Newcastle United 2 Bolton Wanderers 0HATEM BEN Arfa contributed another sublime contender for goal of the season, Papiss Cisse reinforced theories that he is Newcastle United's new Andy Cole and Alan Pardew's side kept their hopes of Champions League qualification very much alive.
While Ben Arfa left assorted Bolton Wanderers markers trailing in his wake as he sprinted 70 yards to open the scoring after turning Sam Ricketts, Cisse registered his 10th goal in nine games on an afternoon which ended with a frequently impressive Bolton being pushed a step closer to the Championship.
By contrast Pardew’s team moved level on points with Tottenham Hotspur, something Newcastle’s manager attributed to Ben Arfa’s unique amalgam of balance, control and ability to wrong-foot defenders by switching feet at full pelt.
“Hatem’s was a truly special goal,” he said. “You don’t see many like it. Hatem’s ability to manoeuvre the ball at speed took him past a few defenders then, the cleverest part was that at the end he lifted the ball a bit so the centre-half couldn’t make a tackle. Not many players can do that.”
With Chris Eagles, Mark Davies and Tim Ream joining Ricketts in being dodged by the France international, and the substitute Shola Ameobi dragging the rest of Owen Coyle’s rearguard out of position, all that remained was for Ben Arfa to check, tantalisingly, before nonchalantly directing the ball beyond Adam Bogdan from eight yards.
Ameobi shrugged Ream aside before creating a second goal for Cisse, whose close-range sidefoot was deemed “offside” by Bolton’s manager.
“Goals change games,” Coyle said. “Ben Arfa is a wonderful talent but we had three or four chances to put a tackle in on him and didn’t. We didn’t deserve to leave with nothing but, if we keep playing like this, we’ll get enough points to stay in the Premier League.”
With Kevin Davies, the lone forward, serving as a gloriously unselfish outlet, Coyle’s team shaded a low-tempo first half. For all James Perch’s central midfield diligence, Newcastle missed the dynamism usually offered by the injured Cheik Tiote though David Santon attacked well on the overlap from left back.
This this was surely the Italy international’s finest game for Newcastle.
But after the interval Bolton came within inches of scoring when the on-rushing Darren Pratley could not quite connect with Martin Petrov’s driven cross.
After 61 minutes Pardew withdrew Demba Ba, replacing his leading scorer with Ameobi.
The Senegal striker’s goals have dried up since he returned from the Africa Cup of Nations and he found himself frequently repositioned to the left of the prolific Cisse in a 4-3-3 formation.
Guardian Service
NEWCASTLE UTD: Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa (Taylor 85), Cabaye, Perch (Ferguson 46), Gutierrez, Ba (S Ameobi 64), Cisse. Subs not used: Elliot, Abeid, Gosling, Tavernier. Booked: Gutierrez.
BOLTON WANDERERS: Bogdan, Ricketts, Ream, Wheater, Steinsson, Mark Davies, Reo-Coker,Pratley (Klasnic 82), Kevin Davies (Ngog 78),Petrov, Eagles (Miyaichi 78). Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Alonso, Knight, Sordell. Booked: Reo-Coker.
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire).
