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Newcastle 1-3 Fulham Cham 36 1617 - Chronicle Live

last updated Sunday 12th March 2017, 2:31 PM


Chronicle Live
Lee Ryder at Chronicle Live


Newcastle United (0) 1-3 (1) Fulham


Newcastle United served up their worst performance of the season at St James’ Park after being outclassed by play-off hunting Fulham.

One year on since Rafa Benitez was appointed, his players seemed to serve up their worst display of the season to mark the occasion.

Fulham came flying out of the blocks and stayed in full control of the contest all afternoon - and Newcastle had no answer.

Are Newcastle are mentally tired after three tough away games at Brighton, Huddersfield and Fulham in the last week?

It certainly looked like it on a day when they were devoid of ideas on home soil.

Fulham enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening 10 minutes and hogged 69% of the ball but that didn’t stop Newcastle creating a couple of attacks.

First, Paul Dummett crossed from the left but nobody managed to get on the end of it and Fulham cleared their lines.

Moments later, Jonjo Shelvey put the ball in from the opposite side but again the visitors read the danger.

Fulham’s danger man Tom Cairney - who Newcastle looked into buying in January - then delivered a snapshot from long range but it flew over the bar after Sone Aluko’s pass.

However, that was a mere warning shot as Cairney let fly on 15 minutes later to beat Karl Darlow all ends up.

After being played in by Scott Malone, Cairney showed why Fulham value him at £20million with a wonderful strike.

The Magpies responded when Dwight Gayle got down the left before his shot was clipped off a defender and went out for a corner but Fulham dealt with the danger.

Newcastle then needed a good save from Darlow to keep out Sone Aluko before Neeskens Kebano’s effort was deflected out for a corner.

United tried to get back into the game but after Shelvey’s free-kick from the left had rattled Fulham’s back four they scrambled clear for a corner.

Shelvey’s corner found the head of Ciaran Clark but David Button tipped the ball over the bar.

Gayle was then sent tumbling into the box after Malone shoved him in the box but the referee James Linington waved play on.

Fulham ended the first half with a free-kick after Shelvey took out his frustration on Cairney.

But Stefan Johansen curled the ball high and wide.

The half-time whistle then followed and there were pockets of boos.

United won a free-kick early in the second period when Ritchie was fouled but Shelvey’s free-kick was tame and easy to gather for Button.

But things got worse for the majority of the 51,093 as Dummett’s poor clearance fell straight for Aluko who took a clever touch before rolling the ball to Ryan Sessegnon to roll home Fulham’s second.

After the 16-year-old had torn through the home defence, Benitez introduced experienced striker Daryl Murphy.

The Spaniard was forced into making his second change shortly afterwards as Clark went off with a knock and was replaced by Jesus Gamez.

It meant that Dummett had to switch to centre-back as the ex-Malaga skipper moved to left-back.

As the game drifted past the hour mark Fulham were happy to run the clock down.

On 68 minutes Anita won a corner on the right-hand side but Ritchie’s corner was only met by a tame header from skipper Jamaal Lascelles.

With 15 minutes to go Murphy picked the ball up after a pass from Atsu before turning and firing home into the bottom corner with his left foot to make it 3-1.

But Newcastle were unable to create any further clear-cut chances.

And Fulham could have rubbed Newcastle’s noses into further when Dummett conceded a penalty.

Sessegnon was barged over in the box and Linington pointed straight to the spot.

With the teenager poised to take it and grab his hat-trick, there seemed a change of heart.

Tim Ream ran up to take it but placed the ball woefully wide.

On a day that Fulham had dominated it was one of the only poor pieces of play all afternoon for the visitors.

This was a wake up call for Newcastle but they stay top of the league.























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