Tangerines Squashed! Newcastle 4-1 Blackpool (Fan Report)

Newcastle successfully guarded against complacency by thrashing Ian Holloway’s Blackpool side. Throughout the match, the Seasiders never looked like repeating their 2-1 triumph earlier in the season and the quality of the newly-promoted Geordies proved far too much for Holloway’s men.

Goals from Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez and Wayne Routledge put the visitors to the sword and late on, Brett Ormerod grabbed a consolation goal for the play-off chasers.

The scoring started on 12 minutes when Jonas Gutierrez somehow managed to outmuscle two defenders to get the ball. The world-cup bound winger tried to centre for Andy Carroll but his pass took a huge deflection off Ian Evatt and found its way into the bottom corner. Jonas then treated the SJP crowd to his Spiderman celebration routine but in truth it should go down as an own goal.

Newcastle ended the first half 2-0 up thanks to Danny Guthrie’s fantastic whipped free-kick which Andy Carroll glanced past keeper Matt Gilks. Blackpool were struggling to keep up with the speed at which Newcastle were attacking and the Magpies could have had any number of goals if they really wanted.

The third goal summed up how easy the game was for the Premier League new-boys. Gutierrez stroked a pass into the path of Kevin Nolan, and the scouser got a bit lucky with his control before walking through the Seasiders’ defence and even rounding Gilks before tapping home the Toon’s third goal and ultimately ending any unlikely comeback from the visitors.

The scoring was rounded off in some style by Wayne Routledge who jinked in and out of some lacklustre challenges before powering a cracking shot into the far corner and making the score line reflect Newcastle’s dominance.

Five minutes from time, the afternoon was slightly blemished by a consolation goal for Blackpool. Stephen Dobie hammered a shot towards goal and Harper pulled off an excellent one-handed stop but the rebound fell to Brett Ormerod, who smashed home to give the Tangerines something to take back to the beach.

The game ended 4-1 to the home side but in truth it could have been six or seven. Peter Lovenkrands should have added his name to the score sheet but only managed to hit the post and Matt Gilks also pulled off some impressive saves, notably from a long-range Gutierrez effort and a Ryan Taylor free-kick.

It was evident after the first ten minutes that Newcastle weren’t going to let complacency kick in on their performance and they duly went on to preserve their unbeaten home record. With just Ipswich coming to Tyneside before the end of the season, the odds look good on the Geordies going all season without anyone taking all three points from SJP.

Newcastle now only need four points from their remaining four games to be crowned champions at the first attempt and that could happen next Saturday if West Brom fail to beat the Smoggies and the Magpies beat Reading this coming Tuesday.

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