Source: Daily_Mail
Newcastle 3 Swansea 0: Harewood double maintains Magpies' grip on top
Scorer: Marlon Harewood (centre) celebrates[LNB]Stand by for further gripping missives from the Newcastle boardroom;United managing director Derek Llambias will surely not be able tocontain himself after this.[LNB] Two goals from on loan strikerMarlon Harewood, sandwiching one by Peter Lovenkrands, maintainedUnited's firm grip on the Championship top spot - and no doubt Llambiasis already surveying his laptop keyboard. [LNB]Blessed withanonymity, apart of course from the occasional birthday suit streakacross St James's Park to win a bet with club owner Mike Ashley - whatlarks indeed - the former casino manager had been persuaded hitherto,by his lack of football administrative experience and almost totalunpopularity with the Toon Army, to keep his head below the parapet. [LNB]But after somebody pointed out that Newcastle led the table by three points, his reticence was obviously tested beyond breaking point. The order came down to the match programme editor from the corridor of power - `Hold page five.' [LNB]And out it came - for the price of three quid - ten lengthy salivating paragraphs in which Llambias attempted to justify the sale of the stadium naming rights; patronisingly praised manager Chris Hughton, and, most of all, urged supporters to get behind his multi-millionaire employer. [LNB]After admitting that Ashley had been trying to sell the club but could find no takers at his £100million asking price, Llambias declared astonishingly: `His commitment is unwavering and the additional large sums of money he has recently pumped into the club (sic) amply demonstrate that.' [LNB]No mention then of the £80million or so that has been raked in by the sale of players while he's been at the club. [LNB]Fortunately there is still enough quality in the dressing room to comfortably see off a team whose 11-match unbeaten run might have given them delusions of grandeur.[LNB]Before the match the Swans boasted a nine-clean sheet record that was matched only by their hosts. To earn that, their marking must have been a lot tighter than it was here.[LNB] Quality: Harewood and Peter Lovenkrands (left) enjoy their success[LNB]The fact they were done by half-time by three close range headers said it all. But it was Newcastle's character and workrate which laid the foundation for their emphatic victory. [LNB]Paulo Sousa said later his young team may have been overawed by the occasion. `It was difficult for some of them - the stadium; the supporters. But we finished the first half well and were better in the second.' [LNB]City, under the guidance of their Portuguese manager, had developed a reputation for neat possession football. Here United's `in yer face' commitment made the ball like a hot potato; Swansea just did not have it long enough to do much damage. [LNB]To their credit they never stopped trying to knock it about, undaunted by the fact that the game had begun to slip away from the 12th minute when Harewood, set to return to Aston Villa at the end of the year, opened the scoring. [LNB]Danny Guthrie's short corner was lofted into the middle by Alan Smith; Fabricio Coloccini headed it on for the big striker to nod over Dorus de Vries into the net from eight yards. [LNB]It was simplicity itself but no more so than United's two other goals. In the 21st minute Jonas Gutierrez sped past two defenders and crossed for Lovenkrands to find enough space to power a header past the Dutch `keeper. [LNB]Eight minutes later the big Dane turned provider with the centre that gave unmarked Harewood another heading opportunity which he accepted with ease. [LNB]But it was not all one-way. Steve Harper, whose back problem forced his half-time substitution by Tim Krul, kept the score sheet blank with flying saves in the 31st and 47th minutes to deny Leon Britton and Andrea Orlandi. [LNB]The second half was a non-event with United comfortably resting on their laurels although Harewood did not appear too pleased to be denied the chance of a hat-trick when he was substituted for Nile Ranger in the 68th minute. [LNB]He surely would have done better with the chance the local youngster wasted in the 80th minute, heading over the bar from ten yards with an open goal yawning in front of him. [LNB]Both teams went close in added time, Krul saving brilliantly from Angel Rangel and Alan Smith wasting a heaven sent chance to score his first ever goal for Newcastle when De Vries blocked his shot.[LNB] Derby 2 Reading 1: Rob Hulse completes comeback as Shane Long receives marching ordersQPR 2 Coventry 2: Jim Magilton blasts Radek Cerny gaffes after Richie Wood heads late levellerPlymouth (A) Barnsley (A): Abandoned match leaves Mark Robins frustrated after Tykes hit four goalsNottingham Forest 4 Doncaster 1: Wes Morgan's thumping finish helps Billy Davies' side turn on the style [LNB] Explore more:People:Derek Llambias, Paulo Sousa, Jonas Gutierrez, Leon Britton, Danny Guthrie, Marlon Harewood, Mike AshleyPlaces:Newcastle
