Three and easy for Newcastle
by Alex Livie, 05 April 2008
They may have gone over three months without a win earlier in the season, but that is a distant memory as victory over Reading on Saturday extended Newcastle’s winning sequence to three games.
The Magpies bounded into life against Fulham and have not looked back. Goals from Obafemi Martins, Michael Owen and Mark Viduka set Kevin Keegan’s side on the way to three points, but of equal importance was the way in which they defended as they looked like a cohesive unit at the back.
The magical 40-point mark may not have been reached, but there is every chance that they may well stay up even if they go through the rest of season without picking up a point. That, though, would seem unlikely given the way they have played in the last three games and it may be that the green shoots of recovery are finally in evidence.
Reading made a bold start and Kevin Doyle should have done better on six minutes when heading over the bar from John Oster’s free kick.
The Royals’ Irish connection were prominent in the opening exchanges as Doyle embarked on a burrowing run but took the ball out of play and Stephen Hunt was crowded out when about to pull the trigger.
Although they were under pressure early on, Newcastle looked a far more composed unit and Martins netted with their first chance of the game.
Liam Rosenior will have nightmares about his part in the goal, as he slipped when set to take possession and Martins needed no second invitation as he stepped inside Andre Bikey before shooting beyond Marcus Hahnemann.
Reading responded well with Kalifa Cisse and Oster testing Steve Harper, while at the other end Hahnemann did well to tip over Michael Owen’s glancing header.
Owen came into the game on the back of goals in his last three games and he should have made it four, but somehow shot wide from six yards after Mark Viduka had shown great awareness to step over Joey Barton’s cross.
If Owen was despondent about his miss he did not show it, as on the stroke of half time he doubled Newcastle’s lead. The England man seems to be revelling in his new role, but he has not lost his striker’s instinct as he peeled off the shoulder of the last man to latch onto a dinked pass from Habib Beye before clipping his shot beyond Hahnemann.
Any thoughts Reading entertained about mounting a fightback were snuffed out shortly before the hour as Viduka ensured all three of Keegan’s attacking stars got on the scoresheet when smashing home a cross from Beye.
Reading were rarely seen as an attacking force and their afternoon was summed up when Hunt snatched at a chance from 16 yards and shot straight at Steve Harper.
Martins and Barton went close to adding a fourth goal which would not have flattered Newcastle, but it mattered little to the Tyneside masses.