NEWCASTLE UNITED v FULHAM, 1-2 Sat 9 Sep 2006
Substitute Carlos Bocanegra snatched a remarkable victory for Fulham over Newcastle United at St James' Park.
The defender bundled home from close range with three minutes remaining, just five minutes after Brian McBride had dragged the visitors back on to level terms.
Scott ParkerÂ’s second goal of the season had given Glenn Roeder's side a 54th-minute lead but they failed to kill the game off and were punished at the death.
A crowd of 50,365 at St JamesÂ’ Park could barely believe their eyes as a game the home side should have had wrapped up long before, slipped from their grasp.
It was no coincidence that former Chelsea midfielder Parker had left the pitch seconds before McBrideÂ’s 82nd-minute strike after turning in an inspirational individual display.
But with new £10million signing Obafemi Martins ineffectual on his home debut and Shola Ameobi struggling for fitness, the first of seven games inside 23 days turned horribly to condemn the Magpies to a second successive Barclays Premiership defeat.
Twenty-four hours short of a year to the day since FulhamÂ’s last visit to Tyneside, they returned to a stadium filled with anticipation.
This time last year, club-record signing Michael Owen made his debut, although the visitors almost spoiled the party when it took a late equaliser from Charles NÂ’Zogbia to snatch a point for Newcastle.
Twelve months on and with Owen starting his recovery from knee surgery, the onus was on new arrival Martins to provide the goals to suggest there will be life after Alan Shearer.
But that particular question was left unanswered as the home side enjoyed the better of the game but simply could not make the pressure tell.
Ameobi forced a good save from Antti Niemi, but from an offside position, and in truth, the MagpiesÂ’ strike-force while hard-working, threatened only fleetingly before the break.
There were chances, however, as Parker and Emre dominated a central midfield battle which lost the unfortunate Jimmy Bullard to what looked like a serious knee injury after a 32nd-minute clash with Parker.
Duff, who had earlier drilled a long-range shot just wide, called Niemi into action two minutes before the break with a well-struck drive and full-back Stephen Carr sent a fizzing long-range effort just over in injury-time.
However, although NÂ’Zogbia and Emre both went close and Ian Pearce had to hack a goal-bound Duff effort off the line, the Fulham defence was rarely breached.
At the other end, Given had little to do before the break despite having to keep out a first-minute Franck Queudrue free-kick, although he will have been concerned at the ease with which McBride was afforded two headed opportunities.
Martins might have done better within two minutes of the restart when Emre won possession and fed him, but he dragged his left-foot shot well wide.
Fulham served warning that they were still in the game seconds later when Wayne Routledge, who had replaced Bullard, found himself in acres of space on the right with the path to goal clear.
He struck his shot well but the recovering Peter Ramage, a central defender playing at left-back, slid in to deflect it over the bar and protect a grateful Given.
It was Pearce providing the heroics at the other end on 52 minutes when, while appealing for an offside flag which never came, he managed to cut out MartinsÂ’ header back across goal towards the unmarked Ameobi.
But his efforts counted for little as Newcastle took the lead within two minutes.
Emre curled an inviting ball into the box for Parker to meet it with a downward header which flew past Niemi and into the bottom corner.
The relief was palpable and NÂ’Zogbia might have extended the lead three minutes later when he blasted wide from a tight angle after Ameobi and Parker had carved Fulham open.
The visitors attempted to launch a fightback, but too often found themselves undone by the hugely influential Parker.
Ameobi headed weakly at Niemi under pressure on 66 minutes after Emre had crossed from the left.
Martins made way to warm applause for fellow newcomer Giuseppe Rossi with 18 minutes remaining but it was NÂ’Zogbia who forced a fine save from Niemi two minutes later with another powerfully-struck shot.
The Magpies were made to pay for their wastefulness eight minutes from time when McBride turned up at the far post to stab RoutledgeÂ’s cross past Given to level.
Newcastle were undone again with three minutes remaining when McBride headed RoutledgeÂ’s corner against the bar and Bocanegra bundled home the rebound.