Tottenham pile more misery on rudderless Newcastle
Fabricio Coloccini unable to prevent Carling Cup exit
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Wednesday, 24, Sep 2008 10:52
Carling Cup holders Tottenham Hotspur condemned Newcastle United to their fourth straight defeat after a 2-1 win at St James' Park.
Roman Pavlyuchenko scored his first goal since his £13.8 million move from Spartak Moscow while Calum O'Hara scored a comical second goal, with Michael Owen scoring a consolation.
The first half was a dire affair with both sides lacking confidence due to their shaky league form.
The only chance of note was for Pavlyuchenko, playing as a lone striker, who headed wide from Aaron Lennon's cross.
Pavlyuchenko was lucky to stay on the field minutes later after appearing to elbow Fabricio Coloccini in the face, which left the Argentinean needing treatment.
The second half was a vast improvement with the Magpies coming agonisingly close to taking the lead when Damien Duff's shot was brilliantly cleared off the line by ex-Newcastle defender Jonathan Woodgate.
That sparked the home side into action with Michael Owen bamboozling Woodgate before seeing his shot saved by Heurelho Gomes, while at the other end substitute Giovanni dos Santos almost teed-up Pavlyuchenko.
And it was the Russian who broke the deadlock on 62 minutes when he headed in Lennon's clipped cross.
Four minutes later, Newcastle gifted Spurs a second goal when Stephen Taylor failed to control Coloccini's pass, allowing O'Hara to side-foot the ball into the net.
The Magpies eventually woke up with Obafemi Martin's low strike saved by Gomes.
The home side set-up a grandstand finish when Owen smashed the ball into the top-corner after Gomes could only parry Geremi's free-kick.
But it proved too late as St James's Park once again erupted into a chorus of boos at the final whistle.