LFL: MAGS

This was a great win and we deserved it as we’d pushed forward for most of the game. Despite putting us under some pressure in the later stages, Newcastle didn’t have much finishing power, except for the one they scored for us that is. How long has it been since they beat us?

BEFORE

Whatever happens in this afternoon's match the day will be overshadowed by the news of the all-too-early death of Gary Rowell. I'm sure he'll be commemorated today before the game begins and I hope this will be observed by both sets of fans. We've waited so long for this match and I think it's going to be a great contest with both sides going for it hammer and tongs. As far as I know we have no injury hangovers from the Man City game and it was a relief that Xhaka and Sadiki got through that game without another yellow card as we're going to need them. O'Nien of course won't be available but I doubt if we'd have brought him on anyway. I'll be at the game, in the centre of the Upper East Stand and will be getting there early to soak up the atmosphere. I think both sides will get a goal and my match prediction is 1-1.

I was in my seat just after 2.00 and the team-news was that there were three changes from our side that started last weekend with Reinildo, Talbi and Brobbey coming in for Geertruida, Hume and Isidor, who were all on the bench. My mates’ match predictions were 2-1, 3-0 and 3-2 to us. There was great applause when the team came out to warm up at 2.25 and of course the contribution of we fans was going to be a major factor. There was also plenty of booing when the Mags emerged a minute later. The Newcastle seats were still largely unoccupied by 1.45. Before the teams went off again there was a pitch-side presentation to Dan Ballard for one hundred appearances. That new screen was looking snazzy and the p.a. system hadn’t got any quieter since my last visit. Gary Rowell’s image appeared on the screen and to the tune of ‘Yellow Submarine’ the crowd sang “We all live in a Gary Rowell world.” A fitting tribute. There was a new tifo and we all held up our bits of coloured plastic to create an impressive band of red and white stripes all around the stadium. There was a minute’s applause for Gary, which most Newcastle fans joined in with, and then we were off.

THE GAME

From the very start every tackle we made was roared by our fans and each Newcastle touch was booed. We won the first corner, on our right, in the seventh minute but it was cleared. We were doing most of the pressing and our link-up play was looking sharp. Ramsdale in goal saved at the feet of Brobbey in the eleventh and we soon had our second corner when Thiaw turned over a clever cross from Traore. The corner was headed away but we kept on pressing. Newcastle made the odd threat but Roefs was looking as safe as ever. It had been a good idea to start Talbi as he was buzzing around and getting stuck in all over the place.

It had been a good opening quarter for us and I felt we would score if we kept on going forward. I could see a goal coming from Traore as he’s growing in confidence and is looking increasingly tricksy. We conceded a corner in the twenty-fifth and we eventually got it clear but several of our players hit the deck in the process without any of the opposition being penalised. A Xhaka shot went over in the twenty-ninth and shots on target were very few and far between. “From the Saudi boys, no noise” was followed by “Six in a row.” Mukiele was booked for a foul on Burn who had to receive treatment. As Burn lay on the deck near the touchline he was serenaded with, “You’re just a sad Geordie bastard.” He eventually rose to his feet to a chorus of boos. Five minutes to the break and I could feel that opener coming. Burn was substituted by Schar and many of our fans waved him on his way. I was expecting a fair bit of added-time but only three minutes were announced. We were still pressing forward as the half-time whistle went to much applause from those around me.

Spurs and Villa were both losing at half-time and that was all to the good for us. We could see the first-half highlights on our new screen, which was posh.

As we kicked off again I still felt we could get the winner while Newcastle had so far offered little threat upfront. We attacked from the off and very soon we were in the lead when a cross came over from our right and Woltemade headed powerfully into his own net. Maybe he’d forgotten that we’d changed ends? I wasn’t remotely bothered who’d scored just as long as it counted and it did, to much jubilation. We kept on going forward into their box and another goal was looking on the cards before long. Brobbey was having an excellent game and his strong, clever runs were causing them problems. Ballard went down in their box but nothing was given and it looked more in hope than anything else to be honest. Tonali was yellow-carded for his second trip on Brobbey and Reinildo soon joined him in referee Peter Bankes‘s book. Newcastle promptly subbed both Tonali and Gordon in the fifty-ninth, bringing on Willock and Barnes. Roefs saved a shot on target and I think it was the first time he’d done so all game. Newcastle were starting to sneak back into the game around the hour-mark but they lacked bite upfront.

As we entered the final quarter I felt it was going to last an eternity. We conceded a corner in the sixty-eighth and another on the other side shortly afterwards. Roefs got a clean pair of hands on that second one and then we made a couple of changes ourselves bringing on Hume and Isisdor for Traore and Brobbey. We weren’t getting much change out of the ref when our players went down and many fans were becoming rankled. A great shot from Isidor forced Ramsdale into conceding a corner and when it came over Ramsdale punched it to safety. Woltemade was replaced by Wissa. We conceded another corner in the seventy-seventh and it ended in Guimaraes skying it. We were starting to pass it around at the back too much for my liking but at least the time was ticking away remarkably quickly. Talbi was replaced by Mundle to much applause with around eight minutes to go. A good run by Mukiele ended in a shot not far wide of the right post. Newcastle won another corner in the eighty-sixth and we got it clear but we were on the backfoot for a short while.

Four minutes of added-time were announced and we’d regained our momentum as our songs echoed round the stadium. Mundle conceded a corner two minutes in and it was hoofed clear with a bit of handbags in our box and then more further up the pitch after Roefs had gone down. It resulted in bookings for Guimaraes, Willock and Isidor, which made it nine in all, a few of which had passed me by in all the excitement. It took a while for everything to calm down before Roefs restarted the game with a free-kick. I’d no idea how much time was left but that whistle was finally blown and we’d won it. “Who are yer?!” boomed all around. There was great celebration and a huge group photo for players and staff on the pitch as old songs like ‘Glad All Over’ and ‘Do Wah Diddy’ blasted out. The goalposts were taken down very quickly as a double line of stewards faced the North Stand. The away fans had all disappeared.