Newcastle suffer second-half collapse at Fulham (From The Northern Echo)

Newcastle suffer second-half collapse at Fulham

4:53pm Saturday 21st January 2012 in Newcastle United Match Reports By Scott Wilson

Fulham 5 Newcastle United 2

NEWCASTLE conceded four goals in the space of 16 chaotic second-half minutes as they slumped to a thumping 5-2 defeat at Fulham.

Leading at the interval through Danny Guthrie's long-range strike, Alan Pardew's side looked like moving to within four points of second-placed Chelsea.

But they completely collapsed at the start of the second half as a Clint Dempsey double, and further goals from Danny Murphy and Bobby Zamora, earned Fulham a victory that had not looked on the cards at all at half-time.

Murphy and Zamora's strikes were both penalties, as Newcastle's back four completely disintegrated in the face of the first spell of pressure from their opponents.

Hatem Ben Arfa clawed a goal back with five minutes left, but Dempsey completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute to round off the Magpies' heaviest defeat of the season.

Alan Pardew opted for a tactical alteration prior to kick-off, lining his side up in a somewhat unusual 4-2-3-1 formation.

Guthrie and Yohan Cabaye were the sitting midfielders, with Leon Best starting on the left, Ben Arfa lining up on the right and Jonas Gutierrez adopting a central role behind lone striker Shola Ameobi.

The ploy worked throughout a one-sided first half in which Newcastle dominated their lacklustre opponents, with Ben Arfa especially influential.

The visitors created the first chance of the game in the 13th minute, Ameobi heading straight at David Stockdale, and Ben Arfa forced the former Darlington goalkeeper into his first save moments later with a low 20-yard drive.

Ameobi failed to find the target with another header midway through the first half, and while Tim Krul was finally called into action to keep out a shot from former Magpies midfielder Damien Duff, Newcastle went close again when Fabricio Coloccini hammered Mike Williamson's cross straight at Stockdale.

For all their first-half superiority, it looked as though the Magpies would be going into the break on level terms, but the deadlock was finally broken in the 42nd minute.

Ben Arfa dispossessed Bryan Ruiz and shuffled the ball to Guthrie, who hammered a rising 25-yard drive into the top right-hand corner of the net.

The goal was no more than Newcastle deserved, but the visitors' advantage was cancelled out just seven minutes into the second half.

Fulham's equaliser was a controversial one, as while Davide Santon appeared to bundle over Duff as he attempted to reach a long ball from John Arne-Riise, the initial contact appeared to be well outside the area.

Referee Lee Mason nevertheless awarded a penalty, and Fulham skipper Murphy gave Krul no chance from the spot.

That was bad enough for the Magpies, but to continue a remarkable turnaround, Fulham claimed a second goal six minutes later.

Andy Johnson found Zamora on the right, and while Krul saved the England international's shot, the ball broke for Dempsey to bundle home the rebound from close range.

Suddenly, Newcastle were in meltdown, and it did not take Fulham long to claim a third. Zamora sent Dempsey galloping through the middle of the Magpies' back four, and the American drilled a low shot past Krul to claim his second of the game.

The misery didn't end there though because Fulham claimed their fourth goal of a truly remarkable 16-minute spell in the 68th minute.

Krul fouled a rampaging Johnson in the box, and Zamora stepped up to extend his side's advantage from the spot.

Newcastle never really recovered their composure, although they did claw a goal back with five minutes left as Ben Arfa cut in from the right-hand side and drilled a fierce strike past Stockdale at his near post.

However, Fulham still had the final say as Dempsey completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute. Outpacing Coloccini to reach a through ball from Zamora, the American drilled yet another low shot beyond a helpless Krul.

FULHAM (4-5-1): Stockdale; Kelly, Hangeland, Senderos, Riise; Ruiz (Baird 46), Murphy, Sidwell (Johnson 37), Dempsey (Frei 90), Duff; Zamora.

Subs (not used): Etheridge (gk), Hughes, Briggs, Gecov.

NEWCASTLE (4-2-3-1): Krul; Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon; Guthrie (Perch 76), Cabaye (Gosling 83); Ben Arfa, Gutierrez, Best (R Taylor 86); Shola Ameobi.

Subs (not used): Elliot (gk), Ferguson, Obertan, Lovenkrands.