Newcastle United edged their way past bottom-of-the-table Watford as they
failed to impress for the second successive home game.
Kevin Gallacher's 59th-minute strike secured the points on an afternoon when
superb goalkeeping and some dreadful finishing kept the result in doubt
throughout the 90 minutes.
Alec Chamberlain produced a series of excellent saves to deny Gary Speed,
Nikos Dabizas and Duncan Ferguson, but opposite number Shay Given was just as
busy, keeping out Heidar Helguson and Allan Smart with vital stops.
Newcastle had enough possession to have won the game comfortably, but they
were less than at their best and an off-day for skipper Alan Shearer did not
help.
The £15million hitman twice wasted gilt-edged opportunities with only the
keeper to beat as United finally wore down a determined Watford defence.
But manager Bobby Robson always maintained that the result was more important
than the performance in a game his side simply had to win, and while he will
have been disappointed with some of his side's play, he will be satisfied with
the points.
United made two changes to the team beaten 1-0 at home by Chelsea last week as
Kevin Gallacher returned from injury in place of flu victim Kieron Dyer, while
Nolberto Solano came back for Didier Domi.
Watford boss Graham Taylor also opted for change as Gifton Noel-Williams, Alex
Bonnot and Nigel Gibbs made way for Paul Robinson, Richard Johnson and Neil
Cox.
Both Robson and his players were at a loss to explain the poor display against
Chelsea last week, but they were determined that it would be nothing more than a
blip.
But as the first-half unfolded, they were again unable to break down a
well-organised defence.
Newcastle enjoyed the better of the possession, but with central defenders
Steve Palmer and Robert Page faring well in their battle with Shearer and
Ferguson, chances were few and far between.
Indeed it was the visitors who had the better opportunities before the break,
Helguson forcing a good save from Given with a 21st-minute header after
dangerman Nordin Wooter got away from Aaron Hughes on the right, and Smart also
failing to beat the keeper after racing clear as the United defence waited in
vain for an offside flag.
In the meantime, Warren Barton had whistled a low drive just wide of
Chamberlain's right post and Shearer and Nolberto Solano allowed a promising
move to break down when they each left the ball for the other inside the penalty
area.
But too often, the men in black and white were guilty of not finding their
targets as they rained crosses into the box, making life relatively comfortable
for Chamberlain and his defenders.
Domi replaced Aaron Hughes, who had been suffering from flu, at the break and
the Frenchman almost made an immediate impact as he set up Ferguson for a shot
which the Scot could only scuff goalwards.
But it was Watford again who came closest to taking the lead with 52 minutes
gone when Peter Kennedy headed down Wooter's deep cross and Smart saw his
close-range effort beaten away by Given.
The escape seemed spark Newcastle into life, but Shearer wasted a glorious
opportunity with 58 minutes gone when he took advantage of the Watford defence's
hesitancy as they appealed for offside to race clear but fire his shot against
the post.
The miss did not prove costly when Gallacher made up for it within a minute,
sliding home Domi's cross as the visitors finally wilted.
Chamberlain produced two superb saves within seconds to deny first Speed and
then Dabizas, and he again benefited from poor play by Shearer on 67 minutes as
the England striker again made a hash of a one-on-one, a fact he acknowledged as
he held his head in his hands in disbelief.
Domi sent an 82nd-minute shot over after cutting in from the left, but
although Watford pushed for an equaliser until the final whistle, the points
were won and lost.
Teams
Newcastle:
Given, Barton, Howey, Dabizas, Hughes (Domi 45),
Solano, Lee, Speed, Gallacher, Shearer, Ferguson.
Subs Not Used: Ketsbaia, Gavilan, Fumaca, Harper.
Goals: Gallacher 59.
Watford:
Chamberlain, Cox, Palmer, Page, Robinson,
Wooter (Williams 78), Hyde, R. Johnson (Bonnot 87), Kennedy,
Smart, Helguson.
Subs Not Used: Ngonge, Smith, Day.
Att: 36,433
Ref: A Wiley (Walsall).
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