Newcastle 1 - 1 Fulham
90 min: It's all over at St James' Park and Fulham return south
with a point they have fully deserved.
90 min: Shearer tries to dink the ball through to Jenas
and Dyer in the box, but Finnan allows it to loop out of play for
a goal kick.
90 min: There will be two minutes of added time.
90 min: O'Brien has hobbled off, with Dabizas replacing
him.
90 min: Into the final minute now and Newcastle are calling
for a substitute for O'Brien.
89 min: O'Brien has gone down with cramp as the match continues
at a hectic pace.
86 min: Dyer tumbles under the challenge of Melville in
the Fulham box, but the referee waves away appeals for a penalty.
85 min: Malbranque and Finnan combine well to halt Robert
down the left flank.
84 min: The match is being played at a furious pace as both
sides look for a winner.
83 min: Shearer, who has had a frustrating night, is pulled
up for a foul on Melville as Newcastle look to pump the ball forward.
82 min: Fulham are certainly not settling for a point and they
continue to press as we go into the last eight minutes.
80 min: Jenas shoots straight at van der Sar from 20 yards
out after a fine flowing move from Newcastle.
78 min: Distin powers in a header from Solano's right-wing free-kick
but it's straight at van der Sar.
77 min: GOALLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!! - SAHA. The corner is
floated over and flicked on at the front post. Davis drills in a
shot which deflects off Saha past a stranded Given.
76 min: Saha forces a corner down the left.
75 min: Davis is teed up 30 yards out but his shot sails
high over the Newcastle goal without troubling Given.
74 min: Robert is the first man into the book after sliding
in late on Finnan down the Fulham right.
73 min: Davis attempts to break through the middle, but Distin
stands firm just inside his own half.
72 min: Dyer and Jenas appear to have swapped positions,
with Dyer pushed forward and Jenas playing in central midfield.
71 min: Collins lifts the free-kick in but Newcastle hack
clear.
70 min: Dyer is harshly penalised for pulling down Saha 35
yards from the Newcastle goal.
68 min: Jenas looks to have gone into the 'hole' behind Shearer,
with the former England skipper ploughing a lone furrow up front.
68 min: Newcastle bring Jenas on for Cort.
67 min: Robert floats the ball over, but it's straight down
van der Sar's throat.
66 min: Hughes earns Newcastle a free-kick down the inside
right channel just outside the Fulham box. Saha was the man penalised.
65 min: Marlet looks to latch on to a ball over the top from
Malbranque, but he has strayed offside and the assistant referee
comes to Newcastle's rescue.
64 min: Malbranque looks to break into the Newcastle box
but Distin gets across to clear the danger. The ball breaks to Finnan,
but he can only divert it out for a throw.
60 min: Dyer powers down the right and floats over a great
cross for Cort, but the striker has strayed offside in the centre
of the box.
57 min: Malbranque and Davis link up well to lay in Marlet
but he loses the ball just as he is looking to shoot from the edge
of the box.
56 min: Robert skips through two tackles and shoots from
25 yards. The effort deflects wickedly off Melville, but fortunately
for Fulham it sails wide for a corner.
54 min: Saha outpaces his marker and goes one-on-one with
Given, but again the Newcastle keeper saves bravely.
54 min: Robert floats over a cross from the left but Shearer's
header is off target.
51 min: Cort rises highest to meet Solano's corner, but his
header flies just over van der Sar's goal.
50 min: Solano powers down the right flank to latch on to
a Shearer knock down and forces a corner.
49 min: Dyer receives a reprimand from the referee after
disputing the award of a free-kick to Fulham on half-way.
47 min: Finnan gets clear down the right early in the half,
but his cross is headed clear before Given comes and claims the
ball under no pressure.
46 min: Newcastle get things underway in the second half.
45 min: Ref blows his whistle for halftime and althought
the Whites are 1-0 down they are dominating big chunks of the game.
With a little luck Fulham could go home with at least a point.
41 min: Van der Sar flies from goal to punch the ball off
of Shearer's head as the Newcastle striker looks to connect with
Solano's free-kick.
40 min: Fulham are knocking the ball around nicely, but are
struggling to find the final ball to break down Newcastle. This
time Malbranque knocks it long, but Legwinski is offside.
39 min: Given is again on hand to claim the ball, this time
off the head of Legwinski 12 yards from goal.
37 min: Brevett hoists over a cross from the left but Saha
can only divert it out of play for a goal kick.
35 min: Van der Sar is out sharply to deny Cort as he closes
in on goal from Solano's through-ball.
34 min: Fulham break down the left and Collins drills in
a cross for Marlet. The Frenchman gets past Sylvain Distin but doesn't
connect fully and Given claims.
32 min: Saha chests down a hopeful cross from the right,
but Legwinski and Malbranque have crossed wires and Newcastle clear.
30 min: Shearer is penalised for a foul on Brevett as he
struggles to make an impact on what could be a landmark match in
his career.
28 min: Marlet gets clear in the Newcastle box but Given
races from goal to narrow the angle and the chance has gone. Rufus
Brevett then lauches it over from the left but Sylvain Legwinski
shoots off target.
26 min: Shearer forces a corner down the left, but the ball
floats out from the flag kick and Fulham get the chance to clear.
25 min: Saha breaks through the Newcastle defence but Given
is equal to the task as he dives at the French striker's feet and
pushes the ball away.
24 min: Dyer forces a corner down the right as Newcastle
continue to press after the goal. The ball bobbles around the Fulham
box before Cort heads wide.
21 min: GOAL - DYER. Dyer makes the most of a blunder by
Andy Melville to shoot Newcastle in front. The England midfielder
broke clear of Melville to coolly slot past van der Sar.
20 min: Gary Speed times his tackle superbly as Steed Malbranque
looks to slide in Saha in the middle of the Newcastle box.
18 min: Fulham make progress down the left with a run of
three throw ins before handing the initiative back to Newcastle.
17 min: Solano tracks back superbly to bring John Collins'
run down the left to a halt. Louis Saha had the chance to power
through the middle there, but he opted to pass out wide and the
move ended.
15 min: Nolberto Solano crosses from the right to Cort, who
heads wide from an unmarked position. The striker had already been
flagged offside, though, so even if he had put the ball in the net
it wouldn't have counted.
14 min: Kieron Dyer is inches away from latching on to a
fine ball over the top.
12 min: Cort flicks on an Elliott through-ball, but Shearer
is not on the same wavelength as his strike partner and it trickles
through to van der Sar.
11 min: Alain Goma does well to slide in and deny Cort as
the big striker looks to work himself some space on the left-hand
side of the Fulham box.
10 min: Aaron Hughes floats the ball over from the right
and Shearer rises highest to connect, but his header is off target.
9 min: A spell of concerted pressure from the Newcastle strikers
earns them a throw right in the corner.
7 min: Sean Davis knocks the ball long over the top and Given
is forced to leave his area to head clear as Marlet closes in.
7 min: Shearer looks to link up with Carl Cort 30 yards from
the Fulham goal but his through-ball is poor and Edwin van der Sar
claims the ball comfortably.
6 min: Newcastle press forward for the first time, but Robert
is caught offside.
5 min: Another free-kick for Fulham down the right, but this
time Finnan is wasteful and Shay Given claims
3 min: Fulham force a corner down the right from the free-kick
but the flag kick is cleared by Newcastle and Robert looks to break
down the left.
Fulham line up at St James' Park with Marlet and Saha up front with
Hayles dropping to the bench.
Fulham:
Edwin van der Sar(G),
Steve Finnan(D), Andy Melville(D/C), Alain Goma(D/C), Rufus Brevett(D),
Sylvain Legwinski(M), Sean Davis(M), John Collins(M), Steed Malbranque(M/A),
Steve Marlet(A), Louis Saha(A).
Subs: Maik Taylor(G), Jon Taylor (D), Abdeslam Ouaddou(D/C),
Bazza Hayles(A), Luis Boa Morte(M/A),
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