Newcastle United 0, Derby County 0

Dec 29 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

Those chants began within five seconds of the first whistle here, but the focus quickly shifted back to matters on the pitch as Andy Carroll – restored to the starting line up following Marlon Harewood’s return to Aston Villa – put a good chance wide after he was picked out at the far post by Peter Løvenkrands. Newcastle were utterly dominant for the first 20 minutes only for luck to desert them in front of goal with Ryan Taylor – also back in the starting line-up as Hughton took the opportunity to rotate his squad during a hectic festive season schedule – crashing a free-kick against the crossbar before failing to find a way past Derby goalkeeper Stephen Bywater when played in on goal by a delightful through ball from Jonás Gutiérrez.

Gutiérrez was giving right-back Paul Connolly a torrid time and he almost created a goal for Løvenkrands at the end of a piercing run down the left flank, but the Dane pulled his shot across the face of goal.

It was starting to have the look of a frustrating evening in front of goal for the Magpies and Steve Harper needed to be alert to keep out a DJ Campbell strike at the other end of the pitch as Derby finally managed to break free of the siege on their own goal. Newcastle, though, began to lose their way a little as the half wore on and, for all of their possession, Bywater did not have another save to make before the break as the visitors grew bolder, Kevin Nolan strangely delaying his shot after Derby were caught square by Danny Simpson’s long ball allowing Jake Buxton to get back to block. Indeed, there was a growing sloppiness in their play and they failed to remedy that in the second-half as the crowd grew restless at the lack of urgency from those in black and white stripes.

When a chance finally did come Newcastle’s way they once again failed to take it when an unmarked Steven Taylor was found in the area by Carroll only to send a tame header straight into the arms of a relieved Bywater.

Neither Carroll nor Løvenkrands were having any impact, prompting Hughton to send on Shola Ameobi in place of the former, although that failed to improve things and for the first time in weeks United’s support had reason to moan and groan in the stands. Having looked able to cut through the Derby defence almost at will in the first half, Newcastle were now being comfortably contained by Nigel Clough’s side who grew in confidence as the frustration inside St James’ Park spread.

Derby rarely ventured forward in numbers to trouble United defensively, but with West Brom beating Scunthorpe earlier in the day there was added pressure for Newcastle to secure all three points.

It is pressure Newcastle have generally handled well this season, but there were signs last night that it can still be enough to knock them out of their stride, something which should remind everyone associated with the club that promotion will never be a formality.

They did at least rally late on, substitute Nile Ranger denied by an excellent reaction save by Bywater, who diverted the ball on to the crossbar and out again despite Newcastle’s frantic appeals that it had crossed the line.