 |
| Jonas Gutierrez |
It was a fairy-tale end to a horror-story season. Jonas Gutierrez – the
cancer survivor who was undergoing chemotherapy as recently as October –
scoring the goal which saved the club who last season told him to find another.
Sprinting bare-chested to the touchline, the hero cocked his ears
towards the directors’ box. He had just smashed his first goal of the season –
it was to prove the most important of a calamitous campaign for the crisis
club, whose owner Mike Ashley spoke of not selling up until they have won a
trophy before the game.
They said that survival was no cause for celebration. In the end, such
was the fear of relegation, they partied like they had won the Premier League,
not merely renewed their membership of it.
Moussa Sissoko scored the opener on 54 minutes and Gutierrez made sure
of the win five minutes from time.
Head coach John Carver and his staff emptied the dugout to embrace the
Argentine, for he had saved them from what would have been a shameful demotion.
Gutierrez was outstanding from first minute to last and was serenaded by
the Toon Army in what is surely his final game for the club. But it had been a
tense afternoon and ended with the expected confirmation of Sam Allardyce's
departure from West Ham.
A barely-deserved rousing welcome from the home crowd at least served to
inspire Newcastle during what was a frenzied opening.
Sissoko charged at full throttle down the right and centred, prompting
panic inside West Ham’s six-yard area. The upshot was a loose ball pounced upon
by Emmanuel Riviere but he, despite having just Adrian to beat, hooked wide.
The severity of the miss was perhaps lost amid the nervous energy which
populated the stadium, for he should have scored.
Within 60 seconds the visitors were denied a penalty. Enner Valencia
nicked ahead of Mike Williamson only to topple under what looked definite
contact. Martin Atkinson didn’t think so and Newcastle survived.
Riviere then sought to make amends for his spurned opportunity by
applying a spectacular finish to Daryl Janmaat’s deep cross, the scissor-kick,
however, could only ripple the side-netting.
Janmaat was confirmed before the game as the club’s player of the season
– it was a one-horse race – and he was again the most energetic and purposeful
of those in black and white. The Holland international smashed over from 20
yards as the Magpies pressed for the goal which would have settled those
Geordie nerves.
But the notion of West Ham – given five days off last week by Allardyce
– proving an easy opponent was badly misplaced. Aaron Cresswell fizzed a pass
into Stewart Downing – unmarked and offside eight yards out – and his low poke
was blocked by the desperate shins of Tim Krul.
Cresswell was proving increasingly troublesome for the hosts and his
teasing delivery flashed through the six-yard area moments later. It triggered
a few accusing glances among a Newcastle backline who were looking far from
assured.
Riviere had yet another chance to redeem himself but, from Janmaat’s
cross, failed to make a clean connection and Adrian saved with ease.
Janmaat then headed over from the angle of the six-yard area with the
full-back continuing to drive his side forward. And it was no surprise when the
half finished with the sight of the former Feyenoord man lashing narrowly over
having cut infield and unleashed from 20 yards.
The second period began in much the same vain as the first, with the
hosts on the front foot. Janmaat – who else – out-fought and out-thought
Cresswell to escape down the right and rolled the most cunning of passes into
the path of Riviere, arriving six yards from goal. He, though, again misfired,
this time swiping at fresh air.
But then came the relief. Thankfully, for Newcastle, it was Sissoko on
the end of Gutierrez’s deep hoist and not Riviere. Climbing above two claret
jerseys, he planted his header into the bottom corner.
Newcastle skipper Fabricio Coloccini smashed a volley high and wide on
77 minutes but the earlier intensity had disappeared in the wake of Sissoko’s
goal.
But former Magpie Kevin Nolan very quickly served a reminder of just how
precarious United’s lead was when his low steer skidded inches wide with Krul
beaten.
Vurnon Anita, though, had the chance to make sure of survival as the
clock approached the final five minutes.
Charging down a dithering Cresswell high in his own half, he sprinted
clear on goal only to roll tamely into the hands of Adrian when trying to find
team-mate Cisse as opposed to shooting.
Ultimately it mattered not. And so it was left to Gutierrez to seal
survival. Taking possession 20 yards out, he located the bottom corner to spark
relief-induced celebration throughout St James’.
It was a perfect end to a very imperfect season.
Source:dailymailsport.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment