Thank you! Thank you very much King Kevin Keegan for a wonderful birthday present just a day after my big day yesterday. The lads are also awesome today, you guys make us all very proud of you.
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In a thunderous atmosphere at fully packed St. James’s Park, Newcastle making three wins out of three against Reading and to add more of joy, YMO scores again for his fourth in 4 games. Martins also scores, his second in two games. Viduka? Oh yes, he’s also in the scoresheet too 🙂
In the game where Keegan’s first signing Lamine Diatta was included for the first time among the United substitutes since his arrival on Tyneside last month, Toon young Canadian, David Edgar is making his first start for Toon this season to replace Taylor who was absence because of food poisoning.
Newcastle quickly start to dominating the game as soon as referee Lee Probert blew the kick-off, with an early free-kick from Geremi in just two minutes of play resulting the first corner for Newcastle. Geremi’s delivery gets the attention of Edgar who headed the ball home just being cleared by Reading defender.
The ball fell to Barton who produces Toon second corner as his rebound took off the shins of Shorey.
More than 50,000 Toon Army are no need to wait any longer than 18 minutes before they see the first goal for Newcastle. Nicky Butt delivery to Oba Martins on the left with a crossfield ball. Martins takes full advantage as Reading’s Liam Rosenior taste the St. James’ slippery wet grass.
Oba continues his run into the penalty area and aware of the challenge from Andre Bikey and gets away from him before finishing his solo past Hahnemann with delightful right-footed strike from 12 yards. That’s his ninth of the season. A deafening celebration is starting there ladies and gentlemen!
After that goal? Well, you can imagine that without I have to mention it here, we are enjoying the game very well with Reading busy defending. No chance at all for them to create any real chances that can harm us. In fact, we should have the second goal in 37 minute.
New born again Joey Barton and Nicky Butt once again switches play between them, these two are really combining very well in Toon midfield recently, and when Barton found himself in space on the left side of the field, he crosses a first-time shooting for the near post where Viduka dummies it for Owen who’s arriving from midfield, Owen connects it, but his eight-yard effort inches wide of Hahnemann’s goal.
Nevermind that, because Toon skipper is really in the mood and still hungry for more goals to show the England gaffer that he is still England’s best striker. Owen nets his fourth in four games for Toon as he scores in 43 minute from the angle of the six-yard area.
It was coming from a delightful chipped pass ball from Habib Beye. Let me tell you some stats, Michael Owen is the second Newcastle United player who has scored in four consecutive premier league matches since Alan Shearer doing it in the 2003/04 season. Congratulations Mickey!
Newcastle held to their two goals lead until the first-half ends. And the same full attacking display is displayed once again in the return of second-half. We deservedly get the third goal in an hour mark. This time, another Toon striker producing a fine finish from a great attacking scenario from the midfield.
After failed to score in an effective performance against Spurs last Sunday, Mark Viduka is not in the mood to end today’s game empty handed. He gets in on the scoresheet with his close range finish after making a clever one-two with Habib Beye inside the area.
Kevin Keegan makes all substitutions in the second-half as he taken off Mark Viduka and bring in Damien Duff in 74 minute, the Aussie receives a fabulous standing ovation from the Toon Army as he goes off the field.
Five minutes later, it’s Nicky Butt turn to receive standing ovation as he comes off for Alan Smith, and in the 82 minute Keegan’s Lamine Diatta handed his debut to replaces his Senegal team-mate Abdoulaye Faye.
TEAMS
Newcastle United FC:
Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, Abdoulaye Faye, David Edgar, Nicky Butt, Geremi, Joey Barton, Michael Owen (c), Mark Viduka, Oba Martins
Subs: Fraser Forster, Lamine Diatta, Alan Smith, Damien Duff, Andy Carroll
Reading FC:
Marcus Hahnemann, Nicky Shorey, Kalifa Cisse, Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt, John Oster, Dave Kitson, James Harper, Ivar Ingimarsson, Liam Rosenior, Ulises De La Cruz
Subs: Bobby Convey, Emerse Fae, Shane Long, Michael Duberry, Adam Federici
Referee: Lee Probert
Attendance: 52, 179