Kieron Dyer helped repair his relationship with Newcastle's fans with a
precious match-winning goal against European hopefuls Bolton.
The England midfielder, whose career on Tyneside looked to be over when he
refused to play out of position for Sir Bobby Robson at Middlesbrough on the
opening day of the season, smashed home a 68th-minute winner to cap another
enterprising display.
His goal handed the Magpies a fourth win inside 10 days, a run which has
revived their season and rekindled hopes that there could yet be something to
celebrate in May.
Lee Bowyer had put the home side ahead with a superbly-worked goal 10 minutes
before the break, but an equally well-crafted equaliser from Stelios
Giannakopoulos six minutes later dragged Wanderers back into it.
However, Fernando Hierro's lucky escape with just a booking after he had
cynically tripped Dyer four minutes after the restart sparked a concerted
Newcastle push which eventually paid dividends.
Graeme Souness was at pains to point out in his programme notes that his
remarks about Bolton's approach after his side's 2-1 defeat at the Reebok
Stadium on October 31 last year had not, in fact, been a criticism, but an
acknowledgement that their system was difficult to play against.
That is something he would like to be able to say about his own team while
still being able to rely upon the flair that has become its trademark in recent
seasons, although the transition is proving difficult.
His mantra in recent weeks has centred around the ability to be able to win
tight games 1-0, but once again, it went unheeded.
In a tense encounter with little to choose between the sides, Newcastle went
ahead 10 minutes before the break after a move which started on the edge of
their own penalty area bore fruit.
Jean-Alain Boumsong, Titus Bramble and Celestine Babayaro combined to find
Bowyer on halfway, and his neat turn away from the industrious Gary Speed and
Giannakopoulos allowed him to find full-back Stephen Carr on the right.
Bowyer carried on his run to leap in front of Kieron Dyer and head firmly past
Jussi Jaaskelainen to give his side a lead they just about deserved.
However, to Souness' annoyance, it lasted just six minutes as Bolton conjured
up a flowing attack of their own to level.
Bramble had been off the pitch having treatment for what looked like a
dislocated finger, but on his return, he found his defence unlocked when Kevin
Davies flicked up Jay-Jay Okocha's pass for Speed to make the most of the
Magpies' disorganisation to head down for Giannakopoulos, and the Greek
international volleyed firmly past Shay Given to make it 1-1.
The home side might have conceded a penalty for Bramble's push on
Giannakopoulos, but they were aggrieved when referee Steve Dunn adjudged that
Bruno N'Gotty had not handled when the ball leapt up off Fernando Hierro in
first-half injury-time.
Jaaskelainen had earlier produced a good double save to deny Alan Shearer and
Dyer, but the game was in the melting pot as the two sides returned after the
break.
Amdy Faye side-footed high over in the 47th minute after Tal Ben Haim had been
booked for a foul on Shola Ameobi, and Fernando Hierro joined him two minutes
later, although it should perhaps have been worse.
Dyer exploded into the Bolton half and just as the way to goal opened up in
front of him, he was cynically tripped from behind by the Spaniard.
Dunn showed only a yellow card and Bolton escaped when Laurent Robert's
free-kick flew just wide of the upright.
The perceived injustice fired a spell of constant pressure from the home side,
although Robert and Ameobi were guilty of repeatedly wasting possession in
promising positions.
But the Frenchman, who was being well marshalled by Vincent Candela, was
becoming increasingly influential, and Sam Allardyce moved to shore things up in
the middle of the park when he replaced Hierro with Ivan Campo with 64 minutes
gone.
But it was Gardner who rescued his side in the 66th minute when, after felling
Dyer on the Newcastle right, he was there on the line to hack away Boumsong's
header when Robert curled the free-kick in.
The home side deservedly took the lead for the second time two minutes later
when, after Shearer's shot was blocked by N'Gotty, Dyer lashed the loose ball
into the roof of the net.
Once again, the home side almost contrived to throw away their lead within
three minutes when Candela was allowed to race from his own half to the edge of
the box, although he fired wastefully over.
Ricardo Vaz Te arrived as a 77th-minute replacement for Okocha as Jermaine
Jenas came on for Robert, and after Shearer had fired wide in the midst of a
goalmouth melee, Jenas could have cemented victory three minutes from time but
for an excellent covering tackle by Ben Haim.
Teams:
Newcastle Given, Carr, Boumsong, Bramble, Babayaro, Dyer,
Faye, Bowyer, Robert (Jenas 77), Ameobi, Shearer.
Subs Not Used: Butt, Harper, Milner, Hughes.
Goals: Bowyer 35, Dyer 69.
Bolton Jaaskelainen, Hunt (Fadiga 14), N'Gotty, Ben Haim,
Candela, Giannakopoulos, Okocha (Vaz Te 77), Hierro (Campo 64),
Speed, Gardner, Davies.
Subs Not Used: Jaidi, Poole.
Booked: Ben Haim, Hierro.
Goals: Giannakopoulos 41.
Att: 50,430
Ref: S Dunn (Gloucestershire).
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