Newcastle 2-0 West Ham
by Roger Domeneghetti
at St James’ Park

They left it late but in the end Newcastle beat the drop on their own terms. Second-half goals from Moussa Sissoko and Jonas Gutierrez ensured the Magpies gained the points they needed without help from Manchester United, who drew with Hull, condemning them to relegation.

The relief around the ground at the final whistle was palpable, as it was on John Carver’s face. The club lost 13 of the 20 matches since he took charge but the players must take their share of the blame.

Before the match Carver revealed that during the week he offered any player who didn’t want to face the game the chance to leave. None did. And they were clearly up for this match from the start, as was the capacity crowd.

The roar around the stadium spurred Newcastle on in the early part of the first half and Emmanuel Riviere nearly delivered the dream start but pulled a shot just wide in the first minute and then was unlucky with a bicycle kick just minutes later.

But as West Ham pulled themselves back into the game and their hosts could find no way through, the atmosphere became more tense.

The home side made a bright start to the second half and with it came the best chance of the game as Daryl Janmaat crossed only for Riviere to miss from three yards.

Five minutes later Newcastle were ahead. Sissoko rose above two defenders at the far post to head home Gutierrez’s cross and spark wild celebrations on the home bench and around the ground.

But Newcastle’s future was still uncertain as both sides traded missed chances. Despite the goal, Sissoko’s touch regularly let him down while Papiss Cisse, making his first start since early March, looked rusty.

However, safety was guaranteed five minutes from time and it was fitting that it was Gutierrez, a player who had won a personal battle against cancer, who scored it. He cut in from the left and hammered a shot past Adrian, courtesy of a deflection.

The cheers on the final whistle were almost immediately replaced by anti-Mike Ashley chants, which speaks volumes for the deeper problems at Newcastle.

Before the match, the owner gave his first interview since buying the club and pledged that he wouldn’t be selling until they had won something.
That seems along way off at the moment and his actions over the summer will speak louder.

As for West Ham, they announced minutes after the final whistle that Sam Allarydce would be leaving.