Source: Northern_Echo
Preston 0 Newcastle United 1
IT was neither classy nor convincing, but it was still a performance of champions.[LNB] Forget comfortable home wins over the likes of Peterborough and Doncaster, if Newcastle are to win promotion to the Premier League this season, they are going to have to go to places like Preston and grind out a result.[LNB] Tonight, they did exactly that, and while Kevin Nolan's 74th-minute winner was somewhat undeserved given the paucity of his side's attacking to that point, it confirmed a steeliness and spirit that continues to carry the Magpies back towards the top-flight.[LNB] Good sides find a way to win when they are not playing well, and make no mistake about it, this was just about as poor as Newcastle have been all season.[LNB] Fortunately, they came up against a Preston side who were even more devoid of inspiration, and having leapfrogged West Brom to return to the Championship summit following their third Monday night 1-0 victory of the season, Newcastle appear to have discovered a winning formula for tight encounters such as this.[LNB] They triumphed tonight despite having to change their entire approach seconds before kick-off. Ryan Taylor injured his calf in the warm-up and Newcastle's five-man midfield reverted to a four.[LNB] The enforced change had mixed results, but ultimately the Magpies still found their way to the winning post.[LNB] Much of Nolan's attacking was curtailed because of his return to midfield rather than a linking role with the attack, but Newcastle's most prolific goalscorer was still in the right place at the right time late on.[LNB] The goal was both deft and decisive, but it came at the end of a game that had largely been devoid of attacking incident to that point.[LNB] Jonas Gutierrez provided natural width on Newcastle's left-hand side, but too many of his through balls were either over-hit or misdirected. Danny Guthrie was equally energetic on the opposite flank, but he too failed to provide a telling ball to his forwards.[LNB] Chances were therefore few and far between, especially before the break. Nolan hammered a 25-yard shot straight at Preston goalkeeper Andy Lonergan in the 14th minute, before Alan Smith, who is still searching for his first Magpies goal, drove narrowly wide of the target nine minutes before the interval.[LNB] Preston were no more threatening in the first half, but with midfielders Chris Sedgwick and Michael Tonge linking effectively with striker Neil Mellor, there was at least a greater cohesion about much of the home side's attacking.[LNB] Steve Harper was forced into a smart stop to prevent Mellor beating him from an acute angle at his near post, and the former Liverpool striker went close again a minute before half-time, latching on to Sedgwick's flick-on and driving a rising strike into the Newcastle goalkeeper's midriff.[LNB] The second half continued in the same under-whelming manner as the first. Andy Carroll flashed a low shot wide at one end; Paul Parry drilled a long-range free-kick too close to Harper at the other. In terms of goalmouth action, it was hardly Tottenham against Wigan.[LNB] None of that mattered once Newcastle fashioned a breakthrough of course, but having won a similarly tight encounter at Sheffield United with a second-half strike earlier this month, they left things even later last night.[LNB] They hardly helped themselves in the 62nd minute, with Hughton opting to substitute Carroll instead of Marlon Harewood when he introduced Nile Ranger. The booing that accompanied the decision suggested the 3,000-or-so travelling fans felt he had replaced the wrong man, and given Harewood's laboured display throughout, it was hard to argue with their assessment.[LNB] At least Ranger proved his worth with a smart turn and shot narrowly past the post eight minutes after arriving on the field.[LNB] Tamas Kadar also appeared as a replacement for the injured Danny Simpson, and the Hungarian was found wanting within seconds of his arrival, but after brushing his opponent aside, Mellor shot wastefully into the side-netting.[LNB] Excitement remained at a premium, even if Smith walked a fine disciplinary line with 20 minutes left, clashing with former Sunderland striker Chris Brown despite already having picked up a seemingly compulsory yellow card before the interval.[LNB] But just as the game appeared destined to finish goalless, Nolan grabbed his ninth goal of the season with 16 minutes left.[LNB] Guthrie's cross from the right evaded attackers and defenders alike, and having gathered possession at the far post, Nolan swivelled before caressing a low finish into the opposite corner of the goal.[LNB] Harper saved well from Sedgwick as Preston rallied in the final quarter-of-an-hour, but Newcastle were rarely troubled as they saw out their fifth away victory of the season.[LNB]
