Saturday December 16th 2006
NEWCASTLE UTD 2 WATFORD 1
NEWCASTLE: Given, Huntington, Taylor, Ramage, Babayaro, Dyer, Butt (Parker 76), Emre (Duff 68), Milner, Sibierski, Martins.
Subs Not Used: Srnicek, Rossi, Pattison.
WATFORD: Lee, Chambers (Mariappa 63), DeMerit, Shittu, Stewart, Smith (Francis 78), Bangura, Mahon, Bouazza, Young, Henderson.
Subs Not Used: Chamberlain, Powell, McNamee.
This was a weekend when the so-called Superstars had to stand up and be counted. As Chelsea tussled with Man Utd for Premiership supremacy, there were those who were up for it and those who weren't. The big names of Chelsea Ballack, Lampard and Drogba dug deep and pulled a win out of the fire, while at Upton Park Ronaldo, Giggs and Rooney fired blanks.
Victory comes down to a variety of things. But it helps when you can rely on someone to rise above the rest and take responsibility, and on Saturday at St James' Park, Oba Martins was that man.
Yes we've heard Glenn Roeder, Shay Given, Emre and the St James' tea lady sing his praises, but when you're in a scrap with the boys down the bottom fighting for their Premiership lives, it's nice to know you have someone who can rise above the gloom.
49,231 watched Obafemi Martins enhanced his blossoming reputation with a superb double to kill off stubborn Watford. The 22-year-old Nigerian international snatched victory four minutes from time with a blistering drive from substitute Damien Duff's cross to take the three points the local reporters were saying were "vital".
We hoped for a comfortable victory, but it wasn't to be. The Watford gaffa has head his head up his arse all season insisting his team are capable of beating Liverpool, Arsenal and the big two. But what they lack in quality (and to be honest there isn't much of that in this team) they make up for with determination.
Hameur Bouazza's 57th-minute equaliser sparked a Watford fightback which certainly knocked the sails out of the Toon Army, but Martins saved the best until last.
Adrian Boothroyd's men will be playing Championship football next season, without doubt, but like Bradford City, Leicester, West Brom and of course Wimbledon in previous seasons, they are prepared to stick two fingers at doubter like me and have the band play on until Titanic hits the ocean floor.
The return of both Kieron Dyer and Emre from injury, with skipper Scott Parker and Duff on the bench, showed that Roeder's injury worries are starting to ease.
But the Magpies struggled to break down Watford in the first half, and the fans showed their disappointment as the period ended.
The home side showed flashes of form as Dyer, Emre and Martins linked well down the left, but genuine chances were few and far between.
The visitors re-emerged in determined fashion as both Alhassan Bangura and Bouazza went close in quick succession, but they fell behind with 49 minutes gone. Butt picked out James Milner in space on the right and his cross was tailor-made for Martins, who had pulled away from Danny Shittu, to head powerfully past Lee.
However, Watford refused to throw in the towel and Given had to make a good save to deny Bouazza on 54 minutes after he had turned Steven Taylor. And they got their reward three minutes later when Henderson flicked on Ashley Young's corner and Bouazza stabbed the equaliser home from close range.
Milner had a glorious to snatch victory 15 minutes from time when he was played into space on the right, but he could not keep his well-struck shot down.
With Duff and Parker both having joined the fray, hopes of a rousing finish were high, and Martins duly obliged four minutes from time when he controlled Duff's pass and blasted a shot into the roof of the net to send the home fans home happy and relieved.