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  • Date:2008-08-23
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:St James' Park
  • Attendance:47711
  • Referee:Bennett, S

Live Commentary

90mins

FULL-TIME: NEWCASTLE 1-0 BOLTON

90mins

Full time and the game ends one nil to Newcastle. Bolton were worth a draw but Nolan's penalty miss proves costly for the Wanderers.

90mins

Nolan hits a volley but Taylor sends it out for a corner, Jaaskelainen is up for this one but nothing happens from the corner.

90mins

Three minutes of added on time, Bolton throwing people forward to get that equaliser.

88mins

Riga's cross is taken by Given, he's looked bright since coming on but probably won't be able to stop Bolton losing this one.

86mins

Steinsson sends in a cross to Kevin Nolan who finds himself unmarked, he sends his header wide and it's a big let off for Newcastle.

79mins

Bolton make their final substitution, Riga Mustapha makes his debut replaceing Joey O'Brien but will he be able to salvage anything for Bolton here.

79mins

Newcastle go for a second with N'Zogbia taking a shot, its deflected for a corner but it's wasted.

77mins

Bolton free kick, sent in by Joey O'Brien but Shay Given punches the ball away as Cahill looked to win it for Bolton.

75mins

Milner heads a ball over the bar from Beye's cross, it would have been a text book move but iy just wasn't to be.

73mins

Bolton nearly right back in it after Nolan gets a good chance, poor defending from Nicky Butt lets him in.

71mins

Michael Owen meets Geremi's cross to divert a header past Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal. Keegan will be pleased to see his two substitutes link up to open the scoring.

70mins

Newcastle free kick, Geremi takes a shot but it's deflected off the wall for a corner. The corner comes to nothing.

69mins

Gutierrez sends in a cross but Cahill clears for Bolton.

66mins

Ricardo Gardner replaces Matt Taylor for Bolton, it's the Jamaican's first appearance of the season but will he be able to turn the game in Bolton's favour?

66mins

Geremi sends a ball into the Bolton box but Andy O'Brien clears it. Newcastle in the driving seat now after Bolton missed the penalty on 58 minutes.

63mins

It's heating up nicely here now, Milner feeds Gutierrez but the winger loses possession. The standard has been raised in this second half and I can see one team getting a winner, don't really want to guess who though.

61mins

Milner's free kick hits the wall, it comes back to him and he sends in a brilliant cross to Owen but his header is saved excellently by Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal.

58mins

Bolton penalty after Taylor handballs. Nolan takes but Given saves. Not the best penalty but excellent save from Given.

56mins

Muamba (Bolton) sends a ball into the Newcastle box but Given gathers. You get the sense Bolton fancy this now and the opening 10 minutes of the second half have been better than the whole of the first 45.

53mins

Bolton corner, taken short to Matt Taylor, his cross is blocked though.

52mins

Obafemi Martins is replaced by Michael Owen for Newcastle, the Toon crowd are going crazy. Martins looks to be injured.

50mins

Great cross from Geremi is met by Martins and it should be a Newcastle goal but somehow Martins misses when it would have been easier to score.

48mins

Matt Taylor heads a cross over the Newcastle bar following Davies' cross, first real attempt of the game a mere 48 minutes in.

47mins

A tentative start from both teams so far, someone needs to step up if either side is going to score here.

45mins

Njitap Geremi replaces Damien Duff (Newcastle) due to injury.

45mins

Bolton get us underway for the second half, lets hope it's more exciting than the previous 45 minutes.

45mins

Half time at St James' and this first half has not been a classic, Bolton perhaps the stronger of the two teams but neither able to break the deadlock before the interval.

45mins

Kevin Nolan caught offside from Taylor's flick on.

43mins

Getting closer to half time here and I don't think we'll see a goal before the break, both teams looking forward but just unable to break each other down.

40mins

Another Bolton corner after Muamba's shot is deflected off Taylor (Newcastle), its wasted and cleared easily.

39mins

Gavin McCann booked for a foul on Gutierrez, a little bit unfortunate for McCann, more clumsy the cynical.

36mins

N'Zogbia takes a free kick into the Bolton box winning a corner. Guthrie takes but it's weak and doesn't beat the first man.

34mins

Newcastle taking the initiative now, they've asked a few questions of Bolton but so far they haven't managed to get through the Wanderers defence.

33mins

Newcastle take a quick free kick, Martins plays in Duff but A O'Brien blocks his cross.

31mins

Bolton corner, Matt Taylor overhits it and its wasted. He's wasted a few set piece chances already today.

29mins

N'Zogbia cross is cleared by Andy O'Brien but the ball breaks back to Newcastle, Butt gets a shot away but Matt Taylor blocks before N'Zogbia crosses low and hard but it runs for a Bolton goal kick.

26mins

Joey O'Brien, booked for his foul on Gutierrez.

26mins

Bolton corner taken by Taylor, cleared by Coloccini. Martins picks up the ball and plays it too Gutierrez but he's taken down by Joey O'Brien.

25mins

Muamba (Bolton) takes the ball off Guthrie and plays it to McCann who crosses but Ncky Butt is there to clear the danger.

23mins

Andy O'Brien playing really well for Bolton here, mopping up everything thats coming his way.

19mins

Fairly even encounter here so far, some good football being played but nothing in the way of chances yet.

17mins

Taylor (Bolton) sends in a long free kick but its wasted and Given gathers easily.

15mins

Johan Elmander replaced by Gavin McCann (Bolton) due to inury, looks like Kevin Davies will push up now with Nolan slotting in just behind him and McCann moving to midfield

13mins

Elmander looks hurt after being sandwiched between Coloccini and Given

12mins

Flash of brilliance from Gutierrez, uses his skill to whip in a low cross but Bolton come away with it.

10mins

Taylors corner is headed out by Elmander.

10mins

Bolton win a free kick after Milner fouls Davies, dangerous place to concede especially against Bolton. Taylor takes but its not the best, Bolton somehow get a corner out of it.

8mins

Clash of heads between two Bolton players, Andy O'Brien goes down inujured but he should be fine - he is a big lad after all.

6mins

Martins (Newcastle) shoots but its deflected out for a corner, Milner takes but its poor and cleared easily.

6mins

Bolton hit a long free kick into the Newcastle penalty area but Given claims, he throws the ball out but Muamba picks it up for Wanderers and he blasts it from nearly 40 yards out which is just a waste.

5mins

Milner puts in a cross looking for Martins but Jaaskelainen makes a good catch.

4mins

Cahill sends a ball forward looking for Matty Taylor but the ball runs for a Newcastle goal kick.

2mins

Newcastle playing in front of a fairly sparse crowd here, apparently something to do with season ticket mix-ups. Bolton started quite brightly here, Davies wins his first aerial battle with Fabricio Coloccini but the ball goes to Given

0mins

Newcastle get us started here at St James' Park, I suspect Bolton will be happy with a draw but if Newcastle are to realise any European ambition this is the kind of fixture they need to win.

0mins

Waiting to get underway here at St James' Park, both teams had good results last week and it will be interesting to see how they deal with each other. Big game for Danny Guthrie, a Newcastle player now but he was on loan at Bolton last season.

Match Preview

Newcastle United host Bolton Wanderers this week after both clubs enjoyed excellent performances in the first round of Premier League matches.

Bolton ran out 3-1 winners against newly-promoted Stoke, while Newcastle United were particularly pleased to draw 1-1 with champions Manchester United.

"That was a good, good performance from us and we thoroughly deserved a point," said Magpies boss Kevin Keegan after the match at Old Trafford.

"Of course you are going to have to ride your luck when you come to a place like this and we did, but no-one can say we got more than we deserved."

Fabricio Coloccini, Jonas Gutierrez and Danny Guthrie all made their debuts for the Magpies and Keegan was clearly delighted with the trio - who have arrived at a total cost of almost £13million.

"They are three very, very good players. We've got quality not quantity and that's what you want," Keegan added..

A mixture of new faces and young prospects will continue to litter the Newcastle squad this weekend as a number of first-team players remain out injured.

Steven Taylor should return and partner the Argentine Coloccini in the centre of defence, but of the other casualties, only Michael Owen is close to a return from his calf strain.

Andy Carroll could be fit by the end of the month, while Mark Viduka will be out with an Achillies problem for at least a week longer that that.

Bolton Wanderers have only targetman Heidar Helguson out, although the arrival of record signing Johan Elmander is likely to leave the Icelandic international on the fringes of the first team.

The Trotters are looking to add to the squad before the transfer window closes later this month, although manager Gary Megson has revealed that he is happy to wait for the right players.

"With the money I've got to spend I could probably bring in 10 players but they wouldn't be the right ones," he claimed.

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Match Report

It's little wonder that Kevin Keegan wants Michael Owen to sign a long-term contract as soon as possible.

After a summer fighting mumps and then struggling with a calf injury, Owen climbed off the bench to do what he does best by scoring and securing Newcastle's first win of the season.

In 42 appearances for the Magpies, Owen is averaging a goal every two games after heading his second-half winner.

But the home side were also greatly indebted to man-of-the-match Shay Given, who superbly saved a second-half penalty from Kevin Nolan to keep them on level terms.

The opening 45 minutes were instantly forgettable with neither keeper having a save to make as the packed midfield dominated proceedings but created little.

Bolton's cause was not helped when they lost Johan Elmander with a leg injury and Gavin McCann was introduced.

McCann and Joey O'Brien were booked after 39 and 28 minutes respectively, both for crude tackles on Argentinian Jonas Gutierrez.

Newcastle lost Damien Duff at the break and he was replaced by Geremi as the match finally burst to life, with the Cameroon midfielder playing a pivotal part.

Matt Taylor headed over for Bolton and then at the other end, Obafemi Martins lost Gary Cahill only to glance Geremi's right-wing cross wide of the far post.

That was to be Martins' final effort as he appeared to have a thigh injury and Owen was introduced after 53 minutes.

But it was Bolton who were given a golden opportunity to go in front just before the hour mark when they were awarded a penalty following a Steven Taylor handball.

Gretar Steinsson's ball in from the right was flicked on by O'Brien and struck the right hand of Taylor.

Referee Steve Bennett pointed straight to the spot and there was no complaints from any of the United players.

Skipper Nolan was left with the responsibility of taking the kick only to see Given guess correct to his right to parry the shot and kick the rebound clear when still lying on the ground.

Jussi Jaaskelainen pulled off two stunning saves just seconds later to first keep out an Owen header and force Fabricio Coloccini's follow-up behind for a corner.

But United and Owen were not to be denied much longer and charged ahead after 71 minutes.

A James Milner free-kick on the right rebounded straight back to the England Under-21 international who played the ball short to Geremi.

The Cameroon international whipped in a delightful cross and Owen stole in to head downwards and beyond Jaaskelainen.

It should have been all over four minutes later when Habib Beye picked out Milner, who headed over from just ten yards.

Bolton staged a grandstand finish but Newcastle and particularly Given were not to be denied their clean sheet.

Newcastle United

Bolton Wanderers

Corners

46

Fouls

813

Goal attempts

108

Shots off target

24

Offsides

52

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