NEWCASTLE UNITED 0
PORTSMOUTH 0
Barcalys Premier League
St.James' Park
Monday, April 27, 2009
Kick-off 8pm

Craig Hope reports from St.James' Park ...

MATCH SUMMARY

NEWCASTLE United failed to claim a much-sought-after victory as a resolute Portsmouth frustrated Alan Shearer's side during a goalless draw at St.James' Park.

The Magpie gaffer made five changes before the game with the three-pronged attack of Oba Martins, Mark Viduka and Michael Owen restored in a bid to fire the Geordies to safety.

And that trio clicked just after half-time when Martins' pass was fed into the path of Viduka by the heel of Owen with the Aussie striker denied by a well-placed David James.

The best chance of the game fell to skipper Owen on 62 minutes but James once again came to Pompey's rescue as he thwarted his England colleague.

Richard Hughes then headed against a post as United tired in the closing stages.

In the end the point takes Newcastle to 18th and to within three of safety with four games remaining.

SECOND-HALF UPDATES (click refresh for latest)

90+2min - Is this one last chance? Jonas is cleaned out on the left and United have a free-kick. Guthrie clips over, Distin wins and the ball spirals in the air, when it drops Coloccini volleys but his effort flies over and that will be the last action of the night - 0-0.

90+1min - Duff tracks Johnson and concedes a corner from the defender's cross. Pompey choose to play for time and the ball is worked short, Johnson however spots a chance to shoot and glides a low effort wide of goal.

There will be three minutes added time.

89min - Carroll is booked for a stray arm as he catches Johnson in an aerial challenge.

87min - United are looking very leggy here and it's Pompey who are enjoying all of the attacking possession as Belhadj sends a 25-yard shot wide of Harper's frame.

82min - Pennant turns a right-wing cross around the back of the United defence looking for Crouch, Coloccini reads the ball and flicks a header behind for a corner. Pennant centres and United survive as Hughes' header strikes the base of the post before bouncing to safety - that was close.

79min - But no sooner have the Magpies cleared that danger than Crouch is on goal with just Harper to beat, Bassong is recovering to distract and his efforts pay dividend as the striker's low shot is weak and is saved by Harper.

78min - A Pompey corner is only half cleared by United and Davis returns at pace, Geordie hearts are in mouths as the ball cannons off bodies inside the penalty area but thankfully it falls to Coloccini and he swipes clear.

76min - United win a corner on the right but not before Johnson is boked for time wasting. Guthrie's ball lacks height and Pompey clear, Duff retrieves and his far-post cross is headed over by Carroll who had shown great desire to get above Hreidarsson.

74min - Pompey break at pace with Belhadj, he carries all of 40 yards before unleashing a rasping, rising strike which is palmed over by Steve Harper - he was taking no chances. Pennant crosses and Smith wins, the ball ends up at the feet of Johnson but as he darts into the penalty area it's Smith again who slides to hook from the defender - what a challenge.

73min - Immediately Spiderman gets away down the left but his cross is poor and Distin clears.

71min - Nicky Butt is going to make way for Jonas Gutierrez after another tireless shift in the engine room.

70min - Johnson twists and turns and steals a yard for the shot on the edge of the area but draws his effort well wide of Harper's goal.

66min - Martins' quick feet works space for the shot 30 yards from his goal but his low effort is watched all of the way by James who saves with ease.

64min - Two changes as Andy Carroll replaces Mark Viduka and Jermaine Pennant comes on for David Nugent.

62min - Viduka, lying on the floor on the edge of the area, manages to hook Michael Owen in on goal, the skipper has just James to beat but is denied by the Pompey keeper who spreads himself to stop the low poke and the ball flahses away for a corner. Guthrie centres but when Smith returns at the far post it's a blue shirt which boots clear.

61min - Martins feeds the over-lapping Duff on the left, he stands up a near-post cross which should be routine for James but the Pompey keeper spills at the first attempt before clawing the loose ball from the foot of Viduka inside the six-yard area.

57min - A wayward United pass ends up at the feet of Johnson on the right but he lashes wide from a good position.

56min - Davis slices well wide from 25 yards much to the delight of the Toon Army.

54min - Martins steals a yard on the shoulder of Campbell as Beye pumps downfield, the Nigerian darts into the area to give chase but James has rushed from line to leap and clear from the Toon No.9 with his head.

50min - Mike Riley waves away Pompey penalty appeals as Crouch tumbles to the turf under the sliding challenge of Coloccini - you've seen them given.

46min - United's three-man attack clicks as Martins' forward pass is helped into the path of Viduka by the heel of Owen, the Aussie holds of Campbell to get a low stab on goal but James is well placed to save - that was a fantastic move.

46min - Pompey get the second-half started with no changes for either side during the break.

FIRST-HALF UPDATES

45min - The half-time whistle blows but not before Hreidarsson is booked following a clash with Butt.

44min - Coloccini's persistence paves the way for Beye to cross from the right, his ball drops for Martins who swivels and is unlucky to see a rasping volley clip off a bue shirt and zip inches over the crossbar - what a chance. Guthrie centres but Pompey win to clear.

42min - Davis trips Butt midway inside United's half but Mike Riley fails to blow for a free-kick with Pompey ultimately winning a corner from Belhadj's shot. Davis crosses but Harper comes to punch to safety.

40min - Guthrie whips over a free-kick from the right but his cross deflects behind off the two-man wall. The United midfielder takes but Viduka is adjudged to have man-handled Distin and Pompey have a free-kick.

38min - A crisp forward move ends in Martins winning a corner off Campbell on the right. Guthrie flights over, Smith leaps to connect but misses, the ball is retrieved by Duff and his right-footed stab is palmed behind by James. Guthrie centres, James fists away, Butt lifts back in and it's Viduka who climbs highest but his header loops onto the roof of the Pompey net - this is good stuff from Shearer's men as we approach the break.

35min - United break with Viduka, his pass fails to find its intended target but the ball rolls for Alan Smith 25 yards out, he takes a touch before flashing a volley just inches over James' crossbar - great effort, he's having a good game in the middle of the park.

34min - Davis tests Harper with a dipping strike from range, the Toon stopper takes no chances and palms away for a corner. Davis curls in from the left but it's Harper who comes to fist with Duff completing the clearance.

31min - United are in the ascendancy and Guthrie's low shot from 20 yards is stabbed in the opposite direction by Viduka on the edge of the six-yard area, the balls rolls agonisingly towards the goal but a blue shirt recovers to nick away for a corner. Guthrie crosses high but Distin wins to power to safety.

30min - Duff shows no defensive constraints however as he gallops down the left flank and pulls back for Owen, the skipper shields from Campbell and tees up the supporting Alan Smith, he connects sweetly but the ball cannons into the arm of Hreidrsson and is cleared - a penalty would've been harsh in fairness.

28min - And United are dealt a blow as Jose Enrique pulls up with what looks like a hamstring injury and he will be replaced by Danny Guthrie with Damien Duff reverting to left-back.

25min - After a purposeful start from United it's now the visitors who have a stranglehold of the game.

20min - Bassong enters the book for a trip on Belhadj on the left but Pompey waste the free-kick as Davis gets too much purchase on his delivery.

19min - Smith's forward pass is intercepted by David and he immediately springs Belhadj away down the left, the wideman scampers the length of the Milburn Stand touchline before lifting a cross to the far post, Crouch brings under control and zips low back into the mix, Bassong arrives ahead of Nugent and pokes behind for a corner. Davis delivers but United deal with the high ball and clear.

14min - Coloccini is penalised for a dangerous high foot on Nugent 20 yards from goal and Pompey have a free-kick in a dangerous position. The ball is worked short to Johnson, he switches the ball onto his left foot and sees a low shot cannon behind off Coloccini. Davis floats to the back post but Crouch is penalised as he drags Bassong to the floor.

12min - A well worked United move deserves better as Duff's cross skids a yard behind the poised figure of Viduka on the penalty spot - this is an encouraging start.

11min - Martins does well to make something of Butt's forward clip but is stopped in his tracks inside the area by a well-executed sliding challenge from Campbell.

8min - The Magpies have enjoyed the majority of the early attacking possession and Bassong looks to get Beye away down the right but his sliced pass drifts away for a goal kick.

4min - It's been a lively start from the Magpies and David James is forced to backpedal at speed to pluck Habib Beye's looping centre into the safety of his arms inside the six-yard area.

The Geordies will attack what is a bouncing Gallowgate End during this first-half as Martins and Owen get us started.

Graeme Danby has done his bit to raise the Gallowgate roof with his sping-tingling version of the Blaydon Races as the Toon Army now hold aloft their black-and-white cards to make it a sea of the club's famous colours inside St.James' Park.

TEAM NEWS

ALAN Shearer makes five changes to the side which was beaten at Spurs eight days ago while Joey Barton also returns to the bench after three months on the sidelines.

Out go Steven Taylor (ankle), Jonas Gutierrez, Kevin Nolan, Ryan Taylor and Andy Carroll, with recalls for Alan Smith, Mark Viduka, Oba Martins, Fabricio Coloccini and Jose Enrique who is back from a knee injury.

That means the reformation of United's three-pronged attack of Martins, Viduka and skipper Michael Owen.

They will be supported by a three-man midfield of Smith, Nicky Butt and Damien Duff, while Coloccini and Enrique are joined in a flat back four by Sebastien Bassong and Habib Beye.

Barton hasn't played since the 2-1 defeat at former club Man City in January after suffering a broken metatarsal.

TEAMS

NUFC: 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

PFC: David James, Sol Campbell (c), Glen Johnson, Hayden Mullins, Hermann Hreidarsson, Richard Hughes, Sean Davis, Nadir Belhadj, Sylvain Distin, David Nugent, Peter Crouch
Subs: Asmir Begovic, Noe Pamarot, John Utaka, Kanu, Jermaine Pennant, Angelos Basinas, Martin Cranie

Referee: Mike Riley
Attendance: 47, 481