NEWCASTLE UNITED 1
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 0
Coca-Cola Championship
St.James' Park
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Kick-off 7.45pm

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

FULL-TIME SUMMARY

SHOLA Ameobi was once again Newcastle United's match-winner as he grabbed the only goal of the gamr to fire the Magpies back up to third in the Championship in front of an incredible crowd of nearly 44,000 at St.James' Park.

Ameobi, the hat-trick hero against Reading on Saturday, climaxed a route-one move with a sweet half-volley past Lee Grant from 12 yards after Andy Carroll had climbed to flick on Steve Harper's long downfield punt on 15 minutes.

Ryan Taylor, 25 today, was denied a birthday goal by the excellent Grant as he leapt to somehow palm the midfielder's goal-bound free-kick above the woodwork after half-time.

But United owe a great deal to keeper Steve Harper for their three points as first, from Michael Gray's free-kick, he finger-tipped over the crossbar before racing from his line to smother at the feet of Francis Jeffers late in the game with the former Everton man clean through on goal.

SECOND-HALF UPDATES (click refresh for latest)

And a collevctive Geordie cheer goes up around St.James' Park as Phil Dowd whistles for full-time, 1-0!

There will be four minutes added time.

90min - Danny Guthrie replaces Ryan Taylor.

89min - These are nervy times for the Magpies and a full-stretch Simpson has to be spot on with his sliding challenge on Esajas inside the area - and he was, corner. Phil Dowd spots an infringement as the ball is delivered and Tyneside breathes a sigh of relief.

88min - Goal hero Shola is replaced by teenage hitman Nile Ranger in what is his home debut.

86min - Steve Harper comes to United's rescue as Francis Jeffers steals in behind the Magpie backline. The Owls sub has just the Toon stopper to beat but his snap shot is smothered and held by the United No.1 on the edge of the six-yard area - that was last-ditch stuff.

83min - Steven Taylor earns booking for a two-footed challenge on Tommy Miller.

82min - The bloodied O'Connor is unable to continue and is replaced by former Everton and Arsenal forward Francis Jeffers.

80min - James O'Connor clashes heads with Steven Taylor and receives lengthy treatment allowing the United players to regroup on the touchline and enjoy a well-earned drinks break - still 10 minutes hard graft left yet though.

78min - The Geordies are now regaining their stranglehold of the game but still they lead by just the one goal.

75min - Richard Wood sends Gutierrez flying on the left and, as a result, enters Phil Dowd's notebook.

73min - Another former Sunderland player, Tommy Miller, replaces Michael Gray and Etienne Esajas comes on for Sean McAllister.

69min - And confirmation comes through that the Toon Army have smashed Sunderland's attendance from last night with a massive 43,904! Incredible!

67min - Former Sunderland man Gray draws the loudest cheer of the night from the Toon Army as his attempted shot screws away for no, not a goal kick, but a throw-in!

64min - Alan Smith, with his eyes trained firmly on the ball, unwittingly clatters into O'Connor 20 yards out as he attempted to head clear - Phil Dowd is quickly on the scene and awards a free-kick to the visitors. Michael Gray clips over the wall and forces a fine, flying save from Steve Harper as he lifts the goal-bound effort over his frame from right underneath the crossbar - fantastic stop which earns deserved applause. Wednesday waste the flag-kick.

61min - Sheff Wed have had much the better of the last ten minutes and have enjoyed a lot of possession in United's final third but have failed to find that cutting edge.

58min - Andy Carroll looks to have a problem with his ankle and the Geordie striker makes way to be replaced by Xisco.

52min - Ryan Taylor is denied a birthday goal and it's little surprise that keeper Grant is his nemisis as he flies across goal to palm the midfielder's 25-yard free-kick from the top corner and away for a corner - what a save! Taylor takes the flag-kick but it's the head of Purse, inbetween the twin-towered front pairing of Ameobi and Carroll, which climbs to flick away to safety.

49min - Shola is left in a heap after Purse's boot connects with his ankle as the striker looked to cushion Enrique's forward pass. Physio Dave Henderson is on and soon has the Toon man on his feet on trotting toward the Milburn Stand touchline - he look's okay.

No changes during the interval as The Owls get proceedings underway for this second period.

FIRST-HALF ACTION

And so sounds the whistle for half-time, 1-0 United.

There will be two minutes added time.

41min - Enrique slips allowing Johnson to weave his way into the penalty area on the right, he serves up a crisp pass into the path of the supporting O'Connor, 20 yards out, but his first-time shot is blocked by Steven Taylor on the penalty spot.

38min - Lewis Buxton sees yellow as he wrestles with Gutierrez on the left flank preventing the Argentine from getting on the end of Enrique's return pass. Ryan Taylor serves up an inviting centre from the resulting free-kick which is flashed on goal by the head of Ameobi. But, again, it is the razor-sharp reactions of Grant which denies the striker as he hurls through the sticky Tyneside air to save.

34min - Enrique sets off on what are fast becomming trademark surges down the left flank. The Spaniard leaves both Gray and Buxton floundering and wins a corner when his cross is blocked by the shins of Purse. Ryan Taylor delivers at pace to the near post, Coloccini fails to connect but that causes panic in the Owls backline and only a hurried toe poke from Wood clears the danger.

27min - Ryan Taylor's forward wedge evades the head of a backpedalling Spurr and Simpson gives chase. The new boy does enough to pressure Wood into swiping away for a corner at the Gallowgate End. Taylor levers into the mix and Ameobi, using every inch of his towering frame, is only denied a second by the agile leap of Grant who springs to save the striker's header which was top-corner bound.

26min - But Fabricio Coloccini isn't so fortunate moments later as he sees yellow for what, in fairness, was a blatant tug on the shirt of Jermaine Johnson who had wriggled free of the Argentine on the right wing.

23min - Ryan Taylor is lucky to escape punishment as he leaves O'Connor in a heap on the right flank - Dowd deeming the free-kick a sufficient reprimand.

20min - There's a sizeable crowd inside St.James'  - can we beat Sunderland's total against Chelsea last night of 41,179? We'll have the answer after half-time ...

15min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-0): It's Route One stuff! Steve Harper's long pump downfield is helped on by the towering leap of Andy Carroll, SHOLA AMEOBI darts on to his team-mate's flick before controlling with his chest and steering a low shot between keeper Lee Grant and his near upright from 12 yards - what a finish for his fourth of the season!

14min - Alan Smith is first man in the book for a reckless lunge at the feet of Purse - it was deserved to be fair.

12min - Kevin Nolan pops up deep in enemy territory and from his cross there is a voluble shout for a penalty with the ball appearing to strike the arm of Purse - Phil Dowd, however, is having none of it.

9min - Ryan Taylor is set free by Danny Simpson at the other end but gets the ball caught under his feet and, when he does recover possession, his pass to Gutierrez is wayward and keeper Grant gathers.

7min - Jermaine Johnson latches onto Michael Gray's forward slide and the Jamaican is in behind Coloccini, he scampers into the area but is denied a shot on goal when the recovering Steven Taylor arrives to swipe away from his poised boot at the expense of a corner. Gray delivers but Coloccini's glancing header to clear contains the danger.

3min - Andy Carroll leaves full-back Buxton for dead on the right before cutting a sharp ball into the path of Ryan Taylor, he checks inside Purse but is upended by the burly centre-back 20 yards from goal and United have a free-kick. Enrique has a word with Taylor before the kick is taken and it is the Spaniard, perhaps spotting a gap in the wall, who strikes - that gap must have disappeared, however, by the time he strikes as the ball cannons into the yellow-shirted blockade before being cleared.

1min - It takes just 21 seconds for United to fashion the game's first opening, Shola Ameobi's toe-poke giving Kevin Nolan a sight of goal 20 yards out. The Liverpudlian goes for the first-time shot and is unlucky to see his effort curl away from Lee Grant's target.

The Magpies get the action started attacking the Gallowgate End - there's a huge cheer for Shola Ameobi as the teams are announced before kick-off.

The sound of Local Hero fills all four corner of the stadium as the blonde-haired Alan Smith leads United onto a lush St.James' playing surface.

TEAM NEWS

LOAN arrival Danny Simpson comes in for his Newcastle United debut as replacement for the injured Joey Barton (foot).

The 22-year-old will start in the right-back berth with birthday boy Ryan Taylor, 25 today, pushing up into the right-hand midfield slot.

It's nearly 2 1/2 hours since United last conceded a goal and a backline which is completed by Jose Enrique, Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini will be hoping for another shutout against The Owls.

Saturday's hat-trick hero Shola Ameobi is again paired with fellow Geordie Andy Carroll in attack, while skipper Alan Smith, Kevin Nolan and Jonas Gutierrez join Liverpudlian Taylor in the middle of the park.

Danny Guthrie returns to the bench for his first involvement of the season after a hamstring layoff.

Sheff Wed are unchanged from the side which drew 1-1 at Peterborough United on Saturday.

TEAMS

NUFC: Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Jose Enrique, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Jonas Gutierrez, Alan Smith (c), Kevin Nolan, Shola Ameobi, Andy Carroll
Subs: Tim Krul, Geremi, Xisco, Danny Guthrie, Nile Ranger, Kazenga LuaLua, Tamas Kadar

SWFC: Lee Grant, Lewis Buxton, Tommy Spurr, Darren Purse, Richard Wood, Sean McAllister, Darren Potter, Michael Gray, James O'Connor, Marcus Tudgay, Jermaine Johnson
Subs: Richard Hinds, Tommy Miller, Francis Jeffers, Etienne Esajas, Mark Beevers, Frank Simek, Richard O'Donnell

Referee: Phil Dowd
Attendance: 43, 904