Boss Hughton hails striker’s ‘excellent’ late impact

Sep 20 2009 by Sunday Sun

CHRIS HUGHTON last night hailed Andy Carroll’s decisive late impact on a game the caretaker manager feared was going astray.

Having seen Newcastle go ahead early on through Steven Taylor, Hughton admitted his men struggled to see off a spirited but limited Plymouth.

And he feared an increasingly confident Argyle might nick a famous victory before Kevin Nolan and Carroll settled matters.

Plymouth arrived at St James’s Park rock bottom of the Championship, but Hughton admitted: “It wasn’t easy.

“There were periods of the game where we made hard work of it, which was disappointing because we started the game very well with a very good tempo.

“For whatever reason, we weren’t able to sustain it, and the longer the game goes without a second goal, the more they (Plymouth) are lifted by the occasion and think they can get something, which they did.

“Why did we struggle? It’s about confidence. If you look at how we finished the game, we weren’t a side lacking physically. It’s just that once you don’t get that second goal, you are up against it. Credit to them - they were a real danger in that period.” But, having seen Carroll grab his second goal in two games after returning from injury – and almost score another stunner – Hughton added: “He has done ever so well.