Newcastle United 3, Plymouth Argyle 0

Jan 14 2010 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

Significantly, although Carroll has been punished behind the scenes, Hughton has given staunch public support to him and this was an opportunity for the player to not only repay that faith, but also remind the rest of us why we were so excited about the player he might become at the start of the season.

His finishing was wayward on this occasion, but at least he was heavily involved in Newcastle's forward play and he was not the only player to miss the target when he should have done better.

Kevin Nolan scooped a first-time effort over the bar after he was found unmarked by Løvenkrands' cross.

Instead, it was left to the Danish international to give Newcastle breathing space before half-time, heading in a cross from the ever-dangerous Gutiérrez five minutes before the break.

Løvenkrands - who has had his fair share of personal problems to contend with this season because of a family illness - had an early chance for his hat-trick in the second-half, but sliced a shot from the edge of the area as Newcastle refused to take their foot of Plymouth's throats.

Gutiérrez continued to cause havoc down the left-hand side, a fizzing shot flying just wide of the far post before an inviting low cross failed to get a touch from a Newcastle striker as it ran across the six-yard box.

Newcastle, though, were so on top the chances kept on coming – and Løvenkrands finally secured a memorable treble when he slotted in Nolan's cross from close range to make it five goals in nine starts for him this season and eight in just 17 since he signed 12 months ago.

Maybe Newcastle do not need Jermaine Beckford after all!