Preston North End 0, Newcastle United 1

Nov 24 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

As the first half progressed Preston came more into it and the side with two genuine widemen looked dangerous when they got crosses in. Their best effort of the first 45 minutes came when left-winger Paul Parry looped a header from counterpart Chris Sedgwick just over.

Steve Harper’s best save came when Neil Mellor was played in down the inside right channel and shot from a tight angle. Richard Chaplow went close when the ball was half-cleared to him.

Preston coped reasonably well with the departure of Youl Mawene after a couple of minutes’ treatment on the pitch at half-time following a collision with Harewood and Andy Lonergan, and the second-half tide seemed to turn against Newcastle. Carroll, to a chorus of boos, and minutes later Danny Simpson succumbed to injury. It looked as if they might lose Smith too.

Minutes after Chris Brown’s hefty challenge on Gutiérrez, the angry striker accused Smith of intent when the captain’s elbow caused the gash which required a bandage around Brown’s head and a new shirt.

Smith did not take the suggestion kindly and linesman Mr Smallwood was concerned enough to sprint off his touchline to intervene. Even as the referee talked to Smith, already on a card, he was pointing angry fingers at Callum Davidson and Neill Collins for trying to get him sent off. They failed, and Davidson was quickly substituted – presumably for his own safety.

This Newcastle side is nothing if not resilient, however, and reacted to the adversity in the way they often have this season – with a Kevin Nolan goal. Being unexpectedly pushed deeper minutes before kick-off did not seem to have brought the best out of Nolan, but he flickered into life seconds after Davidson’s departure.

Guthrie crossed, Harewood unsettled the defender and although Nolan received the ball with his back to goal he had the space and skill to swivel onto a precise left-footed finish for his ninth goal of the season.

For a player whose maiden half-season on Tyneside was notable only for its lack of goals (another, it appeared, who arrived at St James’ not yet fit to do the job urgently required) life in the Championship has been an impressive riposte.

Gutiérrez should have doubled his United goal tally in the fourth added minute, only to make his Peterborough goal look a fluke. Mellor could have made them pay seconds later but shot straight at Harper. That is Newcastle’s luck right now.