The Latics match was also the first live game that my son ever saw. He has been asking me to come with me couple of times before, but last night I finally took him out to watch the Toon game. Although it’s makes him to sleep way very late but he seems to really enjoy it and happy with the result.

Meanwhile at St. James’ Park, three of the Indonesian Toon Army members are finally can shown our flag inside the fortress, good one lads!

Back to the game, Alan Pardew insists to keep his winning team against the bottom table Latics, I couldn’t blame him but it would be good if we put couple of fresh legas from the start, to give a taste of experience for the more tough cahllenge next month against the three teams above us.

I can see a glimpse of tireness in some of our players, and noticed that many of our attack was come from our right side. Obertan has a torrid game also, and many has critized his final ball last night.

But, history tells that it’s always difficult to play against them home and away. From our last two meetings with them at St. James’ Park in 2008/2009 and 2010/2011 seasons, all ends with 2-2 draw.

Yesterday match was another quiet game for Leon Best, especially with surprisingly the visitors took control of the game in the start of 20 minutes of the first half. They marched with 5 goal attempts and 4 shoots on goal compared to none from us.

They make our strikers to come down too deep in our midfield to pick the ball, with Hugo Rodallega constantly to be their main threats in our defense. Rodallega had a first minute shot blocked by Fabricio Coloccini and followed by another rising shot couple minutes later which was superbly tipped away by Tim Krul.

In the second half, things are not getting better before Alan Pardew quickly decide to bringing in Sylvain Marveaux and Ben Arfa to replace Leon Best and Obertan. We are starting to gain more control of the game and in ball possession.

A special note for Ben 10 performance last night, he seems to have little fear to fight for the ball after returning from his long broken leg injury. Although I can still see his magic movement, Ben Arfa still a little less below his peak performance.

Within the last 20 minutes, Pardew finally introduced Shola Ameobi who scores against Spurs last week. His appearance change the game again, and the visitors start to tightened up their defense looking for their first away point.

The deadlock finally broken in the 81st minute, starting with Ryan Taylor’s cross who was controlled by Marveaux before he served the ball for Cabaye to curl an unstoppable shot into Al Habsi top corner. With this glorious performance, I believe that Cabaye will be among those stars in the Euro 2012.

Newcastle United (4-4-2):
Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Ryan Taylor; Gabriel Obertan (Sylvain Marveaux 76), Yohan Cabaye, Cheik Tiote, Jonas Gutierrez; Leon Best (Hatem Ben Arfa 46), Demba Ba (Shola Ameobi 68)

Subs not used: Steve Harper, Davide Santon, James Perch, Alan Smith

Wigan Athletic (4-1-4-1):
Ali Al Habsi; Emmerson Boyce, Antolin Alcaraz, Gary Caldwell (c), Maynor Figueroa; Ben Watson (James McArthur 82); Albert Crusat (Conor Sammon 81), Mohamed Diame, David Jones, Victor Moses; Hugo Rodallega

Subs not used: Mike Pollitt, Adrian Lopez, Hendry Thomas, Shaun Maloney, Jordi Gomez

Referee: Neil Swarbrick

Attendance: 48,321

Without Ameobi who has a slight injury, AP recalled Leon Best to partnered with Peter Lovenkrands as United front men. Obertan filled the empty slot on the right wing where used to have Barton to fill in. And from my point of view, he’s done a very good job there and I believe soon he can exceed his successor.

In central midfield, Tiote is return after being off on last Thursday’s Carling Cup fixture. He’s joining force with Yohan Cabaye, who start to look like a fresh Kevin Nolan and he commanding the area quite well, particularly in the second half.

The first 10-20 minutes, it was the visitors who have the control and we are responded very well in defense, with skipper Colo and Taylor both stands tall against the impressive American center forward, Clint Dempsey.

They have couple of good chances through Sidwell and Kasami’s long range shooting, but we also creating some troubles to their defense near the end of first half with Best header and Taylor’s long kick.

Newcastle’s goal came in shortly after the break. Ryan Taylor put a throw in to Cabaye’s position with one Fulham player guard him, but still he can manage to escape and sent a thunderous ball that bounch past Fulham’s goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer into top cross bar before fall to Leon Best who are free to put it into the empty net.

Soon after the goal, we looks like to turn down the tempo a little bit, and the visitors have two good chances to make an equaliser through Sidwell and Murphy’s close range header that both are denied by Tim Krull.

Soon after that, with the introduction of Demba Ba to replaced a relatively quiet Peter Lovenkrands, Newcastle start to dominating again. It was another clever cross from Cabaye to Ba who then sent it to Fulham’s penalty area where Best was there waiting to make it 2-0 for Newcastle.

In the dead end of normal time, Fulham finally got one goal through Dempsey’s long header that beat Krul who was a little bit up too far from his post. In general, I was pleased with the lads performance today. Espeacially to see how Obertan, Cabaye and Ba are start to settle down with their new team.

The game itself starting as everyone wishes when Patrick Van Aanholt opened the scoring in six minutes on the clock but Nile Ranger, pay his terrible mistake who lead to Chelsea’s first goal, slide the ball home on 27 minutes.

Newcastle was far the better team after Ranger’s goal, and give some serious pressure on the Chelsea backline. Bruma foul on Shola Ameobi give us an opportunity to strike from an inviting angle at the edge of the area.

Toon set-piece expert Ryan Taylor, swing the ball into the far corner to put Newcastle ahead on 32 minutes. We almost make it 3-1 before half-time when Ameobi, who continuosly causing problems for Bruma, had a shot on goal, but Van Aanholt hook away off the line to save the London team.

We finally 3-1 up in just three minutes after the break and it was Shola Ameobi who gives the travelling Toon Army a reason to roar. Lovenkrands almost make it 4-1 and closed the contest if he not dragged his shot wide.

The London side has two goals from Nicolas Anelka including an 87th minute penalty to make them back level. But Jonas Gutierrez corner proven to be the match winning assist as the ball met by the head of Ameobi to notched his second and send Newcastle through.

Chelsea (4-3-3):
Turnbull, Ferreira, Bruma, Terry (c) (Alex h-t), van Aanholt, Benayoun, Ramires, Zhirkov, Sturridge, Anelka, Kakuta (Kalou h-t) (McEachran 56).
Unused subs: Cech, B Clifford, Chalobah, Mellis.
Scorers: van Aanholt 5, Anelka 69, 86 (pen).
Booked: Bruma 32.

Newcastle (4-4-2):
Krull, Taylor (Tiote 63), Campbell, Coloccini (Williamson 63), Ferguson (Barton 90+3), Ranger, Smith (c), Vuckic, Gutierrez, Ameobi, Lovenkrands.
Unused subs: Soberberg, Ben Arfa, Nolan, Carroll.
Scorers: Ranger 26, Taylor 32, Ameobi 48, 88.
Booked: Taylor 10, Ameobi 42, Tiote 86.

Attendance: 41,511.
Referee: Phil Dowd.

And for this new post, I want to give him huge deserved credits for keeping his concentration all the way up until the very end of the game before finally being booked at the death of injury time.

The game itself was a breathtaking one and without high tempo both teams creating some dangerous chances but only two goals were finally created. And spealing about the goal chances, I think we have the better numbers than the home team has.

We should have gone 2 goals ahead in first half, just if Carroll and Nollan took their half-chances well. Actually Carroll should have another hattrick today, and one great chance has gone off but only produced a yellow card which I think a little too harsh for him.

Then from a good corner kick, the home team also have one decent chance with wolves striker Ebanks-Blake headed the ball into the bar, and when the second chance coming on his way he took it very well to give his side the lead. And for his goal, I think our defenders are a bit sleepy in the box and should have done better to keep him in tight position.

The second half started with us going up for the equalizing goal, with wolves several attacking break also producing couple of dangerous moments, but it’s Carroll who took his chance very well this time to booked his fourth premierships goal this season.

All in all, a good game to watch with plenty of yellow cards flying out of the referee pocket, and I think a draw is a good result for us. Can’t wait to watch Tiote playing in midfield for us in two weeks time after the international break next Saturday, as i think he would get his work permit shortly.

We started rather tentatively, and although never under any real pressure, didn’t turn on the class until after the first goal went in. From then on the confidence started to flow – over-confidence at times – and the result was never then in doubt.

Coloccini mirrored this progression perfectly. As usual, he started tentatively, allowing his man to bully him. But then after 20 mins or so he seemed to realise that he was actually a better player than his striker and the confidence seemed to flood back.

Towards the end of the first half, under real pressure, he flicked the ball up and over his opponent who ended up flat on his @rse while FC calmly trapped the ball and brought it away. That’s by far the best thing I’ve seen from this guy, and it had me wondering whether there may actually be a player under that curly mop – at least at this level.

We defended better than last week, but against poorer opposition, although over-confidence caused us to give several soft corners away in the 2nd half. Harper had very little to do – I don’t think he made a single save. Taylor gave another strong performance in what tragically looks like being his farewell to SJP. Very sad.

We controlled m/f, and with it the game. Barton was in and out, but still contrived to play several terrific passes. Smith again patrolled the space in front of the back 4 to good effect, and after managing to get himself booked for two wild challenges he settled down and had another powerful game.

Shola was Shola, but this time scored 3 goals. His first was a slightly mistimed header from a brilliant cross from Enrique, his 2nd a superb diving header back across the keeper at the end of a thrilling passing move and another tremendous cross, this time from Barton. The 3rd was a calmly converted penalty given for handball – about the first decision that went our way.

A good atmosphere created by a small crowd, and a comfortable win – achieved against the backdrop of some anti-Ashley chanting and culminating in what looked like the sad goodbyes of one of our own.

Sadly, NUFC has returned to being a selling club, with Steven Taylor seemingly preparing to trod the path previously taken by Waddle, Beardsley and Gazza.