• Date: Sat 19 January 2008
  • Venue: St James' Park
  • Ref: Wiley, A
  • Attendance: 52,250

Newcastle United vs Bolton Wanderers

Team Lineups

Newcastle United

Shay Given
Claudio Cacapa
David Rozehnal
Jose Sanchez Enrique
Stephen Carr
Steven Taylor, S
Damien Duff (Kazenga LuaLua, 80)
James Milner
Charles N'Zogbia
Shola Ameobi
Michael Owen

Bolton Wanderers

Jussi Jaaskelainen
Lubomir Michalik
Andy O'Brien
Gretar Steinsson
Joey O'Brien
Ricardo Gardner
Gavin McCann (Tamir Cohen, 75)
Danny Guthrie
Matt Taylor (Jlloyd Samuel, 79)
Kevin Nolan (Ramos Ivan Campo, 67)
Kevin Davies, K


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

FULL TIME: NEWCASTLE 0 - 0 BOLTON: There was no dream return to Newcastle for Kevin Keegan after a good defensive performance from Bolton who probably shaded the game.

90

The fourth official indicates three minutes of added time.

89

David Rozehnal tries to dribble the ball at goal rather than shoot from a good position and eventually runs into trouble

87

LuaLua gets a shot away but the ball does not make it's way through a crowd of bodies inside the penalty area.

86

The game has become incredibly scrappy now and it seems there will be no dream return to Newcastle for Kevin Keegan.

84

Ameobi is picked out in the box but he directs his header harmlessly wide of the target.

84

Ameobi goes down easily in the box and again appeals for a penalty, and again Alan Wiley shakes his head.

82

Claudio Cacapa hits an ambitious shot from about 40-yards out and unsurprisingly fails to trouble Jaaskelainen.

81

Bolton have defended very well today and in this second-half have barely bothered going past the halfway line.

79

This game could still go either way and though it is messy and scrappy, Newcastle look the most likely to muster up a goal.

78
Substitution
 

Joey O'Brien, makes way for Jlloyd Samuel

78
Substitution
 

Damien Duff, who still does not look fully match fit, makes way for Kazenga LuaLua

77
Yellow Card
 

Taylor makes a meal of a challenge from Taylor and the Bolton debutant is shown a yellow card.

75
Substitution
 

Gavin McCann, an ex-Sunderland player, is jeered as he leaves the field and he takes his time in order to run the clock down. He is replaced by Tamir Cohen

73

N'Zogbia takes another Newcastle corner but with eleven Bolton players in the box, he fails to pick out a team-mate.

70

Play stops for a few minutes for an injured player and after a bit of handbags on the pitch, the game resumes.

68
Substitution
 

Megson makes his first change of the game and it is a straight swap - Ivan Campo for Kevin Nolan.

68

The corner isn't properly cleared by Bolton and the move ends with Nolan blocking a Milner volley from the edge of the area.

66

Milner tries to pick out a team-mate with a cross but slices it and almost sends the ball into the top corner of the net, but Jaaskelainen tips it over the bar.

64

Milner picks out David Rozehnal inside the penalty area but he misses the target with a close range header.

62

Ameobi breaks into the penalty area and goes down under a challenge from Gardner. There are massive appeals from around the stadium for a penalty but again the referee waves away the protests.

59

N'Zogbia takes the set-piece again but sends it over the crossbar and Jaaskelainen remains untroubled.

58

Ameobi wins his side another free-kick in a good position after drawing a foul out of Andy O'Brien.

57
Yellow Card
 

Damien Duff picks up the first booking of the game aftera foul on Kevin Davies.

56

Newcastle win a free-kick in a decent position, but N'Zogbia hits it straight into the wall.

55

Owen, sporting the captain's armband, looks frustrated on the pitch and has not seen much of the ball.

53

N'Zogbia is looking lively in the opening stages of this second-half and he gets a shot away from distance which is blocked by O'Brien.

51

Newcastle mount some pressure on Bolton and get numerous shots away but all are blocked by the stubborn Bolton defence. N'Zogbia's final shot across the face of goal sails wide of the mark and the visitors regain possession.

49

The home side are simply hoofing balls up to the striker partners at the moment and the Bolton defence are dealing with each ball with ease.

48

The home faithful chant Keegan's name as Ameobi is caught offside.

46

Newcastle did not manage a shot on target in the first-half, now we will have to see if Keegan has had an inspirational impact during the interval.

Second half
 

Alan Wiley gets the second-half underway

Half time
 

HALF TIME: NEWCASTLE 0 - 0 BOLTON: After the exciting build-up, the game has been something of an anti-climax and the dull first half has quietened St. James' Park.

43

Bolton do seem to be missing Anelka tonight, and if he were playing there would be many who would back them on the basis of this current performance.

41

Newcastle go forward and put together a string of good passes, before Owen runs into trouble and the visitors regain possession.

39

The match almost looks a little like pub football at the moment, and Kevin Keegan on the sideline looks rather perplexed.

37

St. James' has quietened down a lot now, and moans and groans are now being heard when the home side make a mistake.

35

Gary Megson's side look very organised at the moment and are getting all their men behind the ball when the home side attack.

34

Owen bursts into the penalty area and goes to ground, but again the Newcastle protests are turned away by Alan Wiley.

33

N'Zogbia's corner falls to Ameobi who strikes a shot early. It hits a Bolton defender and he appeals for a penalty, but the referee waves play on.

32

Ameobi finds space for a shot, which deflects off McCann and behind for a corner.

30

David Rozehnal lets fly from 25-yards but he sends his shot to the right of Jaaskelainen's goal.

28

His shot loops over the wall but is then headed behind for a corner by a Bolton defender.

27

Owen is brought down on the edge of the box and N'Zogbia lines up the free-kick.

25

The ball falls for Jose Sanchez Enrique outside the area but he strikes his shot wide of the target.

23

Newcastle win their second corner of the game, but it comes to nothing.

20

Bolton are shading the possession counters at the moment and they appear to be doing their utmost to take away the limelight from Newcastle.

18

Bolton try a training ground routine corner resulting in a long range volley from Taylor, but he slices his shot wide.

16

The sides are looking very equal at the moment. Both are enjoying good spells of possession but are lacking the cutting edge in the final third.

14

It is a full house at St James' tonight and the atmosphere is absolutely electric.

12

Charles N'Zogbia whips a corner into the mixer but it is just too high for Ameobi.

11

Newcastle are starting to enjoy their football now. They have got the ball on the floor and are passing it around well.

9

Keegan has won his first game in charge at every side he has managed, but we are still yet to see a serious attempt at goal from either side here.

7

Keegan may well be looking to get somethong over on Bolton today, his last match in charge of Manchester City was against them and they lost 1-0.

6

Shola AMeobi is making his first start since September today, and his strike partner Michael Owen has been given the captain's armband.

5

Kevin Nolan tries his luck this time, but Shay Given gets down to his right to smother the ball.

4

Gavin McCann strikes a long range shot at goal, but it is deflected wide of the target.

3

Both sides look a little nervy here, particularly the home players who do not want to make the first mistake under the Keegan era.

1

Bolton win two corners in quick succession, both of which are headed clear by Newcastle players.

Kickoff
 

After a warm reception for Kevin Keegan inside an electric St. James' Park, referee Alan Wiley gets the game underway.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Andrew O'Brien, Michalik, Gardner, Joey O'Brien, Nolan, McCann, Guthrie, Davies, Taylor. SUBS: Al Habsi, Samuel, Giannakopoulos, Campo, Cohen

Awaiting Kickoff
 

NEWCASTLE: Given, Carr, Taylor, Cacapa, Jose Enrique, Milner, Rozehnal, N'Zogbia, Duff, Owen, Ameobi. SUBS: Harper, Edgar, Troisi, LuaLua, Carroll

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Gretar Steinsson and Matt Taylor are expected to make their Bolton debuts in this late kick-off and midfielder Gavin McCann passes a late fitness test.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Kevin Keegan faces selection difficulties for his first game in charge with Nicky Butt, Alan Smith and Emre all suspended and four players away in Ghana for the African Cup of Nations.