Home » » Newcastle 1-0 Crystal Palace: Cisse's last- minute header snatches victory to leave Pulis's side in desperate fight for survival

Newcastle 1-0 Crystal Palace: Cisse's last- minute header snatches victory to leave Pulis's side in desperate fight for survival

Written By JAK on Sunday, March 23, 2014 | 2:59 PM

Papiss Cisse ended his goal drought, doubling his season’s goal tally with the last ditch winner which dashed Crystal Palace’s hopes of another precious point on successive trips to the North-East.

But, if the three points were a massive relief for Alan Pardew, shut away in his training ground hideaway, the manner of Palace’s defeat infuriated his opposite number.

Tony Pulis felt he had a double cause for complaint as the match ticked into a dramatic added time finale – a disallowed free-kick when Mike Williamson appeared to handle the ball and the Cisse header which was timed beyond the extra three minutes allocated by Lee Probert.

Headed home: Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse heads home the last-minute winner against Crystal Palace

Headed home: Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse heads home the last-minute winner against Crystal Palace

Winner: Newcastle United's Papiss Cisse celebrates his last-minute goal with head coach John Carver

Winner: Newcastle United's Papiss Cisse celebrates his last-minute goal with head coach John Carver

Finally: Palace keeper Julian Speroni was finally beaten after foiling United's attack throughout the game

Finally: Palace keeper Julian Speroni was finally beaten after foiling United's attack throughout the game

Leaving it late: Cisse soaks up his home fans' adulation after scoring the match winner

Leaving it late: Cisse soaks up his home fans' adulation after scoring the match winner

Reflection: Senegalese marksman Cisse after his timely header

Reflection: Senegalese marksman Cisse after his timely header

Match facts

Newcastle (4-1-3-2): Krul 7; Yanga-Mbiwa 7, Coloccini 7, Williamson 6.5, Dummett 7; Tiote 6, Sissoko 5 (Marveaux 88), Anita 6, Gouffran 6.5 (Shola Ameobi 76, 5); de Jong 4.5 (Ben Arfa 59, 7.5), Cisse 6.5.

Subs not used: Gosling, Haidara, S.Taylor, Elliot. Carver 7.

Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Speroni 7; Mariappa 6.5, Dann 7, Delaney 7, Ward 7; Dikgacoi 5.5, Jedinak 6; Puncheon 6 (Guedioura 80), Ledley 7, Bolasie 6 (Bannan 67); Jerome 6.5 (Murray 76, 6).

Subs not used: Ince, O’Keefe, Gabbidon, Hennessey. Pulis 7

Booked: Delaney

Referee: Lee Probert 6.

Man of the match: Hatem Ben Arfa

Player ratings by COLIN YOUNG at St James' Park

'We felt we should have had a free-kick when there were only 20 seconds to go and then they came down and scored,' he said. 'We felt it was well over time.

'`When you look at the Newcastle team; the money they’ve spent and the 52,000 here today and we’ve just been promoted, the odds are stacked against us. But the players worked their socks off and we caused them some problems.

'What we need to do is make sure we take our chances when we create them and that’s been our biggest problem.'

It’s surely a headache shared by Alan Pardew, who must have been thankful he was not within a couple of miles of the technical area and another potential examination of his fiery temperament. Never was a stadium ban so richly earned.

If they have to bring in the odd job men to repair any damage to whatever room in which Pardew was watching the live feed of the match, it would be understandable.

The Newcastle boss would have needed a longer fuse than he seems to have to keep the lid on his emotions as he witnessed his team’s efforts
to surmount Palace’s superbly drilled defensive barricade.

Heroics: Speroni had early saved three quality chances from eventual goal scorer Cisse

Heroics: Speroni had early saved three quality chances from eventual goal scorer Cisse

Reflex: Speroni reacts quickly again to a well-hit Cisse strike

Reflex: Speroni reacts quickly again to a well-hit Cisse strike

No way through: Newcastle United's Tim Krul makes a save to deny Crystal Palace's Kagisho Dikgacoi

No way through: Newcastle United's Tim Krul makes a save to deny Crystal Palace's Kagisho Dikgacoi

50/50: Moussa Sissoko and Mile Jedinak tussle for possession in the middle of the park

50/50: Moussa Sissoko and Mile Jedinak tussle for possession in the middle of the park

Close touch: Sissoko controls the ball on his chest in the first-half at St James' Park

Close touch: Sissoko controls the ball on his chest in the first-half at St James' Park

And if he was frustrated by United’s demoralisingly poor passing – or, when they did get through, the superb resilience of Julian Speroni, he might count himself fortunate that Palace did not make the most of their chances.

Yannick Bolasie skimmed the crossbar with a swerving effort four minutes before half-time and cracked a shot against it in the 56th minute just after Tim Krul had to be alert to save from a close range Kagashi Dikgacoi.

But Speroni, who proved a resourceful last line of resistance before the break, was even better after it, particularly when denying Cisse from point blank range in the 64th minute.

Released: Paul Dummett of Newcastle United is closed down by Yannick Bolasie

Released: Paul Dummett of Newcastle United is closed down by Yannick Bolasie

Sliding in: Newcastle United's Vurnon Anita slips the ball past Dikgacoi in the first-half

Sliding in: Newcastle United's Vurnon Anita slips the ball past Dikgacoi in the first-half

The phone call to the dugout which instigated the arrival of Hatim Ben Arfa, a 58th-minute replacement for the ineffective Luuk De Jong, offered United more attacking options but it was the Magpies lack of firepower, with Cisse the biggest offender, which was blatantly apparent.

And then it all came together. Ben Arfa swung over a pin-point cross and the Senegalese came up trumps with a header which was too good even for the apparently invincible Speroni.

'I missed some chances but I keep working hard hoping the goals will come. These three points were for the gaffer,’ said Cisse later.

It seems, for player and manager alike, everything does come for he who waits.

Pressure: Dutch midfielder Vurnon Anita closes down Joe Ledley at St James' Park

Pressure: Dutch midfielder Vurnon Anita closes down Joe Ledley at St James' Park

Shimmy: Newcastle United's Papiss Cisse moves towards goal as Adrian Mariappa looks on

Shimmy: Newcastle United's Papiss Cisse moves towards goal as Adrian Mariappa looks on

Worth a look: Newcastle owner Mike Ashley (centre) made a rare appearance in the stands

Worth a look: Newcastle owner Mike Ashley (centre) made a rare appearance in the stands

Jump for joy: Carver (left) and United staff celebrate the victory in Alan Pardew's absence

Jump for joy: Carver (left) and United staff celebrate the victory in Alan Pardew's absence

Delighted: The stand-in manager embraces Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa after the final whistle

Delighted: The stand-in manager embraces Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa after the final whistle

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