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Newcastle United 4-1 Wolves: Nolan, Amoebi, Gutierrez great-finish
Newcastle ended their poor run of form in emphatic style as they cruised to a comfortable 4-1 win over Wolves at St James' Park.
Kevin Nolan opened the scoring when he converted Shola Ameobi's headed flick and Ameobi added a second on the stroke of half time from Jonas Gutierrez's cross.
The visitors looked dead and buried when Peter Lovenkrands added a third five minutes after the restart, but Sylvan Ebanks-Blake offered Wolves a lifeline when he stroked the ball home from close range on 58 minutes.
But the hosts were in no mood to be denied and got a deserved fourth three minutes into stoppage-time when Gutierrez finished off a fine counter-attack.
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley went on the record this week saying he wants the Magpies to be challenging for a European spot on a regular basis but with his club struggling for form, that vision seemed a long way away going into the match.
Meanwhile, Wolves had problems of their own after losing top-scorer Kevin Doyle to a knee injury sustained during the Republic of Ireland's 2-1 win over Macedonia last Saturday.
Mick McCarthy restored Ebanks-Blake to the starting line-up in place of the luckless striker but it was teammate Adam Hammill who came close to an early goal with a shot from the edge of the box that flew over Harper's bar.
Ameobi almost caught Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey off his line after eight minutes but the keeper made up the ground to claim the ball as it came back off the bar.
Nolan missed a gilt-edged chance on 16 when he headed Joey Barton's free-kick into the arms of Hennessey from 10 yards out, but the Newcastle captain made amends six minutes later.
Ameobi's superb headed flick put Nolan through on goal and he made no mistake from close range as Hennessey hesitated.
Barton wasted a free-kick from a good position and could have been made to pay when Hammill bore down on goal with two minutes of the half remaining.
Nolan almost became the villain of the piece as he clipped the Wolves man's heels but referee Mike Dean judged that Danny Simpson's presence meant the skipper saw only yellow.
From the resulting free-kick, Ebanks-Blake came within inches of a leveller when his header was smothered by Harper on the line and Newcastle took full advantage seconds later.
Richard Stearman gave the ball away to Gutierrez and when his deep cross was met by Ameobi, Hennessey could only palm the ball into the net.
Newcastle almost put the game to bed within seconds of the restart.
Ameobi cut the ball back to Barton only for Hennessey to redeem himself with a superb stop from the Newcastle man's drive.
But the keeper soon found himself helpless when Barton released Lovenkrands. The Dane had the presence of mind to round the Wolves keeper, only to hit the post from an acute angle.
However, the hosts were in no mood to be denied.
Fabricio Coloccini nutmegged Ameobi before finding Barton and the midfielder's ball across the areas was side-footed home by Lovenkrands to send the Newcastle faithful into dreamland.
Wolves had offered little in return and when Jamie O'Hara fired a free-kick way over Harper's bar, the opposition's supporters must have feared the worst.
But they found themselves celebrating within minutes.
Matt Jarvis drove into the area and when he squared the ball across goal, Ebanks-Blake stroked the ball home to give the visitors hope.
Wolves sub Steven Fletcher then somehow headed wide while unmarked from six yards out following O'Hara's superb delivery, before Ebanks-Blake was left holding his head when James Perch cleared his goalbound header off the line.
Barton almost put the game beyond any doubt with a 30-yard effort that was deflected narrowly wide of Hennessey's post with ten minutes remaining before Ranger failed to take advantage after Hennessey raced far out of his goal with a woeful chipped effort from distance.
But it was Newcastle who had the final word in stoppage time.
A Wolves corner was knocked out to Steven Taylor and after he found Gutierrez, the Argentine outpaced Michael Kightly and curled the ball beyond Hennessey.
Pardew will be pleased to feel some of the pressure ease as his side picked up only their second victory in ten games, but the defeat halts the Midlanders’ great run of form in their tracks as they again slip into the bottom two in the topsy-turvy scrap for survival.
Ian Hare / Eurosport
Source: uk.eurosport.yahoo.com
Team Line-up:
Newcastle United: Harper, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Ferguson, Barton, Guthrie, Nolan, Gutierrez, Ameobi, Lovenkrands. Subs: Krul, Campbell, Perch, Steven Taylor, Ranger, Tavernier, Kuqi.
Wolves: Hennessey, Foley, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi, Hammill, Henry, O'Hara, Milijas, Jarvis, Ebanks-Blake. Subs: Hahnemann, Craddock, Kightly, Fletcher, Ward, David Jones, Mancienne.
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