Newcastle 2, Birmingham 1

Dec 9 2007 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

JUST as all appeared gloom again for Sam Allardyce, St James’s Park was bathed in an African sunset.

An equaliser from Nigeria and a last-gasp winner from Senegal gave Newcastle’s manager a long-awaited warm glow inside.

And where a few days ago, winter’s chill cut deep on Tyneside, a spring is back in the step of its football club.

Their morale boosted in midweek against Arsenal, United – predictable only in their unpredictability – gifted Birmingham a lead inside nine minutes yesterday.

But the Toon’s new-found bouncebackability did for Brum.

First, Obafemi Martins drew them level with a controversial – and heartstoppingly-converted – 37th-minute penalty.

Then, after a huff and puff second half, Habib Beye brought the house down with an unlikely injury-time header.

Allardyce may not be home and dry with the more sceptical among his new fanbase, but a corner has been turned.

Tactically, concerns remain over the manager’s narrow-mindedness . . . Newcastle’s best football yesterday again came when their wide boys ignored his compact gameplan.

Yet there is now no doubting the spirit of a side seemingly bereft of it a fortnight ago.

Few embody that passion more than Steven Taylor, who oozed commitment AND composure for the second time in four days.

But with Beye beginning to shine at right-back, Charles N’Zogbia bright – albeit stunted somewhat in a left-back role – and messrs Barton and Smith finally living up to reputations, the Toon look a team again.

If we’re talking individuals though, none were better yesterday than James Milner.

Sure, Birmingham went home believing Martins’ penalty never was.

But they escaped conceding a more clear-cut spot kick two minutes before Beye’s maiden Magpies goal.

And the pluck – if not always the poise – with which Newcastle got at the visitors after David Rozehnal’s early gaffe let in Jerome deserved its reward.

Blues centre-half Rafael Schmitz’s long ball towards Jerome was delivered more in hope than expectation.

But what was that about unpredictability?

Rozehnal was hopelessly caught out on the turn, allowing Jerome to nip in between him and Shay Given before rounding the keeper to slot home.

Yet where a few weeks ago, that might have been the cue for a backlash from the stands, the home faithful remained positive. And they were rewarded.

Rozehnal saw a far post header from a corner hit the woodwork, then Beye raced up the right flank to win a free kick which N’Zogbia whipped into the six-yard box – and onto the boot of Martins.

And though the Nigerian’s point-blank volley flew straight at Maik Taylor, the die was cast.

If anything, it helped that midweek hero Nicky Butt trudged off after half an hour.

For although substitute Mark Viduka occasionally frustrated by dwelling too long on the ball, his ability to retain possession gave United a vital attacking outlet.

For a side accused of lacking ambition, Newcastle – initially at least – looked gung-ho after Viduka’s arrival, lining up as 4-2-4.

But their all-but-the-kitchen-sink approach finally threw Birmingham off beam.

Milner had already fizzed a cross-cum-shot across the face of goal from the left when N’Zogbia delivered from the same area.

As the ball broke loose in the box, Sadler won it in an all-or-nothing lunge at Martins – yet still ended up with nothing, as referee Rob Styles punished him for felling the striker with his trailing leg.

Birmingham went berserk.

Yet replays showed no innocent reason for Sadler to make contact with Martins on his follow-through.

And Martins sentenced him to enduring misery by converting the spot kick – despite Maik Taylor touching it onto the inside of his left-hand post.

Birmingham might have hit back, but saw Jerome scuff a decent effort straight at Given.

And the visitors spent the rest of the half besieged. Indeed, but for keeper Taylor, they would have gone under.

Although Milner should have made a better connection with another N’Zogbia cross, Taylor did well to tip the winger’s close-range effort onto and over the bar.

There was then no doubting the quality of Milner’s strike when the subsequent corner was cleared to his feet.

But Taylor appeared to get an all-important touch before the winger’s shot smacked back off the bar.

United did not want the opening half to end – and their sluggish start to the second period underlined the point.

Birmingham regained the initiative – Fabrice Muamba firing over from 25 yards, then Sebastian Larsson blazing wide from half the distance.

Rozehnal did well not to put a cross from Jerome through his own net, and Given saved at his near post from Liam Ridgewell.

Milner was still at it, shooting across the face of goal and always keen to run at Stephen Kelly.

But Newcastle were running out of attacking ideas before Allardyce replaced Geremi with Emre.

Martins responded to the arrival of his top mucker by shooting past the angle of post and bar.

But another reshuffle would have been necessary had Stiles not gone easy – with a booking – on Barton’s cynical lunge at Jerome.

As it was, Newcastle ended the second half as well as they had the first – but with a more positive result.

Martins produced a brilliant shot on the turn which Taylor did well to push away.

Then Birmingham survived legitimate appeals for handball against Jerome as he extended his right arm to block Emre’s 88th-minute free kick.

But it didn’t take long for the Turkish midfielder to take his revenge.

The clock had just ticked past 90 as Emre arrowed in a right-wing corner and Beye arched his back to somehow direct a header inside the near post.

It’s been a long time coming.