MAGPIES MAKE OFF WITH POINT

 

Last time around, we opened the season with a 3-0 win over Newcastle at Old Trafford. The then-newly-promoted Magpies were at the time gaffered by Chris Hughton but before the end of the season he made way for current gaffered Alan Pardew who held us to a 0-0 draw at St James' Park. That result was dissapointing but didn't stop us from claiming the title. The last time we did the double over Newcastle was back in the 07/08 season and we did so with a fair degree of class. Sam Allardyce had started that season as Newcastle gaffer before Nigel Pearson took over and we hammered them 6-0 at Old Trafford, with Cristiano Ronaldo getting a hat-trick and Carlos Tevez adding two goals. Not long after that, Kevin Keegan returned to Tyneside and we hammered them 5-1 at St James's Park with Cristiano getting two goals and Louis Saha also hitting the net.

This time around, the Magpies were proving to be the Premiership's surprise package. The "big four" that emerged five years or so ago is falling to pieces and out of nowhere, Pardew's crew are getting some seriously amazing results and were looking set for the Champions League. However a Premiership match at Old Trafford was going to be a tough one even for them. For MUFC's part well our objective was the same as it has been for a while regarding league fixtures. Get three points and hope to get closer to City. We went 4-4-2 for this one. Rio and Vidic(captain) central defence, Nani right mid, Carrick and Giggs centre mid, Young left mid, Wayne and Hernandez up front.

In the early stages of the match though it was the Magpies that looked to be the better team, finding their way through our defence but luckilly not past our goalie. The Reds weren't exactly lying down though and had a great chance to open the scoring themselves. The first of many in fact with the visitors seeming to have their back against the wall as the half went on, ultimately though they held firm and the first half ended goallesss. Well given that the first half of the Magpies' 07/08 visit also ended goalless that didn't neccersarilly mean much. In the short term though, it was certainly a dissapointing display from the reigning champions.

We didn't hang around in putting things right though. In the 49th minute the Magpies barely clearly a Rooney piledriver only for Hernadez to scrabble it in. Then came...well it was an ugly 64th minute tackle but I'm pretty sure it wasn't technically a foul and it gives the lie to the ABU claim that the opposition never get penalties at Old Trafford! Demba Ba slotted it. Before the match was out, the visitors found themselves down to ten men. After that we hit the net again but it was ruled out for offside and that was pretty much that. The penalty should not have been given. The bottom line is though that this was certainly two points lost.

Elsewhere, Man City faced Liverpool at Anfield. Vincent Kompany opened the scoring for City only for Joleon Lescott to put the ball in his own net to give the Scousers an equaliser but the home side weren't able to turn the game round before half time. In the second half Pool continued to run the show and City even went down to ten-men before the end. However the home side still weren't able to turn the game round but still, it's been a while since City have had points taken off them. That leaves United still 2nd in the Premiership and still on course for next season's Champions League group stages. We lie five points behind leaders City and four points ahead of Newcastle and taking a detour through the playoffs.

North of the border, Aberdeen faced Dunfirmline at East End Park in the SPL. Considine opened the scoring for the Dons, his goal coming at the end of a first half in which the Reds were certainly the better of the two teams. After half time though Dunfirmline turned the game round with goals from Andrew Barrowman and David Graham with Liam Buchanan getting their third. The Dons were able to pull one back through thanks to Alexander Keddie putting the ball in his own net before MaGennis got the equaliser but there wasn't enough time to turn the game back around. Great comeback from the Dons but ultimately still two points lost.

Elsewhere, St Mirren were hammered 5-0 by Celtic at Celtic Park. The Greens went two up early on before cruising through the rest of the half. In the second half though they completely buried their outclassed visitors. Inverness CT were beaten 2-1 by Hearts at Tynecastle. The first half ended goalless but Hearts opened the scoring early in the second half only for Caley to equalise and Hearts hit the winner in the latter stages. That means that Aberdeen remain 11th in the SPL, seven points behind St MIrren and the top half of the table and one point ahead of Inverness CT and relegation and with a game in hand over both teams.

Back south of the border and going down a few levels, Exeter faced Walsall in an all-L1 Fa Cup 1st round replay at Bank's Stadium. Richard Logan opened the scoring for the Grecians and they held on to that lead till half time. However Johnathon Macken equalised for the home side and Alex Nicholls turned the game round. Once again though City were not done and Elliott Frear grabbed an equaliser but the Grecians weren't able to turn the game around before the end of normal time. That second goal did however mean that the Grecians had managed to buy themselves extra time with which to secure themselves a spot in the next round.

As it was though it was Walsall that retook the lead in the first period of extra time thanks to George Bowerman, a period in which the Grecians still had their uses but were unable to hit the net either side of the Walsall goal. The second period however saw the Grecians run out of fuel and forced back on to the defensive. However Walsall weren't able to get themselves a second goal before the end. not that they needed one. So Exeter's FA Cup run has ended in a fashion that was slightly better than what they came up with last time around but ultimately still dissapointing for their fans. Now they only have their L1 campaign to focus on.

(Image taken from Sky Sports)

With Exeter gone and United still yet to enter the competiton, the main team of interest in the FA Cup 2nd round is my former local team Brentford. They face BSP side Wrexham at Griffin Park. The Bees are now gaffered by Uwe Rosler, formerly a German midfielder(and actually former East Germany international) who was an assasin for Man City amongst other teams back in the 90s. So far he's done pretty well with the Bees, getting them into the top half of the table and hunting down a playoff spot. Wrexham are themselves top of their division but the Bees will surely prove themselves the better side on this occasion and reach the next round.

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