Tractor Boys dent trophy party! Newcastle United 2-2 Ipswich Town.
Posted on April 24th, 2010 | 31 Comments |
A day of partying and festivities ensued on Tyneside as the lure of seeing our team lift a trophy for the first time in years finally got the better of the majority of fans who succumbed to at least a little party. Roy Keane’s Tractor Boys rolled into toon with the aim of spoiling the atmosphere and to their credit managed to take at least a bit of gloss off the celebrations as his side battled away for a 2-2 draw. The result wasn’t of massive importance and really you could say that the match took second stage to trophy precession. Today wasn’t about the football, or the result, although a win would have been nice. Today was about showing recognition to a bunch of players that have combined throughout the season to collectively drag the club back to the Premier League, headed by a manager in Chris Hughton who has guided them along the way and defied his critics many times throughout the course of the season.
A bumper crowd of 52,181 crammed inside the ground as the game kicked off, and despite the away side starting the stronger of the two teams and dominating the opening exchanges, the Newcastle fans were not to be denied their day in the sun and the songs kept on coming from the stands. Newcastle started to come into the game more as the half wore on but chances remained at a premium, until the 27th minute, when Andy Carroll headed them in front from a left-footed Wayne Routledge cross.
Spurred on by the goal, the crowd found another gear and turned the volume up on a particularly rousing rendition of ‘The Blaydon Races’. That mood was dampened somewhat when Connor Whickham lashed in an equaliser just before half-time.
Newcastle struggled to assert themselves in the second half as Ipswich seemed happy to let us have the ball whilst planting nine men on the edge of their own penalty area, a tactic that looked like working for a while until the introduction of Nicky Butt. Yes, Nicky Butt who was making his last appearance at St James’ Park, won the home side a penalty after being tripped by mackem Grant Leadbitter. In his role of club captain, Butt ordered Barton to hand over penalty taking duties to Shola Ameobi, a tactic that worked as the Fenham Eusebio stroked the ball past the keeper and into the net.
With only five minutes remaining it was a goal that looked likely to seal all three points and put the icing on the title winning cake. It wasn’t to be however as deep into stoppage time and with virtually the last kick off the game Ipswich broke forward and grabbed what was arguably a deserved equaliser through Jon Walters.
A slight disappointment on the day but it shouldn’t detract from the achievement’s of this season. We have remained unbeaten at home all season, the only professional team in England to do so, and broken a record that had previously stood for 103 years.
After having five minutes to themselves in the changing room, it was time for the party to begin as the players headed back onto the pitch to recieve the trophy and parade it to all corners of the ground via a lap of honour around the pitch.
You can say what you want about the achievement of becoming champions and dis-credit it anyway you want to. Days like this don’t happen very often for a Newcastle fan and it is something we should all enjoy. Next season will be a lot tougher and we wont win as many games next time around.
Enjoy it while you can!
Newcastle United: Harper, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Enrique, Routledge, Guthrie (Barton, 77), Nolan (Butt, 77), Gutierrez, Carroll, Lovenkrands (Ameobi, 62).
Subs not used: Krul, Smith, R Taylor, Best.
Ipswich Town: B Murphy, D Wright, McAuley (Clark, 87), Smith, Peters, Walters, Leadbitter (Garvan, 87), Norris, Colback, D Murphy (Rosenior, 71), Whickham.
Subs not used: R Wright, Martin, Quinn, Eastman.
Attendance: 52,181.
Referee: Carl Boyeson.
NUFCBlog Author: toonsy
toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.
Brilliant achievement. The lads can only play what is in front of them, and they have beaten what has been in front of them more often than not.
Well played lads.