Source: SKY_Sports
Newcastle v Portsmouth live!
Full-time: Riley blows the end to tonight's game and it's finishing goalless. Cheers for tuning in and don't forget to follow the reaction next.[LNB]90+3 Mullins concedes a free-kick for barging Gutierrez and this will be Newcastle's last chance to grab a winner. Guthrie fires it in, Distin clears and Coloccini tries a 'Van Basten' volley which nearly finds row Z![LNB]90+3 A glimmer of a chance comes to Owen from Duff's cross, but James pounces on the ball.[LNB]90+2 Johnson wins Pompey a corner, Pennant takes playing it short to Davis who finds Johnson. The defender skins Smith but drags his shot wide.[LNB]90+1 Hreidarsson wins a free-kick by the corner-flag, but Pompey do little with the set-piece.[LNB]90 Newcastle go on a rare attack this half, working it down the right but Beye loses out and Pompey come on the counter. Three minutes of added time announced.[LNB]89 Yellow card for Carroll who left Johnson on the floor.[LNB]88 Hughes gives away a free-kick for a handball in the middle of the park. Pompey have it back though, only for Davis to be given offside.[LNB]87 Belhadj lets fly from 20 yards but he slices it wide. Good closing down by Smith there.[LNB]86 Pompey keep Newcastle camped in their own-half as Johnson is unfortunate to concede a goal-kick to the home team.[LNB]85 Pompey keep possession working it right until Guthrie breaks up play.[LNB]84 Pompey have possession in Newcastle's half, the visitors have it on the left but Owen comes back to defend and concedes a throw-in.[LNB]83 Hughes hits the post! The corner comes in from Pennant, Hughes gets a header goalwards and the whole of St James' Park look onwards as it cannons off the up-right before the Magpies get it clear.[LNB]82 Pompey have men over as they break, but they are too slow in shifting the ball. They do win a corner.[LNB]81 Hughes concedes a free-kick in Pompey's half but Guthrie wastes the opportunity giving away a throw-in.[LNB]80 Crouch Chance Gutierrez does well as Newcastle clear. Gutierrez plays it to Martins although the striker is crowded out. Pompey move the ball up-field and Crouch finds himself one-on-one but he hits its straight at Harper.[LNB]78 Pompey have possession and Belhadj's cross is deflected for a corner.[LNB]77 Duff floats a ball to the back-post, Carroll rises like a salmon but can't find the goal with his header.[LNB]76 Newcastle have a corner, Guthrie fires it in and Crouch rises above everyone to clear.[LNB]75 Yellow card for Johnson, who was time-wasting.[LNB]74 Pompey win another corner, and Smith makes a fantastic challenge on Johnson in the penalty area. Pompey then win a free-kick on the half-way line.[LNB]73 Belhadj forces a corner for Pompey after skinning Coloccini and smashing a long-distance effort at goal.[LNB]72 Guthrie lets fly from distance, Distin deflects the shot before Pompey go on a counter-attack but Belhadj loses out and Newcastle have the ball back.[LNB]71 Sub: Newcastle deal with Pennant's cross before the Magpies make their final sub with Gutierrez coming on for Butt.[LNB]70 Johnson goes close with a shot inside the box as the ref plays a good advantage.[LNB]69 Johnson combines with Pennant, but the on-loan winger can't pick out Crouch. Pompey have a throw-in however.[LNB]68 Guthrie tries to send Martins on his bike, but Campbell intercepts. Butt then concedes a free-kick on the half-way line[LNB]67 Crouch tries a speculative volley but it's well over.[LNB]67 Newcastle go in search for a goal, Martins has the ball deep, he turns and unleashes a ferocious drive that James does well to hold onto.[LNB]66 Sub Pennant comes on for Nugent.[LNB]65 Newcastle have it in Pompey's half, but the ball goes out for a throw-in after Guthrie's miss-placed pass. Pompey then win a free-kick.[LNB]64 Substitution Carroll comes on for Viduka.[LNB]63 Chance for Owen! Viduka held the ball then teed Owen up who fluffed his line from eight yards out. The striker appeared to panic when the chance arose.[LNB]62 James looks to make a routine catch from Duff's cross, but the Pompey keeper fumbles it. Viduka tries to get a nudge on the ball but James reclaims the ball.[LNB]61 Pompey try to work a counter-attack but Butt, who has been everywhere on the pitch tonight, wins a throw-in.[LNB]60 Newcastle have possession down the left, Bassong works it right before Davis snatches the ball off Butt's heels. Newcastle win the ball back.[LNB]59 Viduka takes a tumble, but Pompey come away with the ball and go on the counter-attack. They work it right to Johnson but his cross can only find Harper.[LNB]58 Duff then rolls back the clock and makes a great run forward down the left. He tries to cross but is penalised and Pompey have a free-kick.[LNB]57 Pompey are enjoying a good spell and Johnson gets forward and goes on a run, before he is eventually marshalled off the ball by Duff and Bassong combining.[LNB]56 Belhadj finds Nugent wide on the right, who plays it to Mullins. The midfielder who has acres of space plays it central to Davis and he tries his luck from distance but it's over.[LNB]55 Pompey have the ball in Newcastle's half with Belhadj spreading the play, but Owen tracks back at gains Newcastle possession.[LNB]54 Newcastle are pegged back and have to play the ball backwards. Guthrie plays a long-ball to Martins who tries to knick it past James, but the England stopper gets it away.[LNB]53 Pompey have a throw-in on the left in their own half, the look long but hand the ball to Newcastle and the Magpies come on the attack.[LNB]52 Crouch concedes a foul in Newcastle's half challenging two Magpies players for the ball.[LNB]51 Newcastle lose possession in Pompey's half and Crouch starts a move on the left. Butt is on hand to mop up for Newcastle but the flag goes up for Viduka who strayed offside from Butt's long-ball.[LNB]50 Pompey come on the attack, playing it down the left, Crouch beats the offside trap before taking a tumble from Coloccini's challenge. No penalty.[LNB]49 Newcastle still have possession with Bassong trying to pick out Beye but the full-back can't find a team-mate in the box.[LNB]48 Newcastle work possession into the midfield but it comes straight back to the defence.[LNB]47 Pompey have the ball and work it down the left but Harper comes scrambling out to get hold of Belhadj's through-ball.[LNB]46 A chance comes Viduka's way from Owen's backheel but the Aussie striker hits it straight down James' throat.[LNB]45 Kick-off Pompey get the second-half under way kicking left-to-right.[LNB] Doing my best to read through all your views - it looks like there's a lot of American support for the Magpies with the likes of Graeme and Trevor tuning into our coverage. Richard from North Carolina expects Pompey to win. The players are back out for the second-half.[LNB]Half-time at St James' Park. It's goalless so far here with Martins having the best chance for Newcastle towards the end of the first-half. It's been a good game so far but it needs a goal. How do you see the next 45 minutes panning out? elliot.ball@bskyb.com is where you need to send your views.[LNB]45+2 Butt puts in a great tackle before Newcastle win a free-kick.[LNB]45+1 Hreidarsson booked Davis takes his time with the corner, meanwhile a disagreement between Beye and Hreidarsson takes place and the latter gets his name in the book..[LNB]45 Two minutes of added time announced as Pompey try to work a counter-attack. They work it left and win a corner off Coloccini.[LNB]44 Newcastle have possession in Pompey's half, Beye stands a ball up, Martins picks up the loose ball and drives it at goal and it goes well over, but Newcastle have corner.[LNB]43 Harper rushes out of his goal for the corner and makes a good punch. Martins then tries to dart past Campbell and Distin but the latter sees it out for a throw-in.[LNB]42 Johnson goes on a run down the right, but Owen is on hand to halt the England defender. Newcastle feel they should have a free-kick, but Pompey have a corner instead.[LNB]41 Viduka tries to win the header, but he is adjudged to have pushed a player and concedes a free-kick in Pompey's half.[LNB]40 Belhadj makes a rash challenge on Beye and Newcastle have a dangerous free-kick. Guthrie takes and his cross goes behinf for a corner.[LNB]39 James does well to punch the ball away from a corner, but it only goes as far as Butt who flights it in. Viduka gets a head on the ball but it floats over.[LNB]38 Newcastle win a corner after Beye and Martins combination down the right. Guthrie fires it in but it misses everyone. Duff picks it up, turns inside a smashes a right-foot shot which James deflects behind for a corner.[LNB]37 Crouch catches Butt with an elbow and Newcastle win a free-kick in their half.[LNB]36 Newcastle give away possession. Hreidarsson takes his time with the throw-in before Pompey get a free-kick in their own half.[LNB]35 Pompey lose possession and Newcastle come on the break. Viduka and Owen combine before Smith drives a shot goalwards, but it sails narrowly over the bar.[LNB]34 Newcastle get the corner away and Butt wins a throw-in for the home side.[LNB]33 Pompey have a free-kick meanwhile, after Smith's foul. Pompey have it down the left with Belhadj who plays it to Davis and he brings out a smart stop from Harper to give Pompey a corner.[LNB]32 Butt is down on the floor and he's taking his boot off due to an injury.[LNB]31 Chance Guthrie worked the ball well to get a shot-off, Viduka diverts the ball into his path but the striker, who's lacking match-fitness, can't beat Johnson to the ball and it's a corner.[LNB]30 Penalty appeals go up after Smith's blast hits Hreidarsson on the arm, but the Pompey defender didn't mean to handle it.[LNB]29 Duff switches to left-back as Bassong deals well with a long-ball and heads back to Harper.[LNB]28 Substitution Enrique shakes his head as he knows he cannot carry on. It looks like he's going to be replaced by central-midfielder Guthrie.[LNB]27 Enrique goes on the attack but pulls up feeling his hamstring.[LNB]26 James takes the goal-kick and Pompey come on the offensive, Belhadj tries to thread a ball to Hughes but Coloccini clears and Viduka wins a free-kick.[LNB]25 Pompey win a free-kick and come down the left but Belhadj gives possession away. Martins, who has seen a lot of the ball loses out to Distin.[LNB]24 Newcastle have possession on the left but Martins' cross is cleared.[LNB]23 Newcastle try to regain the early initiative but Viduka's through-ball goes behind for a goal-kick.[LNB]22 Pompey have possession to the boos of the home fans. Belhadj plays a first-time ball into the box but finds none of his team-mates in the box.[LNB]21 Bassong is booked as Pompey waste the free-kick. Martins chases after a long-ball but Distin beats him to it.[LNB]20 The corner is cleared, but Pompey have it down the left with Johnson who gets his shirt tugged by Bassong and it's a free-kick to the visitors.[LNB] 19 Pompey go on the counter-attack with Belhadj and he picks out Crouch. The striker brings it down and fizzes it into the box before Bassong puts it behind for a corner.[LNB]18 Pompey get their first spell of possession working it left to right but they lose possession when Enrique harries Johnson.[LNB]17 Duff drops back into defence to help his team out, Martins picks up the loose ball and eventually finds Enrique who crosses to Owen. Owen flicks it on but Viduka can't beat James to the ball.[LNB]16 The corner is drifted to the back-post, but Crouch is penalised for fouling Bassong.[LNB]15 Johnson looks like he wants to take it and he does well to get a shot off, Crouch goes in for it but Coloccini manages to divert it behind for a corner.[LNB]14 Beye, who for some reason ghosts into a centre-forward position tries to latch onto a long-ball, moments later Coloccini concedes a dangerous free-kick outside the area for a foul on Nugent.[LNB]13 Newcastle start another attack from the back, but Martins dwells on the ball too long and Pompey gain possession.[LNB]12 Newcastle have the ball in their defence, they switch it right to left before Duff puts an encouraging ball into the box, Viduka stretches for it but the striker can't get a toe on the ball.[LNB]11 Nugent concedes a foul on Enrique which Harper punts forward. Newcastle have possession and Martins forces Johnson to concede a throw-in.[LNB]10 Enrique tries to find Duff with a ball over the top, but the Irishman can't catch up with the ball before it goes out for a goal-kick.[LNB]9 Newcastle have been edgy with their passing so far, but are enjoying more of the possession as Martins puts Campbell under pressure.[LNB]8 Newcastle work another move on the left but Bassong over-hits his pass towards Smith and it's a goal-kick to Pompey.[LNB]7 Pompey are struggling to get the ball up to Crouch at the moment with James conceding a throw-in after being closed down by Martins.[LNB]6 James hoofs a goal-kick and Duff picks up the loose ball, he works well with Enrique down the left before winning a throw-in.[LNB]5 Newcastle fail with a move down the left and then Butt miss-places a pass to give Pompey possession.[LNB]3 Viduka harries Distin into conceding a throw-in, before Beye's cross-cum shot was gathered by James.[LNB]3 Newcastle try to go on the attack with Bassong attempting to put Martins through on goal, but his long-field pass had too much weight on it and it's a Pompey goal-kick.[LNB]2 Butt makes a good challenge on Belhadj to a huge round of applause.[LNB]1 Pompey get onto the ball with Crouch picking up the loose ball. The ball is played out to Hreidarsson but the defender is penalised for hand-ball.[LNB]0 Kick-off: Newcastle get us under way for this mammoth clash.[LNB] I am in a state of shock as a 5-minute rendition by a Toon fan with "Top Chanter" on the back of his Newcastle shirt rings out moments before the game. I was wondering if the game would be delayed for a moment, but he has reached his final chord so the match is next...[LNB] My better half Fiona has written to my utter surprise...within seconds of wondering what she is going to say on tonight's game I read that she has a soft spot for Michael Owen. I'm sure the whole of Newcastle will if he scores this evening! Keep your views coming into me at elliott.ball@bskyb.com[LNB]Ralph who's a Notts County supporter emails in: "Really could be the (lesser-known) Magpies last chance. Shearer really gone for it with 3 unfit/out of form strikers upfront. No idea how it will turn out but I fancy Crouchy scoring at some point.[LNB] Ahead of the match, Pat from Leeds writes in saying: "If Newcastle don't win tonight they are in deep trouble, they will beat Boro, but get at most a point of Fulham and nothing out their last 2 away games. If they don't win tonight they might only be saved by the fact Hull wont pick up any more points."[LNB] Fancy a bet on tonight's game? I'm hoping Michael Owen can add to my fantasy football tally and get on the scoresheet and you can gets odds of him scoring first in a 2-0 win at 22/1 with SKYBET. A Newcastle outright win is priced at 4/5, a draw is 5/2 and a Pompey away win is 7/2.[LNB] So can Alan Shearer secure his first win as Newcastle boss or will Portsmouth crash the party to boost their survival hopes? Let me know your views by emailing me at elliott.ball@bskyb.com.[LNB]Portsmouth team: David James, Sol Campbell (c), Glen Johnson, Hayden Mullins, Hermann Hreidarsson, Papa Bouba Diop, Sean Davis, Nadir Belhadj, Sylvain Distin, David Nugent, Peter Crouch. Subs: Asmir Begovic, Noe Pamarot, John Utaka, Kanu, Jermaine Pennant, Angelos Basinas, Martin Cranie.[LNB]Newcastle team: Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, Sebastien Bassong, Fabricio Coloccini, Nicky Butt, Alan Smith, Damien Duff, Oba Martins, Michael Owen (c), Mark Viduka. Subs: Tim Krul, David Edgar, Danny Guthrie, Joey Barton, Jonas Gutierrez, Peter Lovenkrands, Andy Carroll.[LNB]Welcome to our live commentary from St James' Park. Team news to follow...[LNB]
