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Newcastle United	2 - 1	Chelsea
Half time:	1 - 1
Score Sheet:
og(Hasselbaink) (31) Bernard (53)		Lampard (37)
	Teams
Given Bernard O'Brien Woodgate Hughes Dyer Solano Speed Viana Shearer Bellamy		Cudicini Melchiot Gallas Terry Babayaro Gronkjaer Morris Lampard Stanic Hasselbaink Gudjohnsen
Substitutes:
Bramble for Viana (72) Griffin for Solano (79) Ameobi for Dyer (88)		Zola for Gronkjaer (67) Zenden for Stanic (67) Cole for Babayaro (77)
Subs not used:
Caig LuaLua		Evans Huth
Bookings:
None		Cole (dissent)
Sendings off:
None		None
Referee: Jeff Winter (Teesside) Has actually improved as a referee in recent seasons, but still has a tendency to being a "big man" and trying to rule players with the force of his "personality." Reservations remain about his showbusiness leanings - in this televised match he seemed determined to show how clever he was by not booking anyone, despite a number of crude tackles from Gallas and others. He also didn't endear himself to the home ranks by a couple of debatable decisions immediately before the interval, resulting in him being serenaded by well-supported choruses of "you're just a fat smoggy b*****d", to which he theatrically yawned when leaving the pitch. Worth recording at this juncture that this man played some part in the process that ultimately led to the controversial postponement of the recent scheduled game at Middlesbrough. Mention also for the flag-waver on the East Stand side in the first half - bloody hopeless.
Attendance:  52,157. Atmosphere was good in parts, but we were well into the second half before people really got into it and individual shouts and songs melded into one larger crescendo. And as for the people who left before the end, if we kicked off at 09.30am would they sneak out so as not to miss opening time? Worth recording that the home fans afforded Zola applause on his entrance for no other reason than the fact he's a quality act. However, this sportsmanship was partially lost amidst the negative response to the arrival of Zenden on the field at the same moment - the man who turned us down. Anyone who is still disappointed by that decision would do well to check the stats out for him and the man we bought instead, Robert. We may moan at Laurent but Zenden just isn't in the same league. United hero was John Beresford (1992-99) while the Blyth Spartans FA Cup giant-killing side were welcomed on to the pitch before the start of the game, a shade over 25 years since their memorable defeat at SJP by Wrexham.

31 mins Hasselbaink had already made a bit of a hash of trying to clear Solano's near post corner at the Leazes end, his sliced clearance forfeiting another one. As he ran up to take it Viana arrived for a short exchange of passes allowing Solano a better angle to whip over his cross. Cue Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, bulleting a header past his own keeper at the near post 1-0

37 mins The errant Dutch striker was cheered ironically by toon fans as he took a corner which looked suspiciously like it curled behind the goalline before coming back into play. Given didn't know that and completely misjudged his attempted punch, the ball eventually hitting off Hughes. It fell into the path Lampard who hit it first time past the two defenders on the line, Solano almost saving it with his hands. Most seemed to think it was a wonder strike from young Frank but it looked like it came off his shin to me - Lampard senior in the Milburn stand seemed happy enough though 1-1

Half time:  Newcastle  1  Chelsea  1

53 mins Gary Speed guided the play from centrefield out towards the left and Viana took his pass before striding forward and slotting a perfectly-weighted ball through for the overlapping Olivier Bernard. The Frenchman still had Cudicini to beat, which he did thanks to a glorious sand-wedge of a delicate dink over him, just inside the post and away from the covering defenders at the Gallowgate end 2-1

Full time:  Newcastle  2  Chelsea  1

Sir Bobby said:

"We're not talking about winning the league, we're just talking about what is the next match and can we win it?

"I know that we've got a strong pool now to fight on both campaigns and do well, so we'll just continue to do that.

"Where we end, we never know. We might not get into the next phase of the Champions League, but we're going to try, and we might not win the championship, but we will try.

"We're getting closer and better all the time. Manchester United have to come here and they have a healthier goal difference than us, so that's an extra point, but to be equal on points with them is just wonderful.

"This was a power game. This was a game of power and strength and pace.

"All the good teams in the past have been able to win when they cannot simply knock the opposition over. You cannot always win games by three and four, it's nice when you do, but you have to be able to win games narrowly as well and that is what we've done against Chelsea.

"They pushed ever so hard for an equaliser, but they couldn't get it because we defended so well.

"And when you defend well you encourage the other side to push more and more people forward so you can sometimes pick them off on the counter. With players like Craig Bellamy and Kieron Dyer in your side, you always have that in you as well."

Gary Speed was immense again. He shields the back four so well, he challenges, he closes down and he tackles. He ain't bad on the ball either.

"With Kieron alongside him, he knows he does not have to get forward as much, he is still good at making runs into the box, but he is learning to be more patient.

"He is learning when to go and when to stay. He gave an amazing performance and that was his third game in a week."

"It was questionable to leave out Titus Bramble, just as it was to rest Andy O'Brien on Wednesday night. I know how they would have felt, but I run a tight ship and I know what I'm doing.

"We have that strength in depth and that extra quality as a squad now. I wouldn't have been able to rest players when I came here three years ago and I would not have been able to do it to the same extent last season even."

"I've been delighted with the players since the defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers at the start of the year. That defeat hurt the club, but they have responded superbly since then."

The likeable Claudio Ranieri spoke:

"Both teams deserved to win. Always the matches between Chelsea and Newcastle are very, very interesting. We were a little unlucky because they shot at goal only once and won the match; we shot a lot, but Given was unbeatable.

"But I'm very pleased with our performance. We played a good match after the Blackburn match, and Chelsea is alive. We want to achieve a top-four place, but it's not easy. Two or three months ago, everybody said to me Chelsea can win the league.

"I said `No, there are two or three teams better than us, we can fight for fourth'. Now there are two or three teams like Chelsea - Everton, Southampton, Charlton, Liverpool - who can fight for fourth place."

And pre-match he had a word about Shearer and Sir Bobby:

"It was just before the World Cup in 1990 when I met Robson. I was manager of Cagliari and we played the England national team. We talked a little then and other times since.

"He is a nice man and a fantastic manager with a lot of experience and his team are in very good condition at the moment.

"He has very good players. Alan Shearer, for example, is a fantastic striker. He is strong, clever, experienced and he knows early what is going to happen. When a manager has a striker like that, you always think he is going to score. That is a good feeling."

Alleged former toon target John Terry said:

"We have to start winning games and get ourselves into the Champions League spot. I hope we'll qualify, I really do. It's massively important for the club financially but also for the players as well. We desperately want to play Champions League football next year. We're going to keep trying, string five or six wins together and hopefully get on a nice run."

"I'm gutted to be honest. It's obviously a difficult place to come but we feel hard done by. We had a lot more chances than they did and it's disappointing not getting anything from the game.

We created a few chances but it didn't really go for us. It's frustrating but we'll have to wait and see what happens in the other games."

Match Stats

Stats v Chelsea (home and away) P129, W44, D34, L51, F173, A189.

Number of unsuccessful attempts since we last beat Chelsea anywhere: 11
(May 1997 Newcastle 3 Chelsea 1)

Chelsea (H) - Premiership contests

2002/03 Won 2-1 OG, Bernard
2001/02 Lost 1-2 Shearer
2000/01 Drew 0-0 No scorer
1999/00 Lost 0-1 No scorer
1998/99 Lost 0-1 No scorer
1997/98 Won 3-1 Dabizas, Lee, Speed
1996/97 Won 3-1 Shearer 2, Asprilla
1995/96 Won 2-0 Ferdinand 2
1994/95 Won 4-2 Cole 2, Fox, Lee
1993/94 Drew 0-0 No scorer

The excellent post-Euro run under Bobby continues and we have now avoided defeat in our last 20 domestic games following on from appearing in European competition.

Jonathan Woodgate played his first senior game since 11th January 2003 when Leeds lost 1-2 at Maine Road. His debut made him the 98th player to feature for us in a Premiership match.

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