BLACKBURN CURRENT FORM:
Blackburn 1 Tottenham 2
OCTOBER 23: Barclays Premier League at Ewood Park.
QPR 1 Blackburn 1
OCTOBER 15: Barclays Premier League at Loftus Road.
Pune FC 0 Blackburn 3
OCTOBER 7: Friendly match at the Balewadi Sports Complex.
Blackburn 0 Manchester City 4
OCTOBER 1: Barclays Premier League at Ewood Park.
Newcastle 3 Blackburn 1
SEPTEMBER 24: Barclays Premier League at St James' Park.
Blackburn 3 Leyton Orient 2
SEPTEMBER 20: Carling Cup third round at Ewood Park.
BLACKBURN'S LAST GAME:
BLACKBURN 1 TOTTENHAM 2
BLACKBURN: Robinson, Lowe, Samba, Givet, Olsson, Vukcevic (Rochina 70), Nzonzi, Pedersen, Hoilett, Roberts (Goodwillie 82), Formica (Yakubu 70).
Subs Not Used: Bunn, Petrovic, Slew, Hanley.
TOTTENHAM: Friedel, Walker, Kaboul, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Rose 70), Parker, Modric, Bale, Van der Vaart (Defoe 88), Adebayor.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Pavlyuchenko, Livermore, Sandro, Townsend.
Att: 22, 786
Rafael van der Vaart's brace earned victory for Tottenham at struggling Blackburn to increase the pressure on Rovers boss Steve Kean.
Another protest was staged outside Ewood Park by disgruntled Blackburn fans prior to kick-off, and the heat was turned up further on Kean when Van der Vaart put Spurs in front inside the opening quarter of an hour.
The hosts equalised through Mauro Formica's fierce strike in the 28th minute, but Van der Vaart produced a brilliant winner from outside the box eight minutes after the restart.
The result leaves Rovers bottom of the Barclays Premier League with just five points from nine games, and the calls for owners Venky's to dismiss Kean are only getting louder.
The club's supporters again made their unhappiness known after the final whistle, with a section in the Ronnie Clayton End remaining in their seats, unfurling 'Kean Out' banners and chanting for the Scot to be sacked.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are up to fifth, their unbeaten run extending to six games in all competitions.
Kean made three changes to his side from the 1-1 draw at QPR with Formica, Simon Vukcevic and the fit-again Morten Gamst Pedersen coming into the first XI.
For Spurs, Aaron Lennon, Kyle Walker and Sebastien Bassong were the only survivors from the team that had started Thursday's Europa League victory over Rubin Kazan, with Emmanuel Adebayor, Van der Vaart, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale and Scott Parker - who was named as captain - among those restored to the side.
Rovers skipper Christopher Samba made the first attempt at goal, sending a looping header over the bar, before Pedersen delivered a long-throw into the box which Brad Friedel managed to punch away while back-pedalling and Junior Hoilett drove forward before firing over.
At the other end the visitors were looking threatening, though, and after Jason Lowe and Gael Givet had made important interceptions to avert the danger, Tottenham broke the deadlock.
Walker beat Givet for pace down the right and pulled the ball back for Van der Vaart, who slotted it past Paul Robinson.
Spurs continued to press, with a Bale cross diverting off Martin Olsson to bring a save out of Robinson and the Blackburn goalkeeper then getting down to save at the feet of Adebayor.
Rovers appeared vulnerable, but just before the half-hour mark they were suddenly level as Samba's knock-down from Pedersen's free-kick came to Formica, who smashed the ball home.
The goal gave the hosts a lift and Vukcevic saw a strike tipped wide by Friedel before Lowe whipped a ball across the box that Jason Roberts was just unable to get on the end of.
Modric called Robinson into action with a shot from outside the area, but Blackburn finished the first half strongly, with Friedel batting away an effort from Hoilett and the ball going inches wide when Samba and Younes Kaboul rose together to meet Pedersen's free-kick.
At the start of the second half it was Tottenham who began the livelier, Adebayor scuffing an effort high and wide and Robinson parrying a Modric shot, with the follow-up crossed by Lennon but completely missed by Bale.
There was nothing wrong with Van der Vaart's accuracy moments later as the Dutchman netted his second of the afternoon, collecting the ball when Benoit Assou-Ekotto's pass ricocheted off Vukcevic and curling it delightfully beyond Robinson.
Blackburn looked to make a swift response and, after Friedel had made a hash of dealing with a long kick direct from Robinson and then a cross from Pedersen, Steven Nzonzi blazed over.
Vukcevic went down in the box under the attentions of Assou-Ekotto but referee Stuart Attwell waved play on, and Olsson put a cross into the danger zone which nobody was able to finish.
Friedel then touched a Samba header over the bar, but Tottenham went close soon after as Robinson blocked a firm strike from Modric.
Kean made a double substitution in a bid to give fresh impetus to his attack, with Aiyegbeni Yakubu and Ruben Rochina coming on for Formica and Vukcevic.
Yakubu was straight into the thick of the action, narrowly failing to convert a Samba header from close range and then sending a shot wide from Hoilett's cross.
Roberts put a header on to the roof of the net and Rovers knew their luck was out when Yakubu met Olsson's cross in front of goal, only to skew his attempt horribly off-target.
THE TOON BOOK FOR XMAS - "MAGPIES IN EUROPE"
£9.99 Available From:
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE
M&M News; 140 Northumberland St.
One Stop News; 44 Blackett St.
Blackwell Bookshop; 141 Percy St.
The Back Page; 56 St Andrews St.
Gallowgate News, Percy St.
CHESTER-LE-STREET
The Bookcase; 131 Front St
SPENNYMOOR
The Flower Shop, Front St.
ONLINE:
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"Magpies In Europe" is available NOW! It features match reports and individual features from Toon fans on the 60 'away' trips Newcastle have made in Europe. Sports Journalist Richie Everson: "At last a book that the fabulous Newcastle United fans can relate to. It's informative, all the facts and figures are there, plus the 120 match reports from all the fixtures ... but it is the articles by the supporters that amazed me. "I went to many of those games, and this is the only book I can honestly say 'hits the nail on the head'! "Yes we know the results and the scorers, but some of the facts in this book had me so wrapped up in it I couldn't put it down. "Was Benny Arentoft cup-tied when he played in the final? Big Wyn and his battle with John McGrath; McFaul scoring a penalty when the crowd had gone home; the trouble in Palermo; it is all amazing stuff. "I would honestly give this book 10 out of 10." The book is available NOW from THE BACK PAGE!
NEWCASTLE UNITED 20011/12
PREMIER LEAGUE
NEWCASTLE 1 WIGAN ATHLETIC 0 (Cabaye)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Marveaux 76), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Ben Arfa 46), Ba (Shola Ameobi 68).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Santon, Perch, Smith.
NEWCASTLE 2 SPURS 2 (Ba, Ameobi)
Krul, Simpson (Santon 77), Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Shola Ameobi 71), Ba (Ben Arfa 71).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Lovenkrands, Gosling, Marveaux.
WOLVES 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba, Gutierrez)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Marveaux 90), Cabaye (Guthrie 89), Tiote, Gutierrez, Best, Ba (Lovenkrands 71).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Ben Arfa, Sammy Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 3 BLACKBURN 1 (Ba 3)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez (Marveaux 84), Ba (Ben Arfa 74), Best.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Guthrie, Lovenkrands, Perch, Sammy Ameobi.
ASTON VILLA 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Best)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez (Sammy Ameobi 85), Best (Shola Ameobi 69), Ba (Marveaux 80).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Guthrie, Lovenkrands, Perch.
QPR 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 88), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Marveaux 82), Shola Ameobi (Ba 64).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Guthrie, Lovenkrands.
NEWCASTLE 2 FULHAM 1 (Best 2)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Lovenkrands (Ba 62), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Obertan, Best (Vuckic 78), Vuckic (Smith 85).
Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi, Ferguson.
SUNDERLAND 0 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (R Taylor)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye (Williamson 85), Barton, Obertan (Gosling 85), Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Lovenkrands, Ba, Best, Marveaux.
NEWCASTLE 0 ARSENAL 0
Krul, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Simpson, Barton, Cabaye (Lovenkrands 81), Tiote, Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi (Best 73), Ba (Obertan 46).
Subs Not Used: Forster, Williamson, Gosling, Sammy Ameobi.
CARLING CUP
NOTTINGHAM FOR. 3 NEWCASTLE 4 (AET) Lovenkrands 2, Simpson, Coloccini
Elliot, Simpson, Coloccini, Perch, Ferguson, Abeid, Guthrie, Gosling (Shola Ameobi 70), Marveaux, Ben Arfa (Sammy Ameobi 70), Lovenkrands (Obertan 80).
Subs Not Used: Krul, Best, Dummett, Henderson.
SCUNTHORPE 1 NEWCASTLE 2 AET (R Taylor, Sammy Ameobi)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson (Steven Taylor 45), Ryan Taylor, Marveaux, Gosling (Vuckic 70), Cabaye, Lovenkrands, Best, Ba (Sammy Ameobi 65).
Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Abeid, Smith, Ferguson.
PRE-SEASON FIXTURES
NEWCASTLE 0 FIORENTINA 0 (Ab 63 mins)
Krul (Forster 46), Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, Enrique, Gosling (Ba 46), Cabaye, Vuckic, Jonas (Marveaux 46) Lovenkrands (R Taylor 61), Best (Shola Ameobi 46).Subs: Sammy Ameobi, Ranger, Tavernier, Williamson.
LEEDS UTD 3 NEWCASTLE 2 (S.Taylor, Vuckic)
Forster, Cabaye, Williamson, Barton, Simpson, Gosling, Gutierrez, Ba, Shola Ameobi, Taylor, Tavernier. Subs: Krul, Taylor, Best, Vuckic, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett.
COLUMBUS CREW 0 NEWCASTLE 3 (Ameobi, Coloccini, Vuckic)
Harper; Tavernier, S Taylor, Coloccini (Dummett, 54), Enrique; Gutierrez (Abeid, 85), Tiote (Smith, 62), Gosling, Marveaux (Vuckic, 76); Ameobi (Best, 75), Ba. Subs not used: Forster, Krul.
ORLANDO CITY 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Forster; R Taylor (Enrique, 26), S Taylor, Coloccini, Tavernier; Gosling (Vuckic, 71), Smith (Abeid, 74), Tiote, Gutierrez; Best (Ba, 74), Lovenkrands (Ameobi, 74). Subs not used: Krul, Harper.
SPORTING KANSAS 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Gosling, Coloccini, S Taylor, R Taylor, Marveaux (Tavernier 46), Tiote (Abeid 46), Ben Arfa, Gutierrez, Ba (Best 72), Lovenkrands (Smith 46).
DARLINGTON 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Barton, Sammy Ameobi)
Forster; Simpson (Dummett), S Taylor (Tavernier), Williamson (Henderson), Ferguson (R Taylor); Barton (Abeid), Guthrie (Cabaye, Donaldson), Smith (Gosling), Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi); Ben Arfa (Richardson), Best (Ranger). Subs not used: Soderberg, Newton.