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April 22, 2003
(Tuesday)
Woodgate injured
as Toon slip into 4th Place
Newcastle 1 - Aston
Villa 1
After three
consecutive league defeats, a Nolberto Solano goal
stopped the rot but Dion Dublin's second-half header ensured that
honours were even.
And with nearest rivals Chelsea and Liverpool winning, the Magpies
have conceded pole position in the race for a Champions League place,
dropping out of the top four for the first time this year.
A gruelling encounter saw Newcastle's Alan Shearer and Villa's Gareth
Barry clash heads after 11 minutes which resulted in the former
England captain requiring stitches and Barry not making it out for
the second half.
Meanwhile, Villa's Rob Edwards limped off before half-time while
Newcastle lost Jonathan Woodgate shortly after the break with a thigh
injury.
Shearer's gashed head did not stop him almost nodding Newcastle ahead
10 minutes later only to see Thomas Hitzlsperger clear off the line.
And it was Newcastle who looked much the more likely of the two sides
to score in the first half.
Craig Bellamy had two gilt-edged chances, the first after 17 minutes
when Andy Griffin's long ball hit the back of Shearer's head and
dropped nicely for him, but the Welshman's attempt to lob Enckelman
was weak.
Then Bellamy was presented with another opening on the stroke of half-
time after Kieron Dyer robbed Barry and surged down the right, but
this time sliced his left-foot effort well wide.
Luckily for him, Solano had already broken the deadlock eight minutes
earlier.
Barry fouled Dyer, with the Villa defender's protests earning a
booking and prompting the referee to move the free-kick forward 10
yards.
Solano stepped up and with his right foot curled the ball around the
wall and into the top right-hand corner of the net.
Shearer nearly doubled his side's lead on 50 minutes when he blasted
a first-time drive just wide after Dyer had dummied Viana's pass.
But Villa came out of the dressing room with renewed purpose and
created several chances of their own.
And substitute Dublin put them level on 69 minutes with virtually his
first touch, a header from Staunton's cross.
Enckelman produced a vital save from Bellamy with 71 minutes gone and
Mellberg somehow took the Welshman's cross off Shearer's toe in front
of goal a minute later.
Shearer, with blood seeping from his bandaged head, was then finally
forced to come off the pitch but Newcastle continued to search for a
winner.
Substitute Lomano LuaLua hit the outside of the post in the dying
seconds but in the end - Newcastle's inablity to finish may end up
costing them dearly.
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struggling for derby clash
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