Full time: Newcastle 3 Wigan 1

Glenn Roeder commented:

Paul Jewell said:

"We were going to change it just before they scored because I felt it was just getting a little bit open and we needed to try to tighten up, but before we got the chance, they got the penalty.

"After that, they were always going to be chasing the game. They had a foothold in the game and Shearer just had too much for our makeshift centre-half pairing.

"Whatever you say about him, his legs might not be what they were, but he knows the game."

The loss before Christmas of that Tyneside institution known as the Football Pink was inevitable, given the scant regard the publishers had for the heritage of their title - running it down before slaughtering it in the name of commerce.

However, had the paper still been in production, this would have been one of their more balanced blow-by-blow match reports, given that so much of the action took place in the opening 45 and there was little of note in the last twenty minutes to stuff into the last paragraph.

By that time we'd recovered from a double injury setback (triple if you count Friday's loss of Emre) and from being a goal behind. Wigan had suffered even more in terms of personnel, all three replacements on the field before the interval and at least one other player hobbling noticeably. 

Like Nobby and Al though there was to be no respite and a full ninety minute shift was the order of the day - short of one final party trick from Uriah the clown handing the latter an early bath.

For Michael Chopra though, time stood still as he found himself once again unable to break his Premiership scoring duck  -  this being his 17th unsuccessful attempt a month short of three years since his debut at West Brom.

A block tackle from close range denied him this time, but he couldn't be faulted for effort and did did have the satisfaction though of supplying the through ball for Alan Shearer to get forward and notch a rare goal (for him) from open play. Perhaps Monday will be kinder to Chops.

Rare too had been a goal from Newcastle's backline, Bramble becoming the first United defender since....Bramble in 2004 to convert in a Premiership game for the black and whites.

But surely Titus or any of his defensive colleagues (except perhaps Monsieur 50p heid) would have profited from the early N'Zogbia centre that left Ameobi three yards out to head into an open goal - only to fluff the chance. Now do you believe me when I say he closes his eyes for headers?

The striker soon had other things on his mind though as he followed Bowyer off the field for an unexpected visit to the dentist. At that point and with Dyer having earlier spurned a good chance before we went behind, one couldn't help wondering whether this was destined not to be our day.

When a pattern of play did belatedly emerge after the frequent disruptions though, it was Roeder's side who continued their recent run of form with glimpses of the fluidity that unsettled Spurs and Boro. 

The visitors by contrast reverted to recent type - this being the fourth game in a row that they've taken the lead but failed to claim the three points.

Shearer duly collected the sponsor's man of the match award, but a measure of how positive this display left the rank and file feeling could be gauged by the post-match pub conversation in which plausible cases were advanced for the trinket to have been carried away by Bramble, Moore, Solano and N'Zogbia.

For the young Frenchman in particular some recognition would have been fitting after another display full of promise - surely an U21 cap or two is on the agenda? By no means the finished article, he does however have a spark that worries opponents (Wigan had to foul him to stop him today) and delights supporters (there's an audible murmur of anticipation when he gets the ball). All this from a lad who isn't a natural wide player.

On a one-off basis this was an enjoyable and incident-laden afternoon for the crowd, with two more for the Shearer total and another Owen-less victory to celebrate - in stark contrast to the football famine we suffered a year ago - no paper aeroplanes today.

But for the revenge factor in at least preventing Wigan from registering a trio of successes against us this season there was tangible satisfaction in a professional job well done - plus at least a semblance of optimism about European qualification in some form next season. 

If nothing else it makes the end of the season interesting - ruling out any scurrilous thoughts of going easy on Birmingham to try and keep the Butt sale alive and ensuring that the final day visit of Chelsea isn't a re-run of the bloodless encounter of twelve months ago. Shearer deserves that.

While others fuss and punt about the next messiah to be appointed, we're thankfully just getting on with trying to play football effectively - using whatever eleven players we're able to field. 

Some of those will have gone by the time Wigan come here next season (at least one could be a Latic), but today none of the squad who featured let their manager down - and 50,000 folks got a little more payback for what they endured earlier in the season. 

And now to some more unfinished business - where are those coffin nails?    
Biffa

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