North-East Football Live: Saturday, March 2 (From The Northern Echo)
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North-East Football Live: Saturday, March 2
Updated 5:00pm Saturday 2nd March 2013 in Sport
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5:00pm
Middlesbrough 2 Cardiff 1
AMAZING end to a very good game. Chances at both ends fail to end in the net so Boro held on to a much-needed three points.
Dyer and Ameobi's goals means Middlesbrough are still a point shy of the play-offs which would have been worse had they not picked up the victory here.
4:55pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 4 (Purewal, Thompson, Dowson, Johnson). An eighth successive win for Quakers.
4:55pm
Doncaster 3 Hartlepool 0
Hume, Coppinger and Paynter score to end Pools' seven -game unbeaten run.
Pools didn't get much change all day from the Rovers' defence, struggled to make inroads there and Rovers stay top.
Pools now 8 points from safety ahead of Tuesday's game with Colchester.
4:54pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 4
Steven Johnson collects a clearance by Stephen Harrison and deftly lobs the keeper for his eighth goal of the season.
4:51pm
SWANSEA 1 NEWCASTLE 0 (Moore, 86)
4:51pm
Sunderland 2
Fulham 2
Sunderland battled back from two goals down to claim a deserved point from a thoroughly entertaining encounter.
They were much the better side in the second half and should have had a late penalty when Emmanuel Frimpong clearly blocked Adam Johnson's shot in the area with his hands.
4:51pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 3
Second half has been a training exercise for Darlington. Manager Martin Gray is shouting for his team to play two-touch football and “keep everything simple”. It’s working. Keeper Mark Bell has had little other than catching practice to keep him occupied.
4:44pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 3
Another 100th goal-themed bit of trivia for you: The scorer of Quakers’ 50th goal was Stephen Thompson during October in what was the club’s 15th game of the season, a 6-1 win over Ashington. It has taken Darlington a little longer to add another 49 goals – today’s game is their 33rd of the season. Seven minutes to play.
4:44pm
SWANSEA 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Sub Luke Moore puts Swansea ahead. Cross not dealt with by Magpies defence and Moore finishes from close range after ball came off Cabaye in the area.
4:43pm
Doncaster 3 Hartlepool 0
Paynter header at the far post, curled around Flinders from a deep cross on 81 minutes.
Think the unbeaten run is about to end
4:41pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 3
On this, the day of Darlington’s 100th goal of the season, might as well kill some time with a bit of trivia. Scoring a 100 goals in a season is something the club has achieved only once previously. That was in season 1929-30, in Division Three North, when they finished the campaign third and ended with 108 goals. You can have that for free.
4:39pm
Doncaster 2 Hartlepool 0
Steve Howard had clear chance for Pools, header at the far post, nodded across goal and just wide.
Pools 8 points from safety as we stand
4:38pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Sissoko long range hit turned round the post by Vorm. Swans getting sloppy going forward and Newcastle are taking advantage. Debuchy fires low shot inches wide. Visitors have been much better in the second half.
4:37pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 3
76mins. Second half a bit flat, pace of the game has slowed a glacial pace. Almost had a goal for Darlington, though. After a Chris Emms pass out wide to substitute Adam Nicholls, Nicholls took the ball past a defender with a step over and curled a shot that went wide of the far post.
4:32pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Sissoko long range hit turned round the post by Vorm. Swans getting sloppy going forward and Newcastle are taking advantage. Debuchy fires low shot inches wide. Visitors have been much better in the second half.
4:32pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Sissoko long range hit turned round the post by Vorm. Swans getting sloppy going forward and Newcastle are taking advantage. Debuchy fires low shot inches wide. Visitors have been much better in the second half.
4:32pm
Sunderland 2
(Sesegnon 70)
Fulham 2
Sunderland equalise after an incredible passage of play that started with Mignolet making a brilliant save from Berbatov with his feet.
Picking up the loose ball, the Black Cats broke upfield, and after Johnson's pass into the area was blocked by Senderos, Sessegnon swept home from the edge of the area.
4:32pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Sissoko long range hit turned round the post by Vorm. Swans getting sloppy going forward and Newcastle are taking advantage. Debuchy fires low shot inches wide. Visitors have been much better in the second half.
4:32pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Sissoko long range hit turned round the post by Vorm. Swans getting sloppy going forward and Newcastle are taking advantage. Debuchy fires low shot inches wide. Visitors have been much better in the second half.
4:30pm
Middlesbrough 2 Cardiff 1, Gunnarsson 68
Gunnarsson has headed in a Bellamy corner to pull one back. This game is not over yet. Good game and Cardiff fight back.
4:29pm
Ameobi just played keep ball with himself to keep three Cardiff players at bay. Even got a handshake from Craig Bellamy!
4:24pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Nice bit of play between Sissoko, Gutierrez and Santon on the left. The Italian drifted in and passed to Cabaye, whose shot was tipped onto the bar by Vorm. Great chance for Newcastle.
4:23pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 3
Darlington make their final substitution, Darren Richardson for Joe Tait. Terry Galbraith drops into centre-back with Richardson going into midfield. An hour gone and no sign of Benfield mounting a comeback.
4:23pm
Doncaster 2 Hartlepool 0
Double sub for Pools - Howard and James on, Poole and Franks off. There's 850 Pools fans in the ground, biggest away following here this season.
4:20pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 3
Second substitution for Darlington, Adam Nicholls sent on for Amar Purewal. Purewal’s goal today, which made it 1-0, was Quakers’ 100th of the season. He almost added another just after the break - a header was deflected wide after David Dowson had pulled the ball back from the byline.
4:17pm
Doncaster 2 Hartlepool 0
Coppinger on 55 mins. Ball moved from right to left with Cotterill at the heart of the passing, Coppinger at the far post and bounced a low shot across Flinders into the far side of the net.
4:16pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Steven Taylor cleared Wayne Routledge's volley off the line just after the break, but Newcastle have had two brilliant chances. The first saw Papiss Cisse fire over from Sissoko's flick on, before Yoan Gouffran did the same from Sissoko's pull back.
Encouraging from the Magpies, but Swansea still extremely dangerous.
4:12pm
Sunderland 1 Fulham 2
The second half is under way here at the Stadium of Light, and Danny Graham has wasted a great chance for a Sunderland equaliser.
The January signing was no more than eight yards out when he received a square ball from Fletcher, but he drilled his shot straight at Schwarzer in the Fulham goal.
4:11pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 3
We’re underway again, stay tuned for more sporadic updates. Darlington’s Steven Johnson is on at half-time for Stephen Thompson, who sustained a knock very early in the game. On the bench for Darlington today is Kerry Hedley, a teenager signed on loan from Hartlepool United yesterday. Hedley, who plays as a forward, is Darlington-born and attended Carmel School.
4:08pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 3
Half-time (and has been for sometime, love this laptop...). Darlington have now scored a minimum of three goals in each of their past seven away games.
3:49pm
Doncaster 1 Hartlepool 0
Not a great deal between the sides. Low shot from Iain Hume the difference on 35 minutes.
Pools need to move up a gear second half and show a bit more going forward.
3:47pm
Sunderland 1
Fulham 2
Gardner's penalty has given Sunderland a lifeline after a really entertaining half of football.
Fulham's goals from Berbatov and Riether were a deserved reward for a bright display from the visitors, whose counter-attacking approach has caused the Black Cats a succession of problems.
3:46pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Hosts have had all the chances. Frustrating half for NUFC
3:39pm
Sunderland 1
(Gardner pen, 37)
Fulham 2
Sunderland produce an instant response to falling two goals behind, and it's game on.
Senderos pulled back Graham in the box, and Gardner stepped up to extend his great recent record of scoring from the spot.
3:39pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 3
David Dowson with the third on 34 minutes. Poked home his fifth goal in his last six games, beating onrushing keeper Cunningham with a cool finish after latching on to a through-ball from midfield.
3:38pm
Doncaster 1 Hartlepool 0
Hume on 35 mins, took possession into feet from Rob Jones, turned and, pretty much unchallenged rolled a low shot into the corner.
A bit too soft for Pools that one, wide open through the middle of the pitch.
3:38pm
Sunderland 0
Fulham 2
(Riether 34)
Sunderland fall further behind as Fulham score with a classic counter-attacking strike.
The visitors broke the length of the field after clearing a Sunderland corner. Ruiz played in Dejagah, and while Mignolet was able to save the midfielder's shot, Riether was on hand to tap home.
3:38pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 2
Thompson adds Darlington’s second on 32 minutes, mainly thanks to Dowson. He robbed Cunningham of the ball after the keeper had strayed off his line to collect the ball, and the Darlington striker able to play in Thompson to beat blast the ball beyond the retreating defenders on the goal-line.
3:37pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Yohan Cabaye booked for a late challenge on Dyer.
3:36pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 1
Today’s updates from Newcastle Benfield are brought to you in association with Technical Difficulties...
3:34pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Tiote booked for a high foot on Nathan Dyer
3:34pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 1
Quakers' Thompson turns past a defender on the edge of the box and sees a shot saved by Jake Cunningham. Seconds earlier Thompson had been the victim of a late challenge by Benfield player-manager Steve Bowey, but referee Danny Markham played on.
3:33pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 1
Amar Purewal’s 18th goal of the season puts Darlington 1-0 up on 22 minutes. He kept a cool head to tuck home from 12 yards after David Dowson had nodded the ball into his path.
3:32pm
Newcastle Benfield 0 Darlington 0
Weak officiating by referee Danny Markham. Benfield midfielder Steven Brown escapes with a yellow card despite a forearm smash into Darlington’s Jonny Davis. 21mins, 0-0.
3:32pm
Doncaster 0 Hartlepool 0
Still few chances, Franks had Pools first effort, a low bouncing effort from 25 yards. 30 mins gone and it's both teams cancelling each other out.
3:31pm
@Sammy_Ameobi cracking Goal & welcome to #Boro
— @alanarmo1969 02 March 2013
3:30pm
Is it the first time ever an ameobi has scored and newcastle's still 0-0? Howez #nufc
— @stoner_mickey8 02 March 2013
3:30pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Cabaye free-kick straight into Vorm's arms. bit more possession for #NUFC but haven't found a way through yet. Two corners from the Frenchman failed to create anything before.
3:26pm
Sunderland 0 Fulham 1
Sunderland still haven't really recovered from falling behind here.
Fulham are much slicker in possession, and Dejagah should have done better than dragging a tame shot across goal after outpacing O'Shea to reach a long clearance.
3:21pm
Middlesbrough 2 Cardiff 0, Ameobi 17
Sammy Ameobi. What a way to start for Boro. A brilliant piece of skill got him through two defenders, then applied stunning finish. 2-0.
Those fans criticising his arrival suddenly silenced by the cheers around the Riverside that greeted his name being read out.
3:19pm
Sunderland 0
Fulham 1
(Berbatov pen 16)
Sunderland fall behind as Fulham score a controversial opening goal.
Dimitar Berbatov casually rolled a penalty past Simon Mignolet, but the award of the spot-kick has infuriated the Sunderland fans.
Craig Gardner tripped Ashkan Dejagah close to the edge of the area, but Mark Halsey took an age before deciding to point to the spot.
Dejagah went down very easily, but replays suggest that Gardner made contact with the midfielder.
3:17pm
Middlesbrough 1 Cardiff 0, Dyer 13
Kieron Dyer's first goal for Middlesbrough was a simple tap in after arriving to meet Ishmael Miller's run and cross from the byline. Good start from Boro.
3:17pm
Doncaster v Hartlepool
15 mins in and it's what you call a steady start. Both sides weighing each other up so far. Little chances on goal.
3:11pm
Sunderland 0 Fulham 0
Low key first 10 mins at the Stadium of Light.
Adam Johnson has made a couple of decent surges down left, but his delivery has let hiom down so far. Seb Larsson has been bright and busy at the heart of midfield.
3:11pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Another early chance for the Swans. De Guzman free-kick flicked on by Michu and Williams' effort is cleared off the line.
NUFC haven't had a lot of the ball as you'd expect. Swans playing with confidence.
3:09pm
Darlington name an unchanged starting XI for today’s game at Newcastle Benfield as they go in search of an eighth successive win.
Newcastle Benfield: Cunningham, Turnbull, Patterson, Ormston, Balmain, Leighton, Norris, Brown, Young, Bowey, Graham. Subs: Day, Snowdon, Talbot, Williams, English
Darlington: Bell; Harrison, Brown, Tait, Scott; Emms, Davis, Galbraith, Thompson; Dowson, Purewal. Subs: Turns (gk), Johnson, Nicholls, Richardson, Hedley
3:08pm
Early chance for Ameobi at the Riverside. Decent header dropped just over from Leadbitter's cross. That's the Newcastle man's first real touch in a Boro shirt.
3:07pm
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Early scare for Newcastle. Hernandez beats Debuchy and Cabaye on the right and crosses in. Magpies make heavy weather of initial clearance before Santon belts it away.
3:02pm
Decent Hartlepool turnout at Doncaster today #echosport http://t.co/LcYSn01Hfo
— @loughlinecho 02 March 2013
3:02pm
Sunderland 0
Fulham 0
We've kicked off at the Stadium of Light, and John O'Shea has just headed Adam Johnson's second-minute corner into the side netting.
Sunderland are lining up in a 4-4-2 formation as expected.
2:46pm
TEAM NEWS from the Liberty Stadium.
Mapou Yanga-Mbwia comes in for the injured Fabricio Coloccini and will partner Steven Taylor at the back.
The Magpies are otherwise unchanged from the side that beat Southampton last weekend.
There is no place in the squad for Hatem Ben Arfa, though, who now faces a race to be fit for the Magpies Europa League last 16 tie against Anzhi.
Swansea: Vorm, Rangel, Williams, Monk, Davies; Dyer, Britton, de Guzman, Routledge; Hernandez; Michu.
Subs: Tremmel, Bartley, Lamah, Schecter, Moore, Tiendelli, Sung-Yueng.
Newcastle: Elliot; Debuchy, Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon; Tiote, Gouffran, Cabaye, Sissoko, Gutierrez; Cisse.
Subs: Alnwick, Anita, Perch, Haidara, Marveaux, Shola Ameobi, Obertan.
2:42pm
Sunderland vs Fulham
We've just had a burst of "Happy Birthday" from the Beatles on the PA here at the Stadium of Light to celebrate Martin O'Neill turning 61 yesterday. Lets hope the Sunderland players provide him with a belated birthday present...
2:26pm
TEAM NEWS from the Riverside.
Sammy Ameobi to start for Middlesbrough, while Ishmael Miller starts at the expense of Curtis Main in attack.
Former Boro defender Andrew Taylor starts for Cardiff along with ex-Sunderland striker Fraizer Campbell.
Middlesbrough: Steele, Bailey, Friend, McManus, Hines. McEachran, Dyer, Leadbitter, Ameobi. Miller, McDonald. Subs: Emnes, Williams, Ledesma, Halliday, Main, Leutwiler, Smallwood.
Cardiff: Marshall, McNaughton, Turner, Connolly, Taylor, Whittingham, Smith, Gunnarsson, Conway, Campbell, Bellamy. Subs: Lewis (gk), Cowie, Kim, Noone, Mason, Helguson, Nugent.
2:22pm
Sunderland vs Fulham
Confirmed teams:
SUNDERLAND (4-4-2): Mignolet; Gardner, O'Shea, Bramble, Colback; Larsson, N'Diaye, Sessegnon, Johnson; Graham, Fletcher.
Subs: Westwood (gk), Bardsley, Mangane, Cuellar, Vaughan, McClean.
FULHAM (4-5-1): Schwarzer; Reither, Hangeland, Senderos, Riise; Duff, Dejagah, Sidwell, Karagounis, Ruiz; Berbatov.
Subs: Etheridge (gk), Hughes, Emanuelson, Richardson, Frimpong, Petric, Rodallega.
2:22pm
Doncaster v Hartlepool:
DONCASTER ROVERS: Woods; Quinn, Jones, McCombe, Spurr; Cotterill, Sykes, Lundstram, Husband; Coppinger, Hume.
Subs: Maxted, Sinclair, Bennett, Harper, Wakefield, Ball, Paynter.
HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Flinders; Austin, Collins, Hartley, Horwood; Humphreys, Monkhouse, Baldwin; Franks, Poole; Wyke.
Subs: McHugh (gk), Walker, Luscombe, Holden, Rutherford, James, Howard.
Youth team midfielder Brad Walker is on the bench for Pools, his first involvement at first-team level.
2:11pm
Happy with being unchanged from last week, created a few very good chances. Gotta make sure we cut out the silly mistakes though #SAFC
— @KielTulloch 02 March 2013
2:10pm
Sunderland vs Fulham
The early team news suggests that Sunderland will name an unchanged side from last weekend's defeat at West Brom. So that would mean Danny Graham and Steven Fletcher continuing alongside each other up front.
2:10pm
Riverside not as vibrant as it was on Wednesday for Chelsea's visit. There is a feeling that Middlesbrough must defeat Cardiff, though.
Looking forward to seeing Sammy Ameobi. Has looked decent for Newcastle in the Premier League, but Boro need him to be better than the full-backs he faces in the Championship.
2:09pm
Doncaster Rovers v Hartlepool United - one change for Pools, their first in eight games.
Simon Walton isn't fit with a back problem, Andy Monkhouse slots into midfield.
1:53pm
With all of the region's clubs in action, it promises to be a Super Saturday of footballing action.
In the Premier League, Newcastle United will be hoping to spoil Swansea City's post-Capital One Cup final win celebrations when they visit the Liberty Stadium.
Sunderland are also action, entertaining Fulham at the Stadium of Light in a game they could do with winning to put a bit of daylight between themselves and the bottom three.
In the Championship, Middlesbrough host league leaders Cardiff City looking to put an end to a dreadful run of form that has seen them claim just one Championship victory since the turn of the year.
Hartlepool United are the form side in League One, and John Hughes' side will hope to keep their Great Escape hopes alive when they visit Doncaster.
In the Northern League, Darlington will hope to take another step towards the title when they travel to Newcastle Benfield.
5:14pm
Boro subs: Leutwiler (gk), Haroun, Zemmama, Smallwood, Ledesma, Main, Halliday.
Cardiff subs: Lewis (gk) Bo-Kyung, Noone, Mutch, Mason, Helguson, Nugent.
Team news: Andre Bikey will miss out after limping off against Chelsea with a hamstring problem. Jonathan Woodgate will miss the game, while late checks will be made on Grant Leadbitter (gashed shin) and George Friend (calf). Cardiff defender Mark Hudson is expected to be missing for three weeks after pulling a hamstring against Wolves last Sunday.
Referee: Mark Haywood (Leeds)
Match odds: Middlesbrough 7/5, Cardiff 15/8, draw 9/4
It's a fact: Tony Mowbray invented the famous pre-match 'Celtic Huddle' while captain at Parkhead. Malky Mackay was the centre-half alongside him in that game, a pre-season friendly against Kickers Emden.
Comment by Richard Mason: There should be no FA Cup hangover from Middlesbrough, and they can take heart from their performance against the European champions and use it to their advantage. 1-1
4:36pm
Swansea subs: Vorm (gk), Tiendalli, Lamah, Agustien, Ki, Shechter, Moore.
Newcastle subs: Alnwick (gk), Simpson, Perch, Anita, Marveaux, Ben Arfa, Shola Ameobi.
Team news: Swansea boss Michael Laudrup must decide whether to make changes to guard against a hangover from last weekend's Capital One Cup final win over Bradford City. Defenders Chico Flores and Neil Taylor remain sidelined with injury, but both are approaching full fitness after lengthy lay-offs. Fabricio Coloccini is a major doubt for Newcastle, with Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa poised to make his first Premier League start. Hatem Ben Arfa has returned to training following a hamstring injury, but is expected to be named on the substitutes' bench.
Referee: Craig Pawson (Sheffield)
Odds: Swansea 11-10, Draw 13-5, Newcastle 11-4
It's a fact: Newcastle have scored ten goals in their last four league games, but conceded at least two goals in nine of their last 12 league outings.
Comment by Scott Wilson: With Swansea still in celebratory mode following their League Cup triumph, this looks like a great opportunity for Newcastle to keep their fine recent run going. 1-3
2:51pm
Rovers subs: Maxted, Syers, Wakefield, Paynter, Sinclair, Howieson, Bennett.
Pools subs: McHugh (gk), Luscombe, Howard, Holden, James, Monkhouse, Rutherford.
Team News: Evan Horwood (calf) will start, while Pools hope Simon Walton (back) will be fit as they aim to keep the same side for the eighth successive game. Rovers Paul Keegan is out with a dead leg, replaced by David Syers.
Referee: Stephen Bratt (Walsall)
Odds: H5/6; D29/10; A4/1
It's a fact: Pools are out to win four games in a row for the first time since September 2011.
Comment by Nick Loughlin: Pools have never been better in a long time than they are right now and can keep their run going 1-1.
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