Source: Daily_Mail
Bolton 1 Newcastle 0: Crisis mounts for Hughton but Wanderers press on
While Gary Megson was playing down the significance of signing his new contract, Newcastle's caretaker boss Chris Hughton tried to calm fears of a growing crisis on Tyneside. Only one of them was convincing.
Hughton's calm demeanour following what even he admitted was 'a bitter blow' at the Reebok could not disguise the alarming facts surrounding Newcastle's descent into the Barclays Premier League relegation battle.
This defeat, courtesy of a 47th-minute goal from substitute Ricardo Gardner, leaves them just two points clear of danger - having picked up six from their last nine games - with Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea next up at St James' Park.
Perhaps now is not the best time for manager Joe Kinnear to consider returning after heart surgery.
'Would I prefer not to play them? Of course, it goes without saying,' said Hughton, who must pick his players up for Wednesday's clash with United.
Bolton 1 Newcastle 0: How the action unfolded
Penalty shout: Samuel blocks Coloccini's shot with his arm, but Alan Wiley ignored Newcastle appeals
'But we had to play the big teams at some stage.
'We're under no illusions about where we are at the moment. We are in a relegation scrap with 10 to 12 other teams. But I don't see this weekend as being catastrophic.'
Whatever Hughton said, victories for Middlesbrough and Blackburn
, combined with Stoke's draw at Aston Villa, turned a bad weekend into a horrible one for Newcastle.
Hughton gamely searched for the positives but even he was struggling. The decision to replace Obafemi Martins with Mark Viduka late in the game was met with a chorus of 'You don't what you're doing' from the travelling fans.
In fairness, Newcastle had a strong shout for a penalty turned down by Alan Wiley 15 minutes from time. Jlloyd Samuel clearly blocked Fabricio Coloccini's shot with his hand, but the referee ruled it was not intentional.
Newcastle had other chances - particularly in the first half - just not the men to convert them. Martins went close with two headers but saw Jussi Jaaskelainen produce a fine reflex save to keep out the first effort, and then directed a free header wide from a Jonas Gutierrez cross.
Jonas Gutierrez edges past Davies - but the winger can't prevent the Magpies falling to defeat
Nicky Butt also saw his volley deflected wide, while Peter Lovenkrands forced the Bolton keeper into a low save following a mazy run into the box.
However, Bolton had a penalty appeal of their own turned down in the first half for Sebastien Bassong's challenge on Kevin Davies, and could have been out of sight before the break had the cumbersome Johan Elmander converted three clear chances.
After nicking the ball past Steve Harper only to see Jose Enrique clear it off the line, the Sweden striker turned another effort over the bar from close range when Matt Taylor's cross presented him with a clear opportunity, and then produced a woefully inept volley when given a clear sight of goal again just before half-time.
United hitman Obafemi Martins gets the better of Gretar Rafn Steinsson
However, Bolton only had to wait 70 seconds after the restart for Gardner to make an immediate impression. His introduction seemed to have escaped Newcastle's notice because Coloccini was nowhere to be seen as the midfielder latched on to Matt Taylor's cross to clip the ball beyond Harper and inside the far post.
Gardner performed a Usain Bolt-style celebration in tribute to his fellow Jamaican, but Megson refused to accept he had pulled off a tactical masterstroke. 'It makes me laugh when people give credit to a manager for a substitution,' he said.
