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Match Report
 
 

Three More Home Points
Take Us All The Way To
15th

Nikos Dabizas put Newcastle in touch with the mid-table pack as Bobby Robson's
men scrapped their way to a deserved victory over Tottenham. The Greek defender won
the match with a 58th-minute header in a blood and thunder encounter which said
much about United's rediscovered vigour. Stephen Glass had put the home side
in front after just five minutes, but Chris Armstrong levelled two minutes before the
break with a header. But Newcastle were good value for their victory as they managed to
shackle former Magpies favourite David Ginola for long periods.
Portuguese international Helder Cristovao made a solid debut for the home side in a
good team performance, but they needed plenty of grit to see off in-form Tottenham.
Robson was again forced to choose from a decimated squad as Warren Barton and Gary
Speed served suspensions and Alessandro Pistone dropped out with an ankle injury picked
up in Rome on Thursday night. That meant Premiership debuts for Brazilian midfielder Fumaca
and defender Helder Scottish midfielder Glass returned to the starting line-up and there were
places on the bench for Duncan Ferguson, a year to the day since his first appearance
in a Newcastle shirt and keeper Shay Given.
Spurs boss George Graham kept faith with the 11 men who won 1-0 at Southampton last
week as Ginola returned to St James' Park in the week that he added to criticism of former
team-mate Alan Shearer.
If Robson's selection was somewhat experimental, his players showed few signs of
discomfort as they took the game to their opponents from the kick-off. Indeed, it took
them just five minutes to force their way in front as Laurent Charvet played in Nolberto
Solano down the right and he picked out Glass with a fine cross. The young Scot headed
firmly towards goal, but just as Ian Walker looked to have it covered, he fumbled and
as United claimed that the ball had crossed the line, Temuri Ketsbaia followed up to bundle
       it home, although Glass was later awarded the goal.
With Helder particularly impressive at the back, the home side pushed forward and it took
a fine covering tackle from Chris Perry to keep out Ketsbaia after Solano had spun
away from Sol Campbell and slid the ball into his path. Shearer was making life difficult
for Campbell, who suffered a nightmare at the hands of Sunderland's Niall Quinn on his last
visit to the North-East, but it was Steffen Freund who had to clear off the line as Dabizas
rose to meet a Solano corner.
But Tottenham were beginning to come into the game and Aaron Hughes escaped
after his poor header almost allowed Oyvind Leonhardsen in on goal after 24 minutes.
Shearer broke free down the left two minutes later and ran away from Perry, but his cross
towards Ketsbaia was misplaced and Campbell was able to intervene.
Ginola was predictably booed every time he touched the ball and struggled to make any
impression, although hisdangerous cross almost caught United out nine minutes
before the break as Leonhardsen was pulled up for offside Fumaca passed up a good
opportunity on 39 minutes as he scuffed his shot after a mazy run from Ketsbaia, but
Newcastle's lead evaporated two minutes from time - and it was predictably Ginola who did
the damage.
The Frenchman, who had earlier been booked for dissent, crossed from the right and Armstrong
arrived at the back post to head home. Tottenham piled the pressure on United as the second
half got underway, but it was Hughes who got in the first effort as he skipped past Freund and
cut inside before blasting a right-foot shot wide.
And the home side were back in front with 58 minutes gone as they forced two corners in
quick succession. From the second, Solano delivered a curling cross to the far post where
Dabizas dived to thunder a header into the net. Four minutes later, Shearer rose to
meet a Solano free-kick, but his flicked header was straight at Walker.
But in an end-to-end game, it was Steve Harper who had to be on his toes to keep out a
Ginola volley as the winger started to exert an increasing influence on the game.
Hughes got in a brave block as Steffen Iversen threw himself at Ginola's 70th-minute free-
kick with Spurs going all-out for a second equaliser.
Ferguson was cheered on to the pitch when he replaced Ketsbaia 15 minutes from
time, but substitute Jose Dominguez ensured a tight finish as he motored down the
left after replacing Armstrong. Campbell could have levelled on 85 minutes when he sent
a free header over, but it was Newcastle who finished the stronger and Walker had to save
well from Lee's injury-time effort.