Our first meeting with them at Ewood Park under the previous manager, United were lost 3-1 with Martins scoring for us on that day.

Today, Oba Martins is back for his first game under the Special K. Young defender, Peter Ramage is also on the way for a return to training next week after more than six months out with cruciate ligament damage.

Newcastle will still without Emre, Mark Viduka, Stephen Carr and Shay Given who has the latest groin injury when playing against Manchester Utd last week.

Visitor side will wait for their midfielder David Dunn latest progress to see if he’s fit or not to play after injuring a calf in training. Ryan Nelsen missing with a hamstring problem, but defender Andre Ooijer is ready to make return.

Kevin Keegan will set to make his first win since returning for the second spell as United manager, and as everyone said, this would be our (another) season start if we can win this.

Our home fixtures against them for the last two seasons was not so impressive, but I do hope KK will bring something to cheers us up or we will be in serious danger. In 2006/07 home game we lost 0-2 while in 2005/06 they win 1-0.

Toon skipper Michael Owen said, with just six points above the relegation zone with the visit of Blackburn, the Geordies are in desperate need of a first win since before Christmas.

“But now we’ve got a few games coming up which we can, and should, be winning, and that starts with Blackburn on Saturday which is huge for us.” He added more, “We need to get confidence running going into these games and I’m positive we’ll turn a corner from there.”

Howay the Lads!!! It’s disappointed again if we’re talking about the result. But it is something beyond the reach, as some wise-men say we were not with the ladyluck side today.

Some lads who watch the game have a verdict that we were better than we were before in the last few games. Keith from the NotBBC forum told that we played some decent pass and move football instead of just lumping it up the field this time.

The lads tried hard and showed some passion but all to no avail in the end. We seem to lack penetration and the defence can never be counted on when you need them to stay tight.

Speaking about the luck, We had excellent chances at 1-1 to take the lead with Martins and Smith have decent strike, not to mention a clear penalty at 2-1 and an offside flag to deny us get an equaliser.

Some crap defending from Rozy and Stephen ‘What Can You Expecting From’ Carr give the advantage to the home team. But the way the Lads doing some commitment after that was excellent, too bad it didn’t produce any goal.

Martins and Barton put in very solid performances. Special note to Barton, he handled the pressure from home players really well today. Blackburn players were intent on winding him up, and get him yellow carded and even receive the red one, but he managed to not let it affect him too much.

Their first goal was a cracking goal, I didn’t blame Given for it as it’s really a shot of a luck. The same as their second, despite of some poor defending, Bentley really did it well.

Third goal was a kick in the teeth, something that we can avoid it, we are in a rush to make the good out of the four minutes of injury time.

What about Allardyce now, does he still under pressure after today’s result? Good supporters may not see that this is fault, the 6,000 travelling fans gave good full backing as a quick answer to Joey Barton’s anger over some “vicious” criticism of the team.

The Toon Army has showed him what the Newcastle supporters really are. I can see that he is also taking good result too from our support for the team today. He is getting mature and learn to handle the pressure well this time, good lad!

Well, at last we can start scoring again today. With the visit of Arsenal on the midweek and Birmingham next weekend I can see the team starts to gell, and Sam Allardyce knows what the best for the team. The only thing that he still had to work with is to manage the backfour, still time for that.

No changes for both side as the second-half starts with Newcastle takes the attack. It took two minutes into the second-half when Emerton fouls Milner on the left. It was Geremi delievering the ball into the area. Obafemi Martins takes it with the glance and the ball is into the back of the net, for his six goals of the season.

Rovers are responded with some serious pressing for an equaliser. Habib Beye has to hack behind for a corner. Bentley is a serious thread for Newcastle today. He swaps flanks to take on Samba heads for a goal but the effort is weak and bounces wide.

And finally they have the equalizer when N’Zogbia impedes Santa Cruz 25 yards out. Rovers have a free-kick in a dangerous position. Bentley measures up and clips a delightful effort into top corner to level the scores leaving Shay Given stranded.

The game starting to alive with both sides keep taking the pressure from each other. The Magpies have some clear chances with Martins takes the gift from Samba’s complete mess from Geremi’s long-throw and Milner heads back into the area.

The Nigerian heads over the on-rushing Friedel but unfortunately the ball lands the wrong side of the crossbar and on top of the Rovers net.

Too bad, Newcastle have to pay for another defensive mistake. Santa Cruz runs at the United backline and Stephen Carr recovers to nick the ball away from the toe of the Rovers striker.

The ball runs free without any United’s players coming to pick it up. It was Bentley once again on the right-hand side of the box to get the ball and sends a sweet, right-footed drive skidding across into Given’s goal.

Allardyce quickly allert of the mistake and take out the first-half replacement Stephen ‘Not Playing Impressively As always’ Carr away and bring in Mark Viduka in. Geremi now switching to right-back.

Newcastle keep searching for the equalizer, Martins forces a corner and N’Zogbia comes across to the right flank to deliver. The flag-kick is too easy for Friedel, he immediately springing Bentley clear on the right.

United is almost get caught again, Rozehnal quickly backpedalling and slips the ball pass wide from Bentley’s legs but the ball is end-up for the overlapping Roberts who takes aim for Given’s far corner.

The shot beats the Irishman but not the woodwork and rebounds into a crowded penalty area where first Steven Reid and then Santa Cruz try to force the ball home. A mass scramble inside the United box before Nicky Butt hack it clear.

Being almost frustrated, Newcastle keep forcing the ball. Two minutes from the end of normal time, we have a free-kick in the same position from which Martins scored.

Geremi once again delivers a wicked cross, but it’s Friedel now who is the grateful recipient as the ball bounces through to the keeper’s arms. Four minutes of added time being announced.

Well, what else can I say. Newcastle are once again caught on the break. Two minutes into the injury time, Jason Roberts runs at the Toon backline and shot wide of Rozehnal, the Czech defender manages to nick away from his toe but the ball runs free for Tugay to finish it low past Given.

It’s harsh result for us. We certainly deserved something from the game, and have been playing quite well of football than our previous game. It’s just lack of communication on the back that costs us badly today.

Anyway, better luck next time Lads! Arsenal next at home and we should have something from them, definetely a must!

Blackburn Rovers FC:
Brad Friedel, Andre Ooijer, Christopher Samba, Stephen Warnock, Tugay, Brett Emerton, Aaron Mokoena, David Bentley, David Dunn (Morten Gamst Pedersen 59″), Benni McCarthy (Jason Roberts 61″), Roque Santa Cruz
Subs: Jason Brown, Robbie Savage, Steven Reid

Newcastle United FC:
Shay Given, Habib Beye, Charles N’Zogbia, David Rozehnal, Abdoulaye Faye (Stephen Carr 25″ (Mark Viduka 72″) ), Nicky Butt, Joey Barton, Geremi, Alan Smith, Oba Martins, James Milner
Subs: Steve Harper, Emre, Jose Enrique

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Attendance: 27, 477