Newcastle 2-1 West Brom

Papiss Cisse's lucky injury-time winner
secured a 2-1 victory for Newcastle
against unlucky West Bromwich Albion.
It was a desperate way to finish for the
visitors who after being outplayed in
the first half, were dominant for large
periods after the break and were close
to securing the spoils before the late
drama.
After Romelu Lukaku cancelled out
Demba Ba's opener, the Baggies
looked the only team likely to strike
again, only for substitute Cisse to
deflect home a shot with his back and
bag only Newcastle's second win in
eight league games.
Considering how bright West Brom
were in the second half, it was a
surprisingly lacklustre and error-ridden
start by Steve Clarke's outfit who came
to St James' Park hunting a victory that
would have hoisted them to fourth.
But being able to recall big-hitters
keeper Tim Krul, Ba and captain
Fabricio Coloccini after being rested for
Thursday's Europa League venture, it
was the Magpies who looked initially
hungry and sprightly.
Ba, Shola Ameobi and Hatem Ben Arfa
were causing havoc in the opening
exchanges and the hosts could easily
have been three goals to the good
within 20 minutes.
First Ba nodded Ameobi's cross
shockingly high and wide from five
yards, Ameobi then headed straight to
Ben Foster and the keeper was again
on red alert, pushing away Davide
Santon's low shot.
Finally, the Baggies spurted into life and
on-loan striker Lukaku was through on
goal from Graham Dorrans' through
ball, only for Krul to stand strong and
palm to safety.
It was all-out attack for both teams in a
breathless final 15 minutes of the half
and it was the Newcastle faithful who
were celebrating, yet again from Ba's
clinical shooting boots.
A long punt by Krul was flicked on by
Ameobi and after centre-back Gareth
McAuley's poor header, Ba pounced to
thump the ball home for his seventh
goal in nine league matches.
With just two away league goals this
season, the joint-lowest in the Premier
League, West Brom had the perfect
chance to boost their tally before the
break, but again the hesitant Lukaku
could not beat Krul when clean
through.
The urgency and menace gathered
momentum in the second half for the
visitors and they deservedly drew level
(55), with Lukaku making amends for
his profligacy, nodding in Zoltan Gera's
teasing cross at the back post.
Sloppy in possession and dragged
around by their revitalised opponents,
Newcastle threw on Gabriel Obertan
and Cisse, but West Brom were sniffing
the win and substitute Shane Long
twice went close.
But with the game drawing to a close,
it was left for Cisse to grab the
headlines as the ball bobbled off his
back past the helpless Foster from
substitute Sammy Ameobi's long-range
shot.