NEWCASTLE UNITED 2
DONCASTER ROVERS 1
Coca-Cola Championship
St.James' Park
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Kick-off 3pm

Craig Hope reports ...

FULL-TIME SUMMARY

TEN-man Newcastle United climbed back to the top of the Championship as Kevin Nolan fired an injury-time winner after Doncaster Rovers had missed a penalty with the score at 1-1.

Trailing to Dean Shiels' 18th-minute opener, the Magpies drew level on 67 minutes when Andy Carroll smashed home a first-time volley from Danny Guthrie's made-to-measure centre.

But the visitors were awarded a spot-kick with 15 minutes left on the clock only for skipper Martin Woods to lash wide from 12 yards.

Zurab Khizanishvili was given his marching orders on 85 minutes for his part in breaking up a scuffle between Rovers forward Billy Sharp and United's Tamas Kadar.

But if The Magpies felt aggrieved by that decision then they found the perfect remedy when Nolan curled into the bottom corner from 20 yards to spark jubilant scenes inside St.James' Park.

SECOND-HALF UPDATES (click refresh for latest)

Full-time, 2-1 United!

90+3min - But The Magpies are living dangerously and have Ryan Taylor to thank for a last-ditch header to rob James Hayter with the forward in on goal.

90+2min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-1): Goal machine KEVIN NOLAN has done it! But the effort owes everything to the industry of Andy Carroll; the Geordie frontman having hassled Rovers out of possession before rolling into the path of the Scouser who did the rest with an inch-perfect curler from 20 yards!

There will be five minutes added time.

87min - Ben Tozer replaces Jonas Gutierrez and will slot in at the back in the absence of Zurab.

85min - NEWCASTLE RED CARD: Billy Sharp sees yellow following a scuffle with Tamas Kadar. Nicky Butt is then rather bizarrely booked for his part in breaking up the tussle. But the biggest shock comes when Zurab Khizanishvili is flashed a straight red card having, like Butt, stepped in to pull the Vikings winger from their young team-mate.

82min - Nile Ranger's hold-up play enables Nicky Butt to release a snap shot from the edge of the area but keeper Sullivan is well placed to grasp - a decent effort from the United skipper.

78min - Sullivan scuffs his attempted clearance and, when the ball rolls to Kevin Nolan 40 yards out, the Scouser wastes no time in directing a first-time effort back towards the unmanned target. But Sullivan's blushes are spared when Chambers, fortunately placed on the edge of the area, manages to deflect wide with the faintest of touches. Taylor's flag-kick is cleared.

77min - James Hayter replaces former Magpie youngster James Coppinger.

75min - DONCASTER MISS PEN - Skipper Martin Woods steps up but lashes his left-footed strike wide of Steve Harper's goal and United survive!

75min - Doncaster have a penalty after Dean Shiels' header crashes into the arm of Ryan Taylor.

72min - Kadar confidently steps out of defence and feeds Gutierrez. The Argenitne drifts by Coppinger on halfway before sliding a low pass into the feet of Nile Ranger. The young forward escapes O'Connor on the left but the full-back manages to recover to stab away for a corner. Ryan Taylor's near-post cross is met by the brow of Shackell who powerfully heads clear.

70min - Nile Ranger, roared on by the Gallowgate faithful, hares down the right flank before winning a corner off Chambers. Ryan Taylor centres but, despite Carroll meeting the pacey delivery, the ball skids off his forehead and travels away for a throw-in.

67min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-1): And ANDY CARROLL does atone for that earlier miss with a thumping first-time volley from Danny Guthrie's inch-perfect chip - that was a thunderous finish!

65min - Ryan Taylor's wedged free-kick is turned back across goal by the forehead of Andy Carroll, the ball drops for Kevin Nolan but the swievling Scouser is unable to add to his seven-goal tally with a right-footed hook dropping onto the roof of the net - good effort.

62min - Nile has already injected a bit of life into the hosts - we could be set for a tense final half hour here with United set to throw everything at their visitors in search of a leveller.

60min - Nile Ranger is thrown into the fray with Marlon Harewood making way - can the teenager spark a comeback?

58min - Jose Enrique's swirling centre from the left has too much weight for a backpedalling Andy Carroll and skids away for a throw-in - the Geordie frontman looks desperate to atone for that earlier glaring miss.

56min - Marlon Harewood sees yellow as his stray arm connects with the face of Jason Shackell.

53min - How did he miss?! Andy Carroll, seizing on the scraps from a Marlon Harewood header eight yards from goal, has just Neil Sullivan to beat and the whole target to aim at but, somehow, the Geordie forward stabs wide of the frame much to the despair of all inside St.James' Park.

51min - Andy Carroll climbs to nod Tamas Kadar's up and under into the feet of Danny Guthrie. The ball sits invitingly for the midfielder and he accepts the invitation of a shot with his dipping volley crashing on to the roof of Neil Sullivan's frame.

46min - An early corner, delivered by Ryan Taylor, is flapped clear by a shaky Neil Sullivan from underneath his crossbar.

No changes during the break as United restart play - can they get back into this?

FIRST-HALF UPDATES

45+1min - James O'Connor is booked on the stroke of half-time for a foul on Jonas Gutierrez. And, after Ryan Taylor's free-kick is cleared, referee Darren Deadman blows for half-time.

45min - Again the Magpies come within a whisker of finding parity. Jose Enrique sweeps an enticing cross onto the naval of Andy Carroll 12 yards out, the Geordie frontman connects but sees his header flash inches wide of Sullivan's target.

41min - And the Geordies have a gilt-edged chance to draw level! Ryan Taylor's lofted centre is met by head of Kevin Nolan with keeper Neil Sullivan forcing clear the goal-bound effort inside the six-yard area, the ball runs through the legs of a recovering Rovers defender and into the path of Jonas Gutierrez. All the Argentine has to do is steer into the back of the net from eight yards but, somehow, he manages to scoop up and over the crossbar leaving Geordie heads in hands around the stadium!

40min - This game is drifting towards half-time - United need an injection of attacking zest from somewhere.

36min - Scorer Dean Shiels is the first man in the book for a trip on Ryan Taylor. Taylor's subsequent ball, across the face of goal, is inviting to say the least, but sadly for The Magpies there are no takers.

34min - The visitors have been mightily impressive during the opening half hour and come within a fingertip of doubling their lead when Martin Woods is denied by the desperate palm of Steve Harper after the skipper had let fly with a skidding effort from 20 yards - great save, though.

31min - The hosts do, though, win a corner on the right but Ryan Taylor's centre glides above all in the Leazes End penalty area and drifts to safety.

30min - The weather has brightened ever so slightly here on Tyneside but, sadly, United's performance thus far is lacking in colour.

29min - United are struggling to find their rythmn here and are yet to fashion a clear-cut opening.

27min - Martin Woods gets his angles all wrong after Doncaster are awarded a free-kick 25 yards from goal; the former Sunderland youngster screwing high into the Gallowgate End.

20min - United look for an instant reply and Gutierrez flashes a low ball across goal from the left. The home crowd are out of their seats but neither a sliding Andy Carroll or Marlon Harewood are able to apply the touch which would have brought the hosts level.

18min - DONCASTER GOAL (0-1): Kadar can only half clear from the left full-back position and the ball lands at the feet of Billy Sharp. The winger scurries into the danger zone and, when his incisive pullback falls for DEAN SHIELS, the Northern Irish frontman slots into an empty net from six yards.

17min - Nicky Butt is sent crashing to the sodden turf by Gillett and United have a free-kick 30 yards out. Ryan Taylor decides to take aim but his effort, despite zipping through a crowded penalty area, is well watched by Sullivan and the former Wimbledon stopper gathers with ease.

11min - The game's first corner arrives when Harewood's 20-yard shot cannons up off the back of Chambers before nestling in the front row of the Leazes End. Ryan Taylor directs onto the head of Andy Carroll but the Geordie frontman, stretching to connect, can merely succeed in guiding his effort high and wide.

9min - Sharp is again afforded time and space on the left flank, the wideman produces far better cross but Steve Harper reads and comes to flap clear with away jerseys closing in.

7min - United have been rather wasteful in possession during these early exchanges and, with Gutierrez this time the guilty party, Rovers attack down the left. Billy Sharp furrows into the area but his cross lacks direction, if not venom, and is gathered at the second attempt by Steve Harper.

4min - Tamas Kadar passes his first test with flying colours, climbing to head clear from Sam Hird's long punt downfield.

2min - Nicky Butt crunches into an early tackle at the expense of a free-kick - the Toon skipper laying down an early marker to his midfield opponents.

The Vikings emerge from their team huddle to get us started, the visitors attacking the Gallowgate End.

Kevin Nolan receives his Newcastle United September Player of the Month Award before kick-off with the Toon Army affording the midfielder a rousing reception.

The rain is still sweeping down here at Gallowgate as the teams enter on to what is sure to be a fast playing surface.

TEAM NEWS

CHRIS Hughton has been forced to shuffle his backline with news that Fabricio Coloccini (groin) and Danny Simpson (ankle) will miss today's visit of Sean O'Driscoll's side.

It had been hoped, and expected, that Coloccini would return from a four-week layoff to face The Vikings, but the Argentine has lost his fitness race and remains sidelined.

Danny Simpson, who started in the centre of defence at Scunthorpe on Tuesday, also misses out because of an ankle problem.

That means a full league debut for Hungarian 19-year-old Tamas Kadar who will be joined by Eastern European comrade Zurab Khizanishvili, of Georgia, at the heart of the rearguard.

Nicky Butt returns to skipper The Magpies in the absence of suspended Alan Smith, while Marlon Harewood also earns a recall in a two-man strikeforce alongside Andy Carroll.

TEAMS

NUFC: Steve Harper, Ryan Taylor, Tamas Kadar, Zurab Khizanishvili, Jose Enrique, Danny Guthrie, Nicky Butt (c), Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Andy Carroll, Marlon Harewood
Subs: Tim Krul, Geremi, Peter Lovenkrands, Ben Tozer, Ryan Donaldson, Wesley Ngo Baheng, Nile Ranger

DRFC: Neil Sullivan, Jason Shackell, Billy Sharp, Martin Woods (c), James Chambers, Quinton Fortune, James O'Connor, Dean Shiels, James Coppinger, Simon Gillett, Sam Hird
Subs: Lewis Guy, James Hayter, John Oster, John Spicer, Mustapha Dumbuya, Paul Heffernan, Gary Woods

Referee: Darren Deadman
Attendance: 43, 949