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Newcastle United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers. Premier League.

St James' Park, NewcastleAttendance49,939.

Newcastle United 4

  • K Nolan (22nd minute)
  • S Ameobi (45th minute)
  • P Lovenkrands (50th minute)
  • J Gutiérrez (93rd minute)

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1

  • S Ebanks-Blake (58th minute)

Newcastle ease relegation nerves

Image: Nolan: Opened the scoring in the 22nd minute

Newcastle eased their relegation worries with a vitally important 4-1 win over fellow strugglers Wolves.

Nolan, Ameobi, Lovenkrands and Gutierrez secure vital three points

Newcastle eased their relegation worries with a vitally important 4-1 win over fellow strugglers Wolves at St James' Park. Home captain Kevin Nolan and striker Shola Ameobi gave the home side a comfortable half-time lead, as Wolves paid the price for poor defending. But Mick McCarthy's visitors were also irate that Nolan was only shown a yellow card, his 10th of the season to earn a two-game suspension, for a trip on Adam Hammill immediately prior to Ameobi's goal. Wolves believed Nolan was the last man when challenging inside from the left touchline, however, referee Mike Dean decided that right-back Danny Simpson would have been able to cover. McCarthy's frustration increased shortly after half-time, as Peter Lovenkrands scored a third from the excellent Joey Barton's assist and neat footwork from Fabricio Coloccini in the build-up. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake gave Wolves some hope, but Jonas Gutierrez scored in injury-time to earn Newcastle only a second win in 10 Premier League games and move the club away from relegation danger, while leaving their visitors in trouble. Newcastle, still coming to terms with Andy Carroll's departure for Liverpool and without key men Cheick Tiote and Leon Best, created more than enough chances to win the game in the first half alone. Karl Henry had spent much of the reverse fixture at Molineux in August reminding Barton of his presence, and his team-mates, who had been unbeaten for four matches, took up the theme on Saturday.

Route one

George Elokobi and Nenad Milijas were booked for early fouls on the midfielder and on both occasions the home side almost scored from the resulting free-kicks. First Barton floated a fifth-minute ball into the box for defender Mike Williamson to send in a diving header which goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey had to palm around the post, and he then presented Nolan with a 16th-minute chance, but he directed his effort straight at Hennessey. When the opening goal did arrive, it came straight down route one as Ameobi climbed well to flick-on Danny Simpson's long ball into the path of Nolan, who stabbed past Hennessey. Wolves, who were busy in midfield but lacked any real creativity, were fitful in their response and it was not until Ebanks-Blake met Jamie O'Hara's 44th minute free-kick in front of goal that Steve Harper was called upon to make a save. But Newcastle's response was emphatic and they doubled their lead in the final minute of the half when Ameobi climbed to power a header home from Lovenkrands' cross. The only disappointment for Newcastle was the 44th minute booking - his 10th of the season - collected by Nolan for a trip on winger Hammill which will cost him a two-game ban.
Home and dry
Alan Pardew's men might have been home and dry within two minutes of the restart as they ran at will through a dangerously permeable Wolves defence. First Hennessey had to make a vital block after Ameobi had forced his way to the goal-line and squared for Barton, and then the woodwork came to the rescue when Lovenkrands had rounded the goalkeeper, but shot against the upright from a tight angle. However, the game was over with 50 minutes gone when Coloccini was allowed to run out of defence and find Barton down the right, whose low cross was tailor-made for Lovenkrands to help himself to his fifth goal of the season. But Wolves refused to give up the fight and they grabbed a lifeline eight minutes later when Ebanks-Blake side-footed home from Jarvis' pinpoint cross. Newcastle's composure eluded them as they attempted to deal with the setback, and they were fortunate not to concede again two minutes later when substitute Steven Fletcher glanced a free header wide. For the first time in the game, the visitors had established a momentum, and substitute James Perch came to the home side's rescue twice within seconds, first dispossessing Ebanks-Blake inside the box and then clearing his goalbound header off the line. The onslaught continued as the clock ran down, but Gutierrez relieved the tension when, after substitute Steven Taylor had blocked Karl Henry's shot and steamed upfield, he fed the midfielder to cut inside and curl an inch-perfect shot past Hennessey.
Newcastle United Team Statistics Wolverhampton Wanderers
4 Goals 1
2 1st Half Goals 0
8 Shots on Target 2
5 Shots off Target 5
5 Blocked Shots 9
5 Corners 4
18 Fouls 10
3 Offsides 3
5 Yellow Cards 3
0 Red Cards 0
67.3 Passing Success 74.2
15 Tackles 18
73.3 Tackles Success 77.8
41.8 Possession 58.2
48.9 Territorial Advantage 51.1

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