Source: Northern_Echo
Newcastle United 1 Stoke City 2
IT is one thing heroically to overcome the Premier League champions at Stamford Bridge, but it is quite another when Newcastle United lose consecutive St James' Park fixtures to Blackpool and Stoke City.[LNB] Just days after the euphoria which met Newcastle's victory over Chelsea in the Carling Cup and eight days after successfully edging out Everton at Goodison Park, Chris Hughton watched his team cave in to Stoke's second half recovery.[LNB] It had looked good for Newcastle at half-time, two minutes after Kevin Nolan had secured a one-goal advantage courtesy of a penalty earned by Andy Carroll.[LNB] But while there was plenty of attractive football by Newcastle during that opening period, Stoke's former Sunderland goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen was never seriously tested.[LNB] After the restart it was another ex-Black Cat, Kenwyne Jones, who led the revival. He had already headed against the woodwork twice before nodding in the equaliser in the 67th minute.[LNB] The decision of Stoke boss Tony Pulis to step up the number of deliveries into the Newcastle box reaped its rewards.[LNB] And while rookie goalkeeper Tim Krul might have stuck to his task well, James Perch didn't.[LNB] Perch headed a Matthew Etherington corner beyond Krul with five minutes remaining to gift Stoke all three points, significantly dampening the optimism that had followed the recent victories.[LNB] Despite making nine changes to the team that defeated Chelsea, there was continuity in the Premier League. Only Krul, a forced switch in the absence of sidelined goalkeeper Steve Harper, of yesterday's team did not begin the win at Everton.[LNB] Such familiarity is clearly having a positive effect on the way Newcastle are playing and outside the penalty area there was initially plenty of confidence in possession.[LNB] From the moment Joey Barton, afforded the freedom to join the attacks while Cheik Tiote sat deeper in the middle, played a delightful pass down the line for Hatem Ben Arfa to chase, the combative midfielder regularly demanded and gained the ball.[LNB] Barton made Newcastle tick, but it was the crucial final pass that was missing during a first half display in which Sorensen was pretty quiet.[LNB] With the exception of a Ben Arfa free-kick that dropped well wide of Sorensen's goal, Newcastle did nothing to suggest they were going to make the breakthrough that much of their play outside the box deserved.[LNB] Barton and Ben Arfa enjoyed more time on the ball than anyone else on the pitch and rarely did they lose it, but the pair's good work went unrewarded.[LNB] When Jones, who started sluggishly back in the North- East for the first time since his £8m switch from Sunderland, went down after an aerial challenge from Tiote, Barton used the break in proceedings to outline his concerns to Carroll.[LNB] Carroll had had little impact as the lone striker, but it was his presence in the area that earned Newcastle the penalty which put them on their way.[LNB] There appeared to be little danger as Jose Enrique swung over one of his many deliveries into the Stoke box, but as Carroll charged towards goal in a bid to meet the cross he was blocked by Robert Huth.[LNB] Huth and Carroll both ended on the floor, but referee Mike Jones pointed to the spot, leading to protests from the former Middlesbrough defender and his team-mates.[LNB] Once the calls for a rethink had taken place, Nolan stepped up and slotted calmly into Sorensen's bottom left corner as the Dane who famously saved an Alan Shearer spotkick during his time at Sunderland dived right.[LNB] Newcastle might not have created anything of note up to that point, but if either set of players deserved to be in front it was those wearing black and white.[LNB] While satisfied to have taken the lead, Hughton should seriously think about playing Ben Arfa in the role behind Carroll, which is currently occupied by Nolan.[LNB] The French international, by far the squad's most creative talent, would clearly be more suited to operating in that free role, which was evident time and time again as he drifted in from the left.[LNB] As Ben Arfa faded before being replaced by Jonas Gutierrez, Stoke gained more of the initiative, particularly after Pulis had brought on Ricardo Fuller and Rory Delap, with his long throws.[LNB] Fuller should have equalised just before the hour. When Jon Walters' header dropped from high, Jones' header bounced off the foot of the post and Fuller somehow dragged the rebound wide from inside six yards.[LNB] Delap's introduction sparked the start of the aerial bombardment, which also increased the impact Jones had on the game and he hit the crossbar with a header shortly afterwards.[LNB] Krul's goal was living a charmed life, but Newcastle's good fortune ran out 23 minutes from time. Matthew Etherington's free-kick was headed back across goal by Huth, who had outjumped both Perch and Mike Williamson, and Jones was on hand to head high into Krul's net.[LNB] As much as Newcastle had deserved their lead in the opening half, Stoke deserved the equaliser, particularly given how they created chances more regularly.[LNB] Newcastle had threatened to come back to life, but with the exception of Sorensen struggling to hold a volley from Carroll, Stoke soon took control again.[LNB] A series of Delap throws and balls into the area required strong defending and Newcastle looked like they were coping until Perch caved in.[LNB] The winner arrived from another Etherington centre, this time a well-driven corner, and Perch dived inside his six-yard box and turned an unstoppable header beyond Krul.[LNB] Six minutes of added time gifted the chance for Newcastle to save face, but courtesy of some wayward shooting from Nolan and Perch, they lost at home again.[LNB] Matchfacts Goals: 1-0: Nolan pen (43, side-footed his spot-kick to the right as Sorensen went left) 1-1: Jones (67, headed Huth's back post header beyond Krul) 1-2: Perch OG (85, terrific near post diving header, unfortunately at the wrong end) Booking: Diao (21, foul) Referee: Mike Jones (Stockport) kept up with play and got the key decisions right. 6 Attendance: 41,915 Entertainment: [LNB] NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-2-3-1): 6 Krul: Showed a safe pair of hands on his first Premier League start; now it must continue; 3 Perch: Was poor even before showing the strikers how to score a diving header 6 Williamson: Had looked like keeping Jones at bay until the ex-Sunderland man turned it on after the restart 7 Coloccini: In the way of almost everything that came his way, and was composed in possession 6 Enrique: Delivered a number of teasing deliveries in to the area to make Stoke's defence think; 7 BARTON: Was the driving force from midfield in the first half, but his impact did soften as the match developed 7 Tiote: Has started like he has been playing in the Premier League for years; 4 Routledge: Posed very little threat down the right to Danny Collins 5 Nolan: Had a very quiet afternoon but still managed to add his third goal of the season from the spot 7 Ben Arfa: Faded after a sparkling first half, but would be better suited to a central role; 5 Carroll: Failed to test Sorensen, although he did earn the crucial penalty[LNB] Subs: Gutierrez (for Ben Arfa 62): Made a couple of driving runs in to the Stoke defence. 5 Ameobi (for Tiote 74) (not used): Lovenkrands, Taylor, Smith, Ranger, Soderberg (gk).[LNB] STOKE CITY (4-4-2): Sorensen 6; Wilkinson 7, Shawcross 7, Huth 7. Collins 6; Whelan 5 (Delap 57, 6), Whitehead 5, Diao 4 (Fuller 49, 5 (Gudjohnsen 67, 5)), Etherington 7; Walters 5, JONES 8. Subs (not used): Begovic (gk), Higginbotham, Wilson, Faye.[LNB] MAN OF THE MATCH KENWYNE Jones after a shaky start, his presence made the difference when the crosses started to come in.[LNB]
