Magpies promotion party delayed at Posh: Peterborough 2-3 Newcastle (Fan Report)

Newcastle did their bit to try and gain promotion but will have to wait until at least Monday before their promotion party can really get going. Nottingham Forest came from behind to draw at Bristol City and delay the Geordies’ return to the top flight.

 If there’s ever such thing as a comfortable 3-2 win then you would argue this was it. It wasn’t a convincing performance from the Magpies though, any time a Premier League bound side concedes two goals to a League 1 bound side, there is always cause for concern.

Over the last few weeks the Newcastle side has been settled and consistent, with more or less the same 11 players performing to a high standard week in week out. However today, Chris Hughton strangely made five changes to the side that beat Forest on Monday. In came Alan Smith, Joey Barton, Pancrate, Ameobi and Best and the changes seen Peter Lovenkrands sat on the bench as an unused sub and Danny Guthrie inexplicably left out of the squad altogether. Guthrie had started the last fifteen games for Newcastle and looked fantastic in recent weeks, why he was left out is a mystery that only Hughton knows the answer to.

The Magpies started poorly and the midfield was showing signs of not being used to playing together. The Magpies paid for this when Steve Harper and Coloccini had a communication breakdown and the keeper made a hash of his clearance and Dominic Green simply chipped the veteran ‘keeper and put the relegation fighters in front.

Kevin Nolan had a couple of chances to draw his team level but couldn’t beat Joe Lewis in the Posh goal. However just before half time Nolan took one of his chances following some great work from Jose Enrique and managed to direct the Spaniard’s pull back into the bottom corner with his back to goal.

As the Magpies went into the break at 1-1, Chris Hughton dragged off the far from impressive Pancrate and replaced him with Routledge. Within three minutes of the restart, Newcastle were level. Ameobi won a free kick and Barton, making his first start since he broke his foot, curled it perfectly past Joe Lewis and put his team in front.

From this moment onwards, Newcastle looked completely in control and soon had a third goal for their efforts. Ameobi tried an ambitious shot from the edge of the box which Lewis should have easily saved. Instead the England under-21 stopper could only palm the ball into the inside of the side netting.

After this, the Toon looked like scoring more but didn’t capitalise on the gulf in quality between themselves and Gannon’s men. Best was again disappointing and should have scored after having two opportunities.

Against the run of play, Posh got a consolation goal when the man with the best name in world football, Exodus Geohaghon (and no I don’t know how to pronounce it) launched a colossal throw into the Geordie area and Liam Dickinson forced the ball home to make it 3-2 and make the final score look like a close game, but in truth it should have been a clean sheet for Hughton’s men.

Newcastle will be promoted on Monday night should they take at least a point from the visit of Sheffield United. It’s only a matter of time now for the Geordie faithful and it will be a fantastic sight to see when 50,000 people pack out SJP to celebrate the Magpies return to the top flight of English football at the first attempt.

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