News
NEWCASTLE UNITED 1
WIGAN ATHLETIC 0
Premier League
St.James' Park
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Kick-off 3pm
Craig Hope reports from St.James' Park ...
MATCH REPORT
MICHAEL Owen was Newcastle United's match-winner as his late header snatched a 1-0 victory for the Magpies on an afternoon when they bombarded the Wigan goal.
It had seemed like United were heading for their second consecutive goalless draw in the Premiership at St.James' Park until Owen popped up to convert Oba Martins' cross with just three minutes left on the clock.
Wigan were reduced to ten men just after the break, Kevin Kilbane shown a second yellow-card after an aerial challenge with Alan Smith.
And the hosts remained camped out in Wigan's half for the remainder of the game, Nicky Butt having the best chance to break the deadlock but he blazed over from 12 yards when one-one-one with Kirkland in the 73rd minute.
The Magpies had two goals chalked-off - Owen in the first-half and then Taylor in the second both denied by offside flags.
But it was Owen who had a great chance to open the scoring as early as the 8th minute, but Kirkland managed to tip the England striker's effort just inches around the post..
Butt saw a header clawed from the line by the Latics on 44 minutes and Taylor rattled the crossbar with a bullet header right on half-time.
But it was Owen who grabbed all three points for the black and whites with his second goal in as many games at the Gallowgate End.
SECOND HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest)
It's all over at St.James' and Michael Owen's late header is enough to earn all three points for the Magpies.
The fourth official announces five minutes added time.
90min - N'Zogbia goes into the book for a late challenge on Brown after he had over-ran the ball. From Brown's free-kick Harper is brave and challenges with Heskey, the Toon stopper gets there first but is clattered by the Wigan forward and ends up in a heap in his six-yard-box. Harps receives treatment from the medical staff but is quickly back on his feet and Newcastle have a free-kick.
87min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-0) At last! Bramble fails to clear and Taylor collects midway inside Wigan's half, he is quick to feed Martins on the right and the striker crosses towards the near post where MICHAEL OWEN has got in front of his man to head beyond Kirkland for his second goal in as many games.
85min - Taylor lands heavily after challenging with Heskey and receives treatment from United's medical staff.
82min - Butt chips in Shola but he is well marshalled by Granqvist and the Swede gets there to nick behind for a corner. Bramble wins N'Zogbia's deep delivery ahead of Ameobi and Wigan survive - the Geordies are throwing everything at the Latics in search of a winner.
78min - Brown is booked for an innocuous challenge on Geremi midway inside Wigan's half. From the skipper's free-kick the Magpies again have the ball in the net as Taylor blasts in from close range after Kirkland spills Owen's header, but a linesman's flag rules out the goal with Shola in an offside position from the set-play.
77min - It's another corner for the hosts as Geremi takes on left. Rozehnal challenges with Bramble at the near post but the former Toon man gets there first and is able to clear.
75min - The Magpies are quickly back on the attack and Ameobi and N'Zogbia get in each other's way in front of goal allowing Bramble to clear after Geremi had played a clever ball into the penalty area.
73min - The Magies should be in front! Ameobi tries to play-in strike partner Owen on the edge of the area, the ball bounces up off the hand of Bramble and changes direction into the path of the forward running Nicky Butt, the midfielder has a clear shot on goal from 12 yards out but blazes over with just Kirkland to beat.
69min - Milner wins a corner as he goes by Brown's challenge on the right. N'Zogbia takes and Boyce heads behind at the near post. N'Zogbia again crosses and Bent's headed clearance only goes as far as the Frenchman, he again delivers and Bramble heads away for a corner. N'Zogbia's flag-kick is challenged for at the back post by a crowd of bodies with the ball eventually bouncing behind for a goal-kick off Owen.
66min - Alan Smith is replaced by Oba Martins who receives a huge reception from the home crowd.
65min - Butt skips by the challenge of Melchiot on the left and bursts into the Latics penalty area, instead of shooting he sqaures to Owen, the striker tries to work an angle to the right of defender Granqvist but the Swede is able to block the shot from 12 yards.
62min - It looks as if the Magpies are going to be camped in the Latics half for the majority of the second period and the Toon Army are willing the black and whites on.
61min - There's another yellow card - this time it's Scharner for a rash challenge on Butt midway inside the Wigan half.
58min - Smith is late as he challenges Koumas on the left-wing and the United midfielder is unlucky to enter Bennett's book for what was a fairly harmless tackle. Koumas is replaced by Bent before the free-kick is taken from which Rozehnal clears for the hosts.
55min - Geremi tries to find Shola with a long ball forward but Granqvist gets ahead of the Toon striker, it appears that Ameobi fouls the Swede but ref Bennett waves play-on and the forward is one-on-one with Kirkland, it's a narrow angle with defenders recovering but Ameobi goes for the far corner and misses by a matter of inches - the Wigan players surround Bennett in protest and replays show they may have a point.
52min - Milner twists one way and then the other before whipping across goal from the left, Kirkland reads the delivery and collects inside his six-yard area.
48min - Heskey is shown a yellow card for dissent before Emmerson Boyce replaces Antoine Sibierski for the Latics.
46min - RED CARD (Kilbane, Wigan): Kevin Kilbane challenges with Smith in the air right in front of the dugouts and the pair clash heads - Steve Bennett reaches for a yellow card however and Kilbane is given his marching orders having been booked for a foul on Taylor in the first-half - it did seem a very harsh decision.
Mark Viduka has been replaced by Shola Ameobi as the Magpies get the second period underway attacking the Gallowgate End.
FIRST HALF ACTION
It's goalless at half-time with the home side having much the better of the play.
45+1min - Kilbane takes no chances with Milner's deep cross and concedes a corner. Geremi takes and Steven Taylor rattles Kirkland's crossbar with a powerful header from the penalty spot - it was the closest the Geordies have come to breaking the deadlock.
The fourth official announces four minutes added time.
45min - Butt is on the attack again and bursts into the Wigan penalty area before slipping the ball to his right to Viduka, the Aussie wants one too many touches however and in the end his shot is charged down by Bramble and the visitors clear.
43min - Nicky Butt comes very close to opening the scoring but his header from Taylor's right-wing cross is beat away by Kirkland on his goal-line - it was a real chance for the home side and Butt had done well to ghost in at the back post.
42min - Owen tries to slip in the overlapping Taylor on the right but he is clipped by full-back Kilbane for which the former Sunderland man enters the book. N'Zogbia delivers and Melchiot heads clear but only as far as Butt who immediately fires goalwards, his stinging shot is blocked inside the area and Milner collects the loose ball, he crosses and Smith turns the ball towards Kirkland's goal but the effort spins wide of the post.
39min - Viduka evades a couple of challenges inside Wigan's area, he overuns the ball and lunges into a challenge with Scharner on the edge of the box, the ball spins goalwards and Owen is quickest to react, Bramble manages to recover to slide and clear but it doesn't matter because the linesman's flag had already been raised.
36min - The Magpies are enjoying a spell of pressure and this time it's Smith who tries to break the deadlock as he connects with Geremi's right-wing delivery, his flashed header has too much height on it though and clears Kirkland's bar by a good few feet.
34min - Geremi sends a long throw from the right into the area, Viduka flicks on and Milner is able to work a yard for himself to shoot, there are too many bodies in the way however and Kirkland saves after a slight deflection off a Wigan defender.
32min - Wigan work space for Scharner to strike from distance but Harper is able to gather easily.
30min - Denny Landzaat is replaced by Josip Skoko.
28min - Taylor sends a hopeful ball forward looking for Michael Owen and it seems like a routine clearance for Granqvist, the Swede slips however at the crucial moment and Owen again finds himself one-on-one with Kirkland, this time he tries to lift the ball over the keeper with his left-foot but his effort clears the crossbar - it was a real let-off for Wigan and Owen should've scored.
25min - A triangle of passes between Owen, Viduka and Butt sees the United midfielder teed-up by the Aussie striker 25 yards from goal, Butt however draws his shot wide of Kirkland's goal.
22min - There's a big penalty shout as Bramble mis-controls and handles inside the area, Steve Bennett waves away the appeals when replays show it should have been a spot-kick.
19min - Taylor fouls Sibierski and the Latics have a free-kick in a very dangerous position, Koumas fires goalwards and it takes an excellent save from Steve Harper at full-stretch to prevent the visitors from taking the lead - the stop draws chants of "Harper for England" from the Toon Army. Koumas' corner is met by Melchiot and Sibierski turns the ball goalwards from six yards out, but once again Harper is in the right place and saves.
16min - Heskey chops down Milner on the Milburn Stand touchline and United have a free-kick. Geremi takes and Granqvist heads clear, N'Zogbia pumps the ball back into the area and it breaks to Milner from the head of Bramble 14 yards out, he drills a right-footed shot goalwards which deflects off Viduka and into the path of the unmarked Michael Owen at the far post, the Magpies No.10 makes no mistake from close range but is denied his second goal of the season by a linesman's flag - replays show it was the right decision.
15min - Owen and Viduka combine on halfway and the Aussie star feeds Smith on the right, it's a neat passage of play from the hosts and Smith plays a one-two with Viduka who has advanced to the edge of the area, but Smith is unable to get enough power on his first time shot and Kirkland gathers with ease.
8min - Cacapa pumps forward from deep and Viduka climbs midway inside Wigan's half to flick on, Owen has read his strike partner and finds himself through on goal with Kirkland, the Toon No.10 advances into the area and tries to side-foot into the far corner, Kirkland however is equal to it and his out-stretched left-arm diverts the ball around the post. N'Zogbia comes over to take and Heskey heads behind for another flag-kick. This time the Frenchman's delivery eludes everyone and finds Rozehnal who has crept around the back unnoticed, the ball has slightly too much speed for the Czech star and his header ends up in the Leazes End.
3min - Geremi's curling free-kick looks like all it needs is a touch to hand the Magpies the lead, Rozehnal and Cacapa challenge with Bramble on the penalty spot but Kirkland comes to claim amid a crowd of bodies.
2min - Koumas registers the game's first effort on goal with a low, left-footed drive from 25 yards which Harper gathers low to his left.
Wigan get the game underway attacking the Gallowgate End.
TEAM NEWS
MICHAEL Owen starts his first Premiership game of the season as the Geordies look to extend their unbeaten start to the campaign at home to Wigan.
The 27-year-old, who scored against Barnsley on Wednesday night in the 2-0 Carling Cup victory, replaces Oba Martins from the team that started at Boro last weekend.
Steve Harper returns after Given kept goal against the Tykes in midweek, while Steven Taylor is likely to start at right-back following the injury to Stephen Carr (hamstring) with Cacapa and David Rozehnal paired at the heart of the defence.
Charles N'Zogbia makes his 100th appearance for the club and reverts to his new left-back role having operated in midfield against Barnsley.
Antoine Sibierski and Titus Bramble both start for the Latics on their first return to St.James' Park.
TEAMS
NUFC: Steve Harper, Steven Taylor, Charles N'Zogbia, Cacapa, David Rozehnal, Alan Smith (Oba Martins 66m), Geremi, Nicky Butt, James Milner, Michael Owen, Mark Viduka (Shola Ameobi 46m)
Subs not used: Shay Given, Matty Pattison, David Edgar
WAFC: Chris Kirkland, Andreas Granqvist, Antoine Sibierski (Emmerson Boyce 48m), Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, Jason Koumas ( 58m), Michael Brown, Denny Landzaat, (Josip Skoko 29m), Titus Bramble, Mario Melchiot, Paul Scharner
Subs not used: Mike Pollitt, Julius Aghahowa
Referee: Steve Bennett
Attendance: 50, 461
