-wing and Webb awards a free-kick. Geremi's delivery for once is disappointing and eludes everyone inside the area.
The Geordies get the second period underway attacking the Gallowgate End.
FIRST HALF ACTION
It's half-time at Gallowgate and with the rain begin to fall quite heavily the teams go in goalless.
45min - The visitors have a free-kick in a promising position on the right which Barry delivers, there's a crowd of bodies in the penalty area but Nicky Butt gets there first to power his header clear.
43min - Rozehnal's high ball forward asks questions of the Villa backline and when the ball drops for Milner he crosses and Mellberg is forced to head behind. Geremi takes but his near post delivery is booted clear by Bouma.
35min - Gardner comes through the back of Martins midway inside Villa's half and the Geordies have a free-kick. Geremi takes and Viduka jumps with Laursen and the ball skims off the head of the Dane and bounces into the turf and up and over the bar for a corner. Geremi again takes and the ball misses everyone and looks like it's running away for a throw-in but Milner does to retrieve and cross deep, it drops kinldy for the unmarked Rozehnal and he connects perfectly on the half-volley, the Toon Army are on their feet and the Czech is only denied a first goal by the strong wrists of Scott Carson who fists away.
30min - Viduka splits open Villa backline with a clever ball in behind Bouma for Milner to run onto, he cuts back from the by-line for Smith and the United midfielder scuffs his effort and Villa clear. The visitors break up the right and Agbonlahor tries to go past N'Zogbia on the edge of the area, the Frenchman does well to get a foot on the ball but it rebounds off Nicky Butt and falls kindly for Agbonlahor, he has just Harper to beat but horribly scuffs his shot much to the delight of the Gallowgate End - it was the best chance of the match.
27min - Milner wins another corner for the hosts as his attempted cross is charged down by Bouma. Geremi's cross is headed clear by Laursen for Villa.
25min - N'Zogbia is finding a lot of space on the left and wins a corner as his cross comes off the back of Gardner. Geremi's flag-kick is headed clear by Carew but only as far as Milner on the edge of the area, and with the Toon Army screaming 'shoot' the young winger lashes goalwards but is unlucky to see his sizzling effort dip just over the bar.
23min - United are enjoying a good spell on pressure and the ball is switched from N'Zogbia on the left all the way over to Milner in space on the opposite flank, he crosses and even though the ball is behind Viduka the Aussie tries the spectacular but unfortunately is unable to connect.
19min - Young sends over a free-kick from the left, but skipper Barry can't get any direction on his header and United have a goal-kick.
16min - Carr pumps a free-kick deep into the area, the ball drops for Milner but the young winger sees it late and is unable to control.
13min - Carr almost catches Villa's backline out with a straight ball forward, but Milner is unable to get on the end of it and the ball runs through to Carson.
10min - Agbonlahor runs at Rozehnal and the Czech star does well to tackle inside the area and the ball runs out for a corner. Young sends over a dipping delivery which Laursen runs onto at full pelt, it takes a great instinctive save from Harper to deny the Dane and it's a real let-off for United.
9min - Carew stings the palms of Harper at the other end with a vicious 25-yard drive which the keeper pushes over the bar. Young swings it in deep but Laursen is penalised for a shove on Butt.
8min - The Magpies break and Martins runs at Bouma in the right channel, the Dutchman manages to get a toe on the ball and concedes another corner. Geremi takes this time and Carew heads away for Villa.
7min - There's a bit of panic at the back for United as Young's low cross quirms its way into the six-yard box, Taylor is on hand to guide the ball back to Harper who can only half clear. The ball is worked to Gardner in the right-back position and his deep cross is met by the head of Carew but his effort goes over.
5min - Carew manages to work an opening on the right as he spins away from N'Zogbia, the Frenchman recovers to deflect his cross and Geremi completes the clearance.
1min - It's a corner for the Geordies inside 20 seconds as Smith robs Petrov from the kick-off, Geremi feeds Smith a return ball and Laursen is forced to concede the flag-kick. N'Zogbia's near post delivery lacks height and is hacked away by Bouma.
Aston Villa get the game underway attacking the Gallowgate End with the atmosphere absolutely electric inside St.James' Park.
TEAM NEWS
NEWCASTLE United keep the same team which won at Bolton last weekend for Saturday's visit of Aston Villa to St.James' Park.
Michael Owen (thigh) returns to the Magpies bench with Nobby Solano making way.
That means Oba Martins, James Milner and Mark Viduka will again form a three-pronged attack for United with skipper Geremi, Alan Smith and Nicky Butt in central midfield.
Steven Taylor celebrates his senior England call-up with a place at the heart of the black and white backline alongside David Rozehnal.
Cacapa could become the 1,000th player to represent the club if he comes from the bench this afternoon.
And the game marks home debuts for Smith, Viduka, Rozehnal and Geremi as well as Sam Allardyce's first competitive match at Gallowgate.
Martin O'Neill's hands a debut to on loan goalkeeper Scott Carson, with Cacapa's former Lyon team-mate John Carew starting in attack for Villa.
TEAMS
NUFC: Steve Harper, Stephen Carr, Charles N'Zogbia, David Rozehnal, Steven Taylor, Geremi, Nicky Butt, Alan Smith, James Milner, Oba Martins, Mark Viduka
Subs: Cacapa, Michael Owen, Peter Ramage, Shola Ameobi, Fraser Forster
AVFC: Scott Carson, Wilfred Bouma, Olof Mellberg, Martin Laursen, Gareth Barry, Ashley Young, John Carew, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Stilian Petrov, Nigel Reo-Coker, Craig Gardner
Subs: Luke Moore, Marlon Harewood, Stuart Taylor, Gary Cahil, Shaun Maloney
Referee: Howard Webb
Attendance: 51, 049
