Stoke City 1 Newcastle United 1

Apr 12 2009 by Stephen Brown, Sunday Sun

SO at Easter, might a Carroll (sic) have kick-started a resurrection?

At 6.45pm last night, Newcastle needed a miracle of JC-like proportions were they to avoid losing what Alan Shearer had described as a “mustn’t lose” game.

Dumped (temporarily) to 19th in the table following Middlesbrough’s earlier win over Hull, United looked like staying there while trailing after an hour of Stoke dominance to former star Abdoulaye Faye’s goal.

Step forward – and indeed up – Andy Carroll. And with a headed equaliser straight out of his new boss’ scrapbook in every heroic sense.

Despite that torpid first hour, the Magpies finally conjured from somewhere the bottle and belief to launch a reconnaissance mission, and had their reward, a valuable point that though still in the drop zone, keeps them in touch with yesterday’s losers just above them.

So while it wasn’t pretty, and United will need much more of their late spirit and much less of their earlier wretchedness, consider the context.

As if conceding to an ex-player wasn’t bad enough, they did so after referee Chris Foy wrongly awarded Stoke the corner from which they scored.

Saying that, Shearer was more concerned by the (lack of) defending which also aided and abetted Faye, and it was not an isolated moment. Again though, consider the context.

At 11am yesterday, after two days of training 3-4-3, Obafemi Martins’ suspect groin – “disappointing,” said Shearer, but a face of thunder suggested that was an understatement – forced a last-minute(ish) rethink and a switch to 3-5-2.

Three centre-backs – Habib Beye, David Edgar and Sebastien Bassong – smacked of the need to deal with Rory Delap, and deal with him they did.

It wasn’t Delap’s throws Newcastle failed to cope with, though. It was Liam Lawrence’s corners.

His first, inside three minutes, was headed wide by Ryan Shawcross, and another 10 minutes later was stabbed goalwards by James Beattie, which Steve Harper did well to kick off the line.

In pursuit of Delap’s ensuing cross, Harper vacated his goal and was fortunate while flapping to see Ricardo Fuller head over the empty net.

At the other end the best United could muster was a fifth-minute header by Michael Owen, which sailed well over, and another from Ryan Taylor that darted wide.

But these were half-chances at best, as Stoke dominated. Soon enough, they led..