- Parker (38), Ameobi (64)
- McCulloch (59)
- Date:2006-08-19
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:St James' Park
- Attendance:51569
- Referee:Atkinson, M
Live Commentary
90mins
It's all over as Newcastle get off to a winning start in a close game at St James' Park with Scott Parker and Shola Ameobi getting the goals while Lee McCulloch grabbed Wigan's effort.
89mins
Albert Luque is feeling the pressure and is booked after a reckless tackle on Lee McCulloch.
89mins
Antonio Valencia is replaced by striker David Connolly for the final moments of the game for Wigan.
85mins
Wigan make a change in the hunt for a goal as Denny Landzaat is replaced by Graham Kavanagh.
82mins
Wigan are their own worst enemy as they keep giving silly fouls away in the penalty area when they win corners to give Newcastle a breather.
81mins
It is set to be a nervy final 10 minutes for Newcastle as Wigan almost get on level terms as Steven Taylor diverts Henri Camara's shot wide of the post.
78mins
Henri Camara pulls the ball back to Denny Landzaat from the byline and the midfield debutant scoops the ball over with his left-foot.
77mins
Titus Bramble is forced to concede a corner under pressure from Henri Camara. It is taken by Denny Landzaat but the referee gives Newcastle a free-kick for a foul against Albert Luque.
75mins
Shola Ameobi is forced to come off with that earlier knock and is replaced by Albert Luque.
72mins
Wigan win a free-kick inside their own half as they look to spark a fresh attack. Emile Heskey gets up but can't trouble Shay Given with the header.
70mins
Damien Duff almost gets in on goal but Arjan De Zeeuw does well to get a block in on the former Chelsea man.
66mins
Wigan will be furious at conceding a second so soon after equalising. Charles N'Zogbia was given far too much time and space to hit the shot which created the goal.
64mins
Newcastle respond in perfect fashion as Charles N'Zogbia picks up a Damien Duff pass before hitting an effort which Chris Kirkland can only parry to SHOLA AMEOBI who fires in the rebound.
61mins
The equaliser has brought the game to life as both sides are looking like they now want to go for the victory which should give us an interesting final 30 minutes.
59mins
The game restarts and Wigan break quickly and when Stephen Carr can only head a clearance to the edge of the area LEE McCULLOCH lashes a fierce drive past Shay Given.
56mins
Antonio Valencia is booked fo a foul on Belozoglu Emre.
56mins
Chris Kirkland races out to clear the ball away but his momentum carries him into Shola Ameobi with both players nowdown on the turf needing treatment.
55mins
Arjan De Zeeuw almost grabs an equaliser for Wigan as he powers a header at goal but Nolberto Solano clears it off the line.
54mins
Celestine Babayaro wastes a good chance for Newcastle after excellent work by Charles N'Zogbia as he nocks his cross straight at Chris Kirkland.
52mins
Wigan win a free-kick in a good position and it is taken by Dutch ace Denny Landzaat who fires his effort high and wide.
50mins
Nolberto Solano plays the ball into Stephen Carr but his cross into the area is well gathered by Chris Kirkland.
48mins
It has been a fairly slow start to the second half proceedings with Newcastle enjoying more possession.
47mins
The weather has fortunately changed for the better with bright sunshine out however the pitch has a lot of standing water.
46mins
Steven Taylor is brought on for Newcastle at half-time as Craig Moore appeared to have picked up a knock during the first 45 minutes.
46mins
The second half is underway as Newcastle will look to build on their lead, while Wigan, who looked lively in the first half will be hoping to get something from the clash.
45mins
The half-time whistle blows with Newcastle holding a slender advantage thanks to Scott Parker in treacherous conditions at St James' Park.
43mins
Henri Camara gets up well in the area to head the ball goalwards and it deflects off Lee McCulloch as Shay Given finger tips it around the post.
41mins
Emile Heskey sends a flying header towards the Newcastle goal and Henri Camara is inches away from diverting it past Shay Given.
40mins
The goal has arrived at a great time for Newcastle as Wigan were just starting to exert some pressure on them in the latter stages of the first half.
38mins
Newcastle go upfield and take the lead as excellent persistant play by Shola Ameobi sees his cross headed home by Scott Parker.
35mins
There is a little concern over this game as the water on the pitch is getting worse as Lee McCulloch is denied by good save from Shay Given as he heads Denny Landzaat's cross at goal.
32mins
Leighton Baines wins another corner for Wigan which is played in by Denny Landzaat but Shay Given collects.
30mins
Nolberto Solano attempts to glance a header towards goal from a Damien Duff cros but Chris Kirkland gathers comfortably as the rain starts to fall again.
27mins
Scott Parker flies into a tackle and concedes a free-kick right on the edge of his own penalty area but Wigan waste the chance as Celestine Babayaro is fouled in the area.
26mins
Newcastle struggle to clear their lines again as Wigan enjoy their best spell of the game but cannot break down the home defence.
24mins
Stephen Carr is forced to concede a corner as Wigan's new strike pairing of Henri Camara and Emile Heskey look to break. The ball is cleared but Wigan come back and claim another flag-kick.
21mins
Emmerson Boyce does well to get back and play the ball out of play as Charles N'Zogbia again looked to ge on the end of a Celestine Babayaro ball.
19mins
The arrival of Charles N'Zogbia has made Newcastle more of a threat going forward in the past few minutes as Wigan are forced to defend in numbers.
17mins
Chris Kirkland produces heroics with a fantastic save to deny a stunning long range effort from Scott Parker.
15mins
Nicky Butt's return to the action is short-lived as he is replaced by Charles N'Zogbia.
15mins
Leighton Baines plays the ball in to Emile Heskey in the area but Shay Given does well to save but an offside flag went up very late.
12mins
Cheers from the Geordie faithful as Nicky Butt is able to resume although he does not look like he can see properly after taking that bang to his head.
10mins
The game is held up momentarily as Nicky Butt needs treatment for a head injury which has forced him to leave the pitch.
8mins
Emile Heskey is the first player in the notebook for a nasty looking slide tackle on Celestine Babayaro.
7mins
It has been frantic opening few minutes as heavy rainfall earlier in the day has left the pitch with standing water all over it. Mistakes could well be on the cards in this game.
6mins
Damien Duff almost plays in Shola Ameobi for a free run on goal but the referee's assistant correctly flags the lone hitman offside.
4mins
Newcastle break forward after that early scare with Belozoglu Emre trying his luck from distance but he too fails to hit the target.
3mins
Titus Bramble slips on the soaking pitch which lets in Henri Camara but theWigan forward shoots wide with Lee McCulloch waiting for a pass.
2mins
Good early pressure from Newcastle causes problems for Wigan duo Fitz Hall and Emmerson Boyce but they manage to clear.
0mins
The Premiership season is underway with Newcastle looking to get off to a flying start as they try and go one better than last season's seventh-placed finish and qualify for Europe automatically this time. Wigan will be aiming to improve on their exc
0mins
The Wigan starting XI: Kirkland, Boyce, De Zeeuw, Hall, Baines, Valencia, Scharner, Landzaat, McCulloch, Heskey, Camara.
0mins
Wigan boss Paul Jewell has opted to field six of his summer signings, including on-loan Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland, striker Emile Heskey and Ecuador's World Cup star Louis Antonio-Valencia.
0mins
Stephen Carr and Damien Duff are both fit after suffering injury scares while on international duty with the Republic of Ireland in midweek, while goalkeeper Shay Given - who hurt is back in the game in Latvia - is fit to take his place between the s
0mins
Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has named the same starting side that defeated FK Ventspils in their Uefa Cup qualifier in Riga last week for their Premiership curtain-raiser against Wigan Athletic at St. James' Park.
Match Preview
Newcastle will kick off the new Premiership campaign against Wigan Athletic on Saturday still looking to fill the void in attack left by Alan Shearer's retirement and Michael Owen's long-term knee injury.
A new hitman was always the club's priority when Shearer finally hung up his boots last season, but when Owen was ruled out until the New Year after suffering cruciate ligament damage playing for England against Sweden in the World Cup, the need became much greater.
Boss Glenn Roeder has scoured the transfer market to bring in attacking reinforcements, but has so far failed to make the breakthrough which leaves Shola Ameobi and Albert Luque favourites to line up against the Latics.
Matters were not helped on Thursday when long-term target Dirk Kuyt agreed a move to Premiership rivals Liverpool from Dutch side Feyenoord.
The striker situation is not Roeder's only problem ahead of the big kick-off as a number of players face a battle for fitness.
Goalkeeper Shay Given and the club's £5million only summer signing to date, winger Damien Duff, were left out of the Republic of Ireland's 4-0 friendly defeat to Holland on Wednesday due to respective back and groin problems, but should be okay to start.
However the Magpies are well stocked for central defence with Titus Bramble and Craig Moore set to get the nod over Steven Taylor and Jean-Alain Boumsong for the game.
Wigan boss Paul Jewell is set to hand French right-back Pascal Chimbonda a starting role against Newcastle as the player has finally decided to stay at the JJB Stadium after his desired switch to Tottenham failed to materialise this summer.
Chimbonda handed in a transfer request at the end of last season but Spurs would not meet the £6million valuation and he is now resigned to staying put for the coming campaign.
Eventually he will push up to operate in midfield alongside Gary Teale and new signing Jose Antonio Valencia, both of whom are unlikely to be ready for the Newcastle game due to an ankle injury and lack of fitness respectively.
Former Birmingham striker Emile Heskey, Dutch midfielder Denny Landzaat, Liverpool and England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland and defender Fitz Hall could all make their Latics debuts at St James' Park after joining during the close-season.
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Match Report
Newcastle rid themselves of their usually poor start to a season with a hard earned odd goal in three win over Wigan.
But Paul Jewell's side can count themselves unlucky as they lost out to goals from skipper Scott Parker and Shola Ameobi sandwiched in between a Lee McCulloch curler.
Wigan deserved a point at least as they had a shot cleared off the line, struck the post and looked to have a blatant penalty appeal turned down when Titus Bramble appeared to handle the ball in time added on.
While Jewell believed lady luck was not on the side of his team, Newcastle were left to bask in the glory as Athletic returned home pointless, just as they had done on their only other visit to St James' Park.
Torrential rain left it difficult underfoot and a few players struggled to get going, including Titus Bramble. As early as the second minute the big central defender went sprawling inside the Wigan half allowing Henri Camara a clear run at goal but he shot across Shay Given and wide.
At the other end, Emre's shot went wide but only just evaded the outstretched leg of Ameobi.
Nicky Butt suffered a freak injury after ten minutes when he was caught by the trailing leg of Emre. The former England man left for the dressing-room, only to return before departing for Charless N'Zogbia five minutes afterwards clearly suffering from concussion.
Debut making Chris Kirkland pulled off a stunning save to keep out a Parker 30 yarder and then from a Nobby Solano glancing header.
The deadlock was finally broken after thirty seven minutes when Ameobi showed superb skills on the left and crossed for Parker to get in front of Paul Scharner and glance a header beyond Kirkland.
It could have been level before the break, Camara's header crashing off the base of Given's far post.
Justice was done nine minutes into the second half when Heskey nodded down
Stephen Carr's clearance to McCulloch who from 16 yards scored with the most
delightful of curlers, this less than 30 seconds after Solano had cleared an Arjan De Zeeuw header off the line.
Needing to respond quickly, Newcastle did just that and scored an excellent
created winner after sixty four minutes.
Damien Duff's backheel released the driving force of N'Zogbia who striked from
30 yards for Kirkland to make a flying save only for Ameobi to follow in and volley the winner.
Denny Landzaat had a glorious chance to equalise, but the Dutchman lifted Heskey's inch perfect pass over the bar from only 14 yards.
Throwing everything at the home goal, De Zeeuw then saw a goalbound effort
strike substitute Steven Taylor and flash wide.
Manager Paul Jewell then showed his disgust by kicking a bucket after
referee Martin Atkinson brushed aside penalty claims in the dying seconds
after Bramble appear to handle Emmerson Boyce's long throw.
Newcastle United Team
Wigan Athletic Team
Newcastle United | Wigan Athletic |
Corners
| 4 | 11 |
Fouls
| 17 | 20 |
Goal attempts
| 9 | 14 |
Shots off target
| 1 | 4 |
Offsides
| 7 | 2 |



88mins
Newcastle find attack to be the best form of defence as they get forward to win a late corner which is taken by Belozoglu Emre but cleared away by Wigan.