NEWCASTLE UNITED 3
PRESTON NORTH END 0
Coca-Cola Championship
St.James' Park
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Kick off 3pm

Craig Hope reports from St.James' Park

FULL-TIME SUMMARY

NEWCASTLE United made it back-to-back home wins as they cruised to a 3-0 success over Preston North End to strengthen their grip on the Championship's top spot.

The Magpies, now five points clear of second-placed Nottingham Forest, were ahead after just three minutes when Peter Lovenkrands' cross-cum-shot floated beyond a helpless Andy Lonergan for his 10th goal of the season.

Kevin Nolan returned to scoring form after a run of 10 games without a goal when he stabbed home from close range in the 55th minute having been teed up by midfield sidekick Alan Smith.

And the scoring was complete when, for the second game running, Ryan Taylor came from the bench to notch in injury-time as he swept past Lonergan from Fabrice Pancrate's pull back.

SECOND-HALF UPDATES (click refresh for latest)

Full-time: United 3 Preston 0.

90+1min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (3-0): As was the case on Wednesday against Coventry when substitutes Fabrice Pancrate and Ryan Taylor combined for a late goal, the pair again link up with the Scouser sweeping home from the Frenchman's low drawback and United are home and hosed now.

89min - The industrious Guthrie makes way for Fabrice Pancrate.

86min - St.Ledger bizarrely ducks out of an aerial challenge with Carroll and the Geordie striker chases after the loose ball. Lonergan is alert to the unfolding danger and scampers from his line to hack away from the boot of the United man who would have been left with an empty net to aim at had he won the race with the North End stopper.

78min - Danny Guthrie lashes on target from all of 30 yards but Lonergan watches as the ball zips towards his goal with the visiting keeper stopping to catch what was a terrific try from the United man.

75min - Ryan Taylor replaces Jonas Gutierrez.

66min - Nolan and Carroll cross wires inside the area when really the should have managed to conjure a shot on goal - instead, though, the visitors are able to hack clear when Nolan's pass fails to find Carroll after Simpson's cross had fallen kindly for the pair on the penalty spot.

61min - Danny Simpson dahses onto a loose ball and wins his race with Ross Walace before stepping inside the former Sunderland man. The full-back continues with his forward forray and goes by two more red shirts before setting his sights on goal from 20 yards. It's on his weaker left foot but still Simpson manages to dispatch a well-struck effort which fizzes wide of Lonergan's taget - decent try, though.

55min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-0): Kevin Nolan fires a crisp pass into the penalty area and the ball falls for Alan Smith, The skipper, aware that his midfield sidekick has continued his run, dinks a short pass inbetween red shirts and into Nolan's path with the Scouser finishing from close range to double the home side's lead.

54min - Guthrie advances unopposed toward the North End danger zone and utilies the space afforded to him to strike on goal. It's a decent effort but always looks to be travelling over and Lonergan watches as the ball zips into the Gallowgate End.

49min - Carroll has been in the thick of the action during the opening exchanges of this second period and, from Gutierrez's low, infield pass, he directs a shot on goal only for Lonergan to fall and gather the 20-yard effort with relative ease.

46min - Carroll looks to fashion a shooting chance out of Guthrie's whipped centre but the ball won't quite drop for the Geordie striker and North End force clear.

Preston were back out early but it's the hosts who get us started kicking towards the Gallowgate End - no further changes during the break.

United could do with a second here - as it stands Preston still have a chance of drawing level and came within a whisker of finding that equaliser when Jon Parkin shaved the upright in first-half stoppage time.

FIRST-HALF UPDATES

Half-time: United lead thanks to Peter Lovenkrands' 3rd-minute effort.

45+1min - North End break and at the other Jon Parkin comes within a whisker of levelling when his first-time volley, from Tom Williams deep centre, rolls just inches wide of Steve Harper's far post.

45min - Best and Guthrie combine on the right with the former freeing the latter to deliver from the deadball line. Guthrie stands up to the far post and Carroll, wrestling with St.Ledger, manages to extend his brow to head towards goal only for the ball to bounce the wrong side of the upright.

39min - And the keeper again thwarts United in their quest for a second when he brushes Mike Williamson's bullet header onto the woodwork after he had steamed in to connect with Danny Guthrie's corner. The ball drops into a sea of bodies and it's the head of Leon Best which turns onto the roof of the net from close range - in fairness that was a difficult chance.

38min - Carroll's power enables Alan Smith, receiving the striker's layoff, to volley on goal from 20 yards and he is only denied a maiden Magpie strike by a flying Andy Lonergan who leaps to tip around the post.

34min - Andy Carroll is taken by surprise when Guthrie's corner drops into his path just six yards from goal, The striker needs a split-second to get his bearings and that robs him off the time to get a clear shot on a gaping target with Preston shirts recovering to scramble clear - that was a real chance.

32min - Preston are starting to come into this and only a brave dive by Steve Harper to smother at the feet of Parkin prevents the striker turning home Billy Jones' goalmouth centre - that was a let off for United after the full back had got in behind Patrick van Aanholt.

27min - Preston fail to make successive corners pay and Danny Simpson hooks clear the second, delivered by Sedgwick, at the near post. Danny Simpson is booked in the build up to the first flag-kick for a foul on Parkin on halfway.

24min - Mike Williamson does well to leather Danny Guthrie's deep centre back through the area but it zips behind bodies without any connection. Gutierrez retrieves possession and hoists to the far post where a Preston head takes no chances in nodding away for a corner. Williamson hurtles toward Guthrie's out-swinger but, with Mawene for company, he is unable to turn on goal and Preston clear.

22min - Sedgwick fashions room for a shot 20 yards out but, in attempt to emulate the Peter Lovenkrands chip which yielded the game's first goal, he dinks well wide with what was a weak effort.

16min - Paul Coutts draws a low cross into the area from the left flank with Chris Sedgwick making strides to connect. The former Rotherham man feints to shoot before opening his legs and allowing the ball to run for Jon Parkin, in space 10 yards from goal. The burly striker turns a first-time strike on target but is denied a leveller by an instinctive Steve Harper save as he extends his arms to divert over. Andy Carroll hammers clear at the near post from the corner.

14min - That's a blow for United - Lovenkrands is unable to continue with what looks like a hamstring problem and he is replaced by Leon Best.

13min - Peter Lovenkrands is down in the Preston half and looks in some discomfort.

8min - St.Ledger fails to clear from a harmless downfield punt and suddenly the North End skipper is under pressure from Andy Carroll. The defender panics before firing a back pass to keeper Lonegran who, equally rushed with Carroll closing in, swipes away for a throw-in in the nick of time.

3min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-0): United take the lead with the first real attack of the game; Smith winning well from Matt James before slipping a pass to Peter Lovenkrands inside the area who lifted a cross-cum-shot above a helpless Andy Lonergan with the ball dropping into the far corner of the Leazes End net.

A low winter sun illuminates the East Stand opposite us as the two teams emerge from the Milburn Stand tunnel.

TEAM NEWS

CHRIS Hughton is forced into one change with calf victim Wayne Routledge replaced by Alan Smith.

That is likely to see skipper Smith resume his central-midfield partnership with Kevin Nolan, while Danny Guthrie and Jonas Gutierrez will occupy the flanks.

Andy Carroll, with six goals from his last seven games, starts against the club with which he scored his first league goal during a loan spell in 2007.

TEAMS

NUFC: Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Fabricio Coloccini, Mike Williamson, Patrick van Aanholt, Danny Guthrie, Alan Smith (c), Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Peter Lovenkrands, Andy Carroll
Subs: Tim Krul, Fitz Hall, Tamas Kadar, Nile Ranger, Leon Best, Ryan Taylor, Fabrice Pancrate

PNEFC: Andy Lonegran, Youl Mawene, Chris Sedgwick, Sean St.Ledger (c), Paul Coutts, Danny Welbeck, Billy Jones, Tom Williams, Matt James, Ross Wallace, Jon Parkin
Subs: Michael Hart, Darren Carter, Liam Chilvers, Keith Treacy, Wayne Henderson, Stephen Elliott, Neil Mellor

Referee: Andy Penn
Attendance: 45, 525