Forest defeat sees going gets tough for United
A DOZEN games into the Championship season, and the going's finally starting to get tough for Newcastle United.
And that's supposed to be when the tough get going.
But too many took too long to get going at the City Ground on Saturday, and when they did, it was too little, too late.
Worse still, some didn't get going at all, not least Marlon Harewood, who had a shocker on his return to Nottingham Forest, where he started his career.
For 45 minutes, Billy Davies's side were all over Newcastle, and Dexter Blackstock's goal a minute before the break was the least they deserved for their efforts, such was their dominance.
Put simply, United – who have been playing in fits and starts of late – were awful, overrun in midfield, and unable to hold the ball up in attack.
Kevin Nolan, Peter Lovenkrands and Danny Guthrie struggled to make any kind of impression in midfield, while Harewood was on a different wavelength to his team-mates, not least strike partner Andy Carroll, who, at least, was gamely putting himself about up front.
It was just a shame Harewood was nowhere near any of his flick-ons.
Harewood, however, did touch a Ryan Taylor free-kick on to Lee Camp's post in the 27th minute, but that aside, chances were few and far between for a strangely lethargic Newcastle, who went into the game on the back of two frustrating home draws.
And it was no surprise when Radoslaw Majewski slipped Blackstock in for his goal, the striker squeezing between his markers before shooting early past the oncoming Steve Harper, and the ball bouncing agonisingly in off the post in front of the huge 4,400-strong travelling support.
United improved after the break, but then again, they couldn't have got any worse.
Lovenkrands, not surprisingly, made way for Jonas Gutierrez just past the hour mark, and Nolan was unlucky to have a goal ruled out for offside in the 69th minute, the midfielder prodding home from close range after Alan Smith helped on a Taylor cross.
Harewood was allowed to wander around until the 83rd minute, and as he left the field he chose not to shake Chris Hughton's outstretched hand.
Had any one of Newcastle's fans been in Hughton's position, Harewood would probably not have lasted beyond half-time, so his petulance was unwarranted.
As it was, his replacement Nile Ranger had no time to make an impact, but he'll surely get more time on the field tomorrow night at Glanford Park, as United were crying out for his energy.
And if Harewood – signed on Premier League wages – doesn't show some kind of form over the coming weeks, then Aston Villa's reserves again beckon, with his three-month loan at St James's Park due to expire in January.
By then, Newcastle's destiny could be a little clearer, and the inability of any of their promotion rivals does, at least, seemingly bode well in a division which doesn't appear to have an outstanding team – yet.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Camp; Morgan, Wilson, Anderson (McGugan, 80), Tyson, Cohen, Gunter, McKenna (Garner, 86), Moussi, Blackstock, Majewski (McGoldrick, 61). Subs not used: Chambers, Adebola, McCleary, Smith.
NEWCASTLE UNITED: Harper; R Taylor, Khizanishvili, Simpson, Enrique; Guthrie, Smith, Nolan, Lovenkrands (Gutierrez, 61); Carroll, Harewood (Ranger, 83). Subs not used: Krul, Geremi, Butt, Kadar, Donaldson.
Goals: Blackstock 45
Bookings: Smith 3, Khizanishvili 67
Sent off: None
Referee: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)
Attendance: 29,135 (4,410 Newcastle)
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Weather for South Shields
Saturday 11 February 2012
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