TOON NOT TAXED
Bad week ends with easy win for Rafa
Aweek in which Newcastle United experienced the highs of Premier League promotion and the lows of an HMRC raid ended with a win in wales last night.
Newcastle’s players have had an unusual five days, to say the least, but they did their job here with two fine goals by Christian Atsu and Isaac Hayden.
Their preparations for this trip were not helped by officers searching their training ground in Benton just two days earlier.
That followed news Newcastle managing director Lee Charnley had been arrested at his home at 6am, before later being released without charge.
Charnley usually attends Newcastle matches but he was absent from the Cardiff City stadium last night, choosing to stay at home. Those who did make it saw Rafa Benitez’s squad show why they are on their back way to the top flight.
Newcastle are still in the hunt for the Championship title and knew a win would leave Brighton top of the table by just a point.
More than 4,000 away fans had made the 600-mile round trip and they refused to allow the HMRC raid to ruin their party.
The night started with good news for their Cardiff counterparts. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, in the last few minutes . . . kenneth Zohore has put pen to paper on a new deal,’ the stadium announcer revealed. Zohore went into this match as Cardiff’s top scorer with 11 goals and the 23-year-old was looking to add to his tally against a much-changed Newcastle team.
Jonjo shelvey and Aleksandar Mitrovic were among five players rested by Benitez, whose selection suggested he thinks his side’s title race is almost run.
Newcastle knew a loss to Cardiff would confirm Brighton as cham- pions and it was the home side who initially looked the likelier to open the scoring.
They thought they had done so in the 20th minute when sean Morrison headed home Peter whittingham’s corner. Referee Graham scott had spotted an infringement, however. Cardiff then had a Junior Hoilett effort disallowed for offside.
soon it was Newcastle’s turn. A counter- attack saw DeAndre yedlin test Cardiff goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who got down low to deny the 23-year-old.
Newcastle started the second half on top and a free-kick from 20 yards gave Atsu the perfect opportunity to make his mark in the 55th minute. He struck the ball from the right of the D over the wall and beyond McGregor, who did not even dive.
‘The Mags are going up!’ boomed Newcastle’s supporters.
soon after, it was 2-0, as McGregor was beaten by another long-range shot. Hayden took aim from 25 yards and found the bottom corner with a fierce drive. Game over.