Newcastle United

2
 

Blackburn Rovers

1

 

Starting Lineup

  

Starting Lineup
1. Given
18. Hughes
3. Elliott
5. O`Brien
24. Distin
7. Lee
4. Solano
11. Speed
35. Bernard
9. Shearer
3. Ameobi
Goalscorers
Newcastle United Blackburn Rovers
Bernard (64)
Speed (70)
 		 Dunn (34)
 
Substitutions
Newcastle United Blackburn Rovers
Dyer  Lee 45
Lua Lua Ameobi 58		 Hughes  Jansen 25
Taylor  Hughes 69
Grabbi Curtis 77
 
Bookings
Newcastle United Blackburn Rovers
Yellow
none Mark Hughes 45
David Dunn 45
Lucas Neill 54
 
Red
none none
 
Additional Notes
Referee: S.w. Dunn (Bristol)
Attendance: 50,064

1. Friedel
31. Neill
6. Short
3. Berg
2. Curtis
4. Tugay
8. Dunn
11. Duff
18. Gillespie
7. Flitcroft
10. Jansen

Substitutes

Substitutes
8. Dyer
20. Lua-Lua
34. Dabizas
12. Griffin
13. Harper

21. Grabbi
12. Hughes
28. Taylor
23. Kelly
16. Mahon
Match Report
Strikes from Olivier Bernard and Gary Speed secured The Magpies a 2-1 win over Blackburn after David Dunn opened the scoring for the visitors. Speed's far-post header completed a spirited second-half fightback by Bobby Robson's men at St James' after Bernard had cancelled out Dunn's opener.
 
England Under-21 international Dunn was on hand to break the deadlock against the run of play, with the midfielder bundling the ball home after Shay Given could only parry Tugay's 30-yard strike onto the bar.

Frenchman Bernard levelled matters 20 minutes after the break, with the full-back rifling home a low drive after good work by substitute Lomano Tresor Lua Lua.

Welsh international Speed handed Bobby Robson's men the lead five minutes later, with the former Leeds and Everton midfielder looping his header over Brad Friedel.
 
The Magpies had made the early running, with an acrobatic effort from Speed off target in the opening exchanges.
 
Moments later, Nolberto Solano's free-kick curled inches wide of Friedel's upright, while the US international made short work of Alan Shearer's tame shot.
Rovers were dealt a blow on 26 minutes when striker Matt Jansen was stretchered off with an ankle injury, and replaced by veteran Mark Hughes.
 
The Black and White tide continued, with Sylvain Distin flashing a header just wide before Dunn handed Graeme Souness's men a 34th-minute advantage.
England international Kieron Dyer entered the fray for The Magpies at the interval, but it was Rovers who came out the brighter as Keith Gillespie's fierce drive forced Given into action.

Newcastle battled back however, with former Lyon ace Bernard directing a header inches wide from Aaron Hughes's centre before adding his name to the scoresheet.
 
A frantic finale ensued, with Speed's header proving enough to secure all three points for The Magpies.
 
The result sees United climb into third spot in the Premiership table, with Rovers slipping one place to 15th.