Newcastle United 5, Cardiff City 1

Feb 6 2010 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

NEWCASTLE United’s attempt to escape from their Coca Cola Championship incarceration has been methodical and relatively risk free as they have gradually chiselled their way towards their target all season. This result may well be the moment they threw off the shackles and made a sprint for freedom.

Having lost the wind from their sails since the turn of the year with just one win in their last five league games, their performance last night was breathtaking as Cardiff were blown away within the first 15 minutes of a pulsating contest.

There is a myth about United fans that they only want to see cavalier, attacking football.

Winning football will suffice, but there is no question they relish a certain type of free-flowing football and they got exactly that here with one of their own, Andy Carroll, leading the rampage.

If Newcastle’s progress at the top of the table has stuttered in recent week to give the chasing pack a sniff of their scent out front, Cardiff had been on fire, eight games unbeaten with four successive wins and 12 goals in the last three games alone.

In a season full of potential obstacles this looked one of the more daunting, yet Newcastle breezed through it, brushing the Welsh aside with contemptuous ease to restore a six-point lead at the top of the table – at least until West Brom and Nottingham Forest have played an extra game this weekend.

In the process this admirably resilient group stretched their unbeaten run to 15 games and took a club record which has stood since 1950 with it.