NEWCASTLE UNITED 3
PETERBOROUGH UNITED 1
Coca-Cola Championship
St.James' Park
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Kick-off 3pm

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

FULL-TIME SUMMARY

JONAS Gutierrez and Danny Simpson bagged their maiden black-and-white strikes as Newcastle United signed off for the international break with a comfortable 3-1 win over Peterborough United.

The Magpies roared out of the traps and broke the deadlock on 15 minutes, Gutierrez slaloming through the Posh backline before forcing past Joe Lewis from eight yards.

And that advantage was doubled within three minutes as Andy Carroll leapt to flash home Danny Guthrie's corner for his fourth of the season.

Guthrie struck the base of the post before half-time and Simpson made it three on 52 minutes, the on-loan defender floating a cross-cum-shot into the far corner after good hold-up play from Marlon Harewood.

There was time for a late Peterborough goal, Dean Keates firing home from close range on 80 minutes, but it failed to inspire a comeback as United maintained their two-point cushion at the top of the Championship.

SECOND-HALF UPDATES (click refresh for latest)

Full-time, 3-1 United.

There will be three minutes added time.

88min - Ryan Bennett becomes the first man to enter Andy D'Urso's book for a trip on Peter Lovenkrands.

85min - Thankfully, for the hosts, that goal has failed to rally Posh and United have regained control with the clock ticking towards a winning conclusion.

80min - PETERBOROUGH GOAL (3-1): A game of pinball inside the United area ends with DEAN KEATES spinning and firing low past Steve Harper to spark a glimmer of hope for Darren Ferguson's men.

78min - A double change for The Magpies sees front duo Andy Carroll and Marlon Harewood make way for Nile Ranger and Peter Lovenkrands.

75min - Shaun Batt replaces Chris Whelpdale for the visitors.

73min - Dean Keates fashions room for a dig on the left-hand side of the penalty area but fires into the front row of the Gallowgate End - Steve Harper had it covered.

67min - Jose Enrique steps inside Keates with alarming ease on the left and powers forward. The Spaniard lashes goalwards from 20 yards and Joe Lewis is forced into a smart save as he brushes around the upright at the expense of a corner. And the England Under-21 keeper claims Guthrie's centre from the resultant flag-kick.

62min - Steve Harper told nufc.co.uk during the week that he wouldn't mind a quiet afternoon, but the Toon stalwart has been kept busy these last ten minutes or so and has to be at his best to repel Mackail-Smith's close-range strike after the Posh forward found himself with just the United No.1 to beat six yards from goal.

59min - Nolan is denied a 9th of the season as his measured lob is flapped over the crossbar by a desperate Joe Lewis. Harewood climbs to turn Guthrie's clipped flag-kick on goal but he is thwarted in his search for a fourth as a well-positioned Morgan heads clear from the line.

58min - Harper is again tested just moments later, this time getting down low to grasp McLean's low fizzer.

57min - Coutts has a go from range but he's not beating Steve Harper from that distance and the keeper saves with ease.

52min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (3-0): A swift counter-attack looks to have ran down a blind alley when Marlon Harewood, despite keeping possession, is left with few options on the edge of the area. However, the loan frontman bides his time before rolling a short pass to the overlapping DANNY SIMPSON on the right. The fellow loanee checks inside Tommy Rowe before seeing a cross-cum-shot sail above and beyond Joe Lewis and into far corner for his first for The Magpies.

48min - Carroll chests into the path of team-mate Ryan Taylor with the ball sitting up nicely for the Liverpudlian. With the crowd willing him to shoot, Taylor swings a left-footed half volley goalwards from 25 yards with the ball dropping onto the roof of a backpedalling Joe Lewis's net.

47min - Marlon Harewood has taken a knock to his leg and requires treatment on halfway from physio Dave Henderson.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson has acted during the break with Paul Coutts and Aaron McLean replacing Danny Rose and Toumani Diagouraga.

FIRST-HALF UPDATES

Half-time, 2-0 to United.

There will be one minute added time.

43min - This game is drifting towards half-time.

40min - A degree of sloppiness has crept into United's previously flawless display and Psoh win their first corner on the right. Boyd's delivery is poor, however, allowing Smith to boot clear at the near post.

38min - The marauding Enrique excites the home crowd as he burns by Whlepdale on the left before a heavy touch robs him of the chance to shoot on the edge of the area - still, though, the Spaniard wins warm applause from the Toon Army.

36min - There is a light drizzle starting to fall on Tyneside and, as a result, both sides have misplaced passes during the last five minutes or so.

33min - This has been a cruise thus far for Chris Hughton's men who, as it stands with West Brom and Leicester still deadlocked, are four points clear at the top.

27min - We're losing count of the home corners here and, from Ryan Taylor's wedge, Danny Guthrie comes desperately close to adding a third; the midfielder seizing the scraps before crafting a yard for shot and striking the base of the post with a low, left-footed drive which left Joe Lewis no chance.

23min - The hosts are in buoyant mood and are camped in the Posh half. And they win yet another flag-kick when Ryan Taylor's 25-yard drive clips behind off the heels of Morgan. Guthrie lifts into the area but Andy D'Urso spots an infringement and the visitors have a free-kick.

21min - Goalscorer Gutierrez will have to wait for his second United goal with the winger succumbing to what looks like a groin problem, Ryan Taylor his replacement.

18min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-0): And The Magpies are two goals to the good within three minutes as ANDY CARROLL rises to flash Danny Guthrie's corner past Joe Lewis from the angle of the six-yard area.

15min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-0): JOANS GUTIERREZ has first-ever goal for Newcastle United! And it's hardly surprising when it comes from a mazy run as the Argentine receives possession on the left flank before cutting inside and out of two blue shirts and entering the box. There is still work to be done and Gutierrez is rather fortuitous when his shot cannons off Morgan and into the net - there's no doubt the goal belongs to the Toon man, though.

12min - Gutierrez has another chance to shoot, this time receiving a sharp pullback from Guthrie, but the winger lifts a harmless left-footed curler high into the stands from the edge of the area.

7min - Gutierrez dances into the area after swapping passes with Harewood and shimmies by two challenges, but the Argentine is denied a first Toon goal when his shot cannons wide off Bennett - the defender standing firm on the edge of the six-yard area. The corner, from Guthrie, bounces around the penalty area and, when it is cleared, United win a free-kick as Smith is felled by Diagouraga 20 yards out. Kevin Nolan fancies his chances but the Scouser dips his effort over Joe Lewis' crossbar and into the front row of the Gallowgate End.

6min - Steven Taylor, back from a three-week hamstring layoff, passes his first test with flying colours as he chases down a long punt forward before holding off the challenge of Boyd and rolling back to Steve Harper who clears.

4min - United have started well and have enjoyed all of the early possession.

1min - Smith and Carroll crunch into challenges on the edge of the area with the ball squirming to the feet of Marlon Harewood. The loan striker uses a smart first touch to generate space before slipping a slick pass to the supporting Danny Simpson. The full back has time for a shot but merely succeeds in dragging a low effort tamely wide of target from 16 yards out.

The Magpies will be attacking the Gallowgate End during this opening period and it is Kevin Nolan and Marlon Harewood who get us started.

And the stadium observes an impeccable minute's silence ahead of this weekend's Remembrance Sunday celebrations,

Newcastle United physio Derek Wright receives a warm reception from the home fans after a pitchside presentation to mark his 25th anniversary at the club.

TEAM NEWS

CHRIS Hughton makes three changes to the side which won at Sheffield United on Monday with Steven Taylor, Danny Guthrie and Marlon Harewood all returning to the starting line-up.

Taylor is back from a three-week hamstring absence and comes in for Hungarian defender Tamas Kadar.

Ryan Taylor, who scored the only goal at Bramall Lane, makes way for Danny Guthrie, while Harewood replaces skipper Nicky Butt.

That means a 4-4-2 formation with Harewood joining Carroll, outstanding against The Blades, in attack.

Alan Smith wears the armband with Butt dropping down to the bench.

TEAMS

NUFC: Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Danny Guthrie, Alan Smith (c), Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Marlon Harewood, Andy Carroll
Subs: Tim Krul, Nicky Butt, Ryan Taylor, Geremi, Nile Ranger, Tamas Kadar, Peter Lovenkrands

PUFC: Joe Lewis, Charlie Lee, Tommy Rowe, Craig Morgan, Ryan Bennett, Chris Whelpdale, Dean Keates, Toumani Diagouraga, Danny Rose, George Boyd, Craig Mackail-Smith
Subs: Ben Amos, Russell Martin, Gabriel Zakuani, Lee Frecklington, Paul Coutts, Aaron McLean, Shaun Batt

Referee: Andy D'Urso
Attendance: 43, 067