Aston Villa v Newcastle: Key Moments

By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Aston Villa 1 (Benteke pen 49)
Newcastle United 2 (Cisse 19, Cabaye 31)

SECOND HALF UPDATES

90+5mins: After what seemed like hours of stoppage time, the whistle has blown and it's finished 2-1 to the Magpies. It was all Villa in the second half but United defended stoutly to claim a massive, massive win. It's a first victory on the road this season and it gives Alan Pardew's side some much-needed breathing space, taking them four points ahead of Villa.

90+2mins: Some of the home fans are beginning to leave but this game is still on a knife-edge.

90mins: With Newcastle living ever-more dangerously, Chris Foy indicates that there will be five minutes of stoppage time.

88mins: Ameobi is the third Newcastle player booked after a late tackle on Vlaar but still United hang on.

87mins: Tonight's attendance is 30,334 and the majority of them are cheering Villa on to try and get a late equaliser.

82mins: What a let-off for Newcastle. It should be 2-2 - after Lowton had won a corner, the resulting flag kick was met by the head of Baker but blocked on the line by Gutierrez before Yanga-Mbiwa made an unbelievable last-ditch tackle to keep out the rebound as Ciaran Clark pounced. Superb from the debutant and if United hold on here he deserves a huge, huge pat on the back.

80mins: Now Yanga-Mbiwa will come on - he replaces Moussa Sissoko, who has been quieter in the second period after dominating proceedings in the first.

78mins: Agbonlahor is booked for a foul on Anita, although it didn't really seem to warrant a card. He's the fourth Villa player to be shown a yellow.

76mins: Ashley Westwood is the latest player booked for a poor challenge on Santon. Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa was about to come on but has now been told to sit back down on the bench.

75mins: Santon carries the ball upfield and gives it to Anita, whose long range shot takes a deflection to make it easy for Guzan to gather.

74mins: Lowton's delivery from the right causes havoc for Newcastle and Benteke somehow stabs wide, although the flag was up anyway to spare his blushes. Now Yoan Gouffran, who has worked hard on his debut tonight, is replaced by Vurnon Anita.

69mins: James Perch, who looks to have picked up a slight knock, is replaced by Shola Ameobi with Alan Pardew hoping the big man can hold the ball up for Newcastle.

67mins: Nathan Baker is the latest player to go into Dean's book after leaving a foot in as Debuchy cleared the ball down the line.

62mins: The bustling Benteke goes into the book for a late tackle on the half-way line, with a few mistimed challenges from both sides going in at the moment.

60mins: Benteke makes another charge forward before picking out Weimann, completely unmarked on the right-hand side of the box. He is closed down by Perch, who makes up a lot of ground to throw himself at the Austrian, and Krul is able to save well. Another warning sign for the Magpies.

58mins: N'Zogbia glides forwards and unleashes a left-footed strike which makes the net ripple - but fortunately it's the side-netting, although some home fans thought it had beaten Krul and were celebrating an equaliser before they realised that it was in fact a goal kick.

56mins: Some respite for the visitors as Cisse makes room for a shot but curls it wide but Villa are straight back on the attack and are relieved to see Bannan balloon his shot into row Z. United need to survive this severe spell of pressure from the hosts.

55mins: It takes a great tackle from Krul, just outside his own area, to thwart Benteke after the Belgian had raced onto Matthew Lowton's long ball. Villa have really stepped it up after changing formation at the break and Newcastle are rocking.

52mins: Jonas Gutierrez is booked after exchanging angry words with Weimann. Dean called both players over but chose only to show the United man a card.

49mins - VILLA GOAL (1-2): Benteke sends Krul the wrong way from the spot with a confident penalty and suddenly the home side are right back in this match.

48mins: And now they have a penalty. Agbonlahor goes down under a challenge from Debuchy and Villa have a lifeline. The ex-England striker went down easily but it was a rash challenge from Debuchy.

47mins: Now Benteke jinks past Coloccini and gets in a stinging shot which Krul again does well to palm away. It's been a bright start to the half from the hosts.

46mins: Villa restart the second half, kicking towards the Holte end, and have made two changes at half-time: Gabriel Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann are on for Joe Bennett and Darren Bent and straight away Austrian ace Weimann gets involved, shooting on the turn but seeing Krul push his effort away.

FIRST HALF UPDATES

45+2mins: Referee Dean blows his whistle and Villa are booed off, while the Newcastle support cheer their team to the rafters - it's been a very good display from the new-look Magpies.

45+1mins: Cabaye sprays the ball out to Gouffran, who creates a yard of space then shoots from the edge of the box but it zips just wide.

45mins: There will be a minimum of two minutes of stoppage time at the end of what has been a great half for Newcastle.

42mins: Benteke has been Villa's most dangerous player and he manages to spin Taylor in the box but can only fire into the stand as he tries a shot on the turn. Then as play resumes with a goal kick, N'Zogbia is booked for a foul on Cabaye although in truth it probably wasn't deserving of a yellow card.

36mins: A Cabaye free-kick hits the wall before Yoan Gouffran's cross from the loose ball is headed as far as Debuchy, whose low shot from 25 yards is deflected wide. Before Cabaye took the set-piece, Steven Taylor was making a nuisance of himself in front of Guzan which wound the home fans up somewhat but at least Cabaye's effort stayed out to save them from any further frustration.

31mins - NEWCASTLE GOAL (0-2): For the second game in a row, Yohan Cabaye has scored a stunner and this one gives United a 2-0 lead in this six-pointer. A cross from Jonas Gutierrez was headed away but only as far as Cabaye, who was lurking 20 yards from goal and sent a perfect volley beyond Guzan, who dived to his left but couldn't get anywhere near it. Alan Pardew's side are in a fantastic position now.

22mins: Almost an equaliser - big Benteke heads the ball down and N'Zogbia hits a stinging half-volley from 22 yards which crashes back off Tim Krul's post before Barry Bannan's follow-up is claimed by the keeper.

19mins - NEWCASTLE GOAL (0-1): The Magpies take the lead at Villa Park and how important could that goal prove? It's new boy Sissoko who shrugs off a challenge and plays another great ball through for Cisse, whose first touch is superb and his second takes the ball past Guzan with a delicate finish. The Newcastle fans go wild - then, rather bizarrely, the Villa fans also start applauding almost immediately afterwards. In the 19th minute of every game, they clap midfielder Stiliyan Petrov, who is currently recovering from illness and tonight is no exception even though their side has just gone behind.

15mins: Davide Santon goes for goal from 25 yards, with Brad Guzan pushing it away and then his defenders scrambling clear. Danger at both ends in the last few seconds as both sides search for what would be a vital opening goal.

14mins: N'Zogbia bursts forwards before squirting the ball to Christian Benteki on the left. He advances and sends in a low cross which Fabricio Coloccini chests away on the slide - the Villa fans behind the goal appeal for a penalty but Mike Dean isn't interested.

10mins: Sissoko spots a clever run from Cisse and tries to pick him out with a raking pass, but the ball just skips away off the turf and the striker can't quite reach it. If he had, he was through on goal and it was great vision from Sissoko in the first place. Encouraging signs from the French-speaking duo.

6mins: At the other end, debutant Moussa Sissoko - playing just behind main striker Cisse - makes room for a shot on the edge of the box but blazes high into the Holte End.

5mins: Charles N'Zogbia, facing his old club, pokes the ball into the box despite a foul from Mathieu Debuchy and referee Mike Dean plays the advantage, with Darren Bent stabbing wide from ten yards. It was only a half-chance but ex-Sunderland man Bent would have loved to have put that one away.

1min: James Perch and Papiss Cisse take kick-off to get the game started, with Newcastle kicking towards the Holte end in the first period. Both sides are in their home kits for this cruch game near the foot of the Barclays Premier League and the away fans are already in fine voice.

Aston Villa (3-5-2): Brad Guzan; Ron Vlaar (c), Ciaran Clark, Nathan Baker; Matthew Lowton, Ashley Westwood, Barry Bannan, Charles N'Zogbia, Joe Bennett (Andreas Weimann 46); Darren Bent (Gabriel Agbonlahor 46), Christian Benteke

Subs not used: Shay Given, Stephen Ireland, Brett Holman, Jordan Bowery, Eric Lichaj

Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; James Perch (Shola Ameobi 69), Yohan Cabaye; Yoan Gouffran (Vurnon Anita 74), Moussa Sissoko (Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa 80), Jonas Gutierrez; Papiss Cisse

Subs not used: Steve Harper, Mike Williamson, Gael Bigirimana, Sammy Ameobi

Referee: Mike Dean