How Worse Can It Get For Newcastle?

Att: 47,936

There was always a threat referee Mike Riley would be the star of this derby fixture, as we all know his reputation. But he kept an unusual (fairly) low profile.

The trouble from Sunderland fans (before, during and after the fixture) overshadowed the game. But that is covered elsewhere on this website.

The record books will show Kieran Richardson's free kick 15 minutes from time won the game, and spark the Mackems to scurry in the loft to dig out their "2-1" T-shirts. But the fact remains (and it hurts me to say it), they deserved the points because they were the better side on the day.

But I don't think the football on the pitch will make the headlines this morning, more the Mackem idiots OFF it. *Although some did manage to get on.

Joey Barton had been on standby to start, with Nicky Butt having been struggling with an ankle problem, and in hindsight many wished he had started.

However, Butt passed a late fitness test to line up in a midfield that struggled for much of the 90 minutes, with Butt the villan who gifted the Mackems the chance of the winner.

Roy Keane decided against playing former United striker Michael Chopra, and it would have been interesting to see what sort of reception he would have received from the Toon Army.

Danny Guthrie was booked for his first tackle in the fifth minute when he went in late in home captain Dean Whitehead, and that knocked the steam out of him. He did very little else afterwards.

Geremi sent an early free kick over the bar at the windswept ground in the eighth minute, and the gusty conditions killed off any chance of a classic game of football ... not that I'm sure either side were capable.

Sunderland got their breakthrough in the 20th minute when Steed Malbranque found Cisse at the far post, as Steven Taylor lost sight of his man.

I'm sure will ask questions of his right-back, but the England Under-21 skipper was ball watching and Cisse punished him.

Seconds after the restart Ameobi flashed a snap shot over Marton Fulop's crossbar in what was United's first attempt on goal from open play, and he went one better in the 30th minute.

Ameobi was brought down by Pascal Chimbonda a yard from the left byline, and Geremi's free kick found him at the far post to score his third career goal against Sunderland.

Butt disappeared down the tunnel for treatment, leaving United with just 10 men for a few minutes, and we expected Barton to replace him. But the flak the former Man City took from Sunderland fans as he warmed up seemed to change Joe Kinnear's mind.

The two sides went into the half-time break on level terms, and Butt returned for the second half.

Ameobi had the chance to send Newcastle into the lead after being played in by Obafemi Martins. He did the hard work in rounding Danny Collins, but shot over the bar.

There were then disgraceful scenes as Barton and Jonas Gutierrez were bombarded with bottles and other objects as they warmed up. They were told to move by stewards, and Barton kissed the United badge on his tracksuit to inflame the Mackems who were frothing at the mouth.

Butt was shown a yellow card in the 73rd minute after trippoing Diouf just outside the box, and Richardson stepped up to send the kick to the left of Shay Given and it flashed into the net.

Jones then sent a header over bar, and Cisse beat Given but his shot hit the post.

Barton came on five minutes from time, and he had the spirit we had missed for the previous 85.

The final whistle saw ugly scenes as the Mackems milked the result.

NEWCASTLE'S SEASON SO FAR:

SUNDERLAND 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 1
NEWCASTLE UTD 2 MAN CITY 2 (Ameobi, Dunn og)
Given, Beye, Taylor, Coloccini, Bassong, Geremi, Guthrie, Butt, Duff, Martins (N'Zogbia 72), Ameobi (Carroll 79).Subs Not Used: Harper, Cacapa, Jose Enrique, Xisco, Edgar.