Howay The Toon - Season 1, Chapter 3
Premier League - Matchday 1
Pre-Match: The atmosphere rises as I prepare to get into my first match with the club. I'm buzzing, the players are excited and being up against Wolves we're ready for a great contest.
Kick-off: The match gets underway. This match should be a good one between two teams who could fight for the top half.
4 mins: Ruben Neves has a hit from long range after some decent play by Wolves. Joao Moutinho had intercepted it and eventually got the pass into Neves, who decided to take it on. Not the best finish in the end but worth an attempt. #NEW 0-0 #WOL
9 mins: Wolves' LWB Jonny receives a yellow card after Joelinton got Allan Saint-Maximin into a decent spot but Jonny upended him before he could do any damage. #NEW 0-0 #WOL
10 mins: Good free-kick routine. Shelvey lofts it to the right hand area where Emil Krafth made his run. He directed it to the edge of the box for Allan Saint-Maximin, who took the shot on. A very good save by Rui Patricio and it'll be a corner for Newcastle. #NEW 0-0 #WOL
11 mins: Massive chance for Wolves to take the lead spurned! Diogo Jota single handedly carved his way through the defence but couldn't find the finish. Well saved by Dubravka. #NEW 0-0 #WOL
13 mins: Joao Moutinho is the 2nd Wolves player to receive a yellow card, this time for a foul on Jetro Willems. #NEW 0-0 #WOL
17 mins: What a match this is, tempers flaring now after flurries of chances. Emil Krafth goes into the book after the ball ran out of play he clashed with Diogo Jota and if it escalated further that could have easily been a red card. #NEW 0-0 #WOL
23 mins: Allan Saint-Maximin the main threat for Newcastle on the counter at the moment. A left footed side volley this time again draws a save out of Patricio. There's a rebound opportunity but Newcastle's second attempt results in an offside flag against the Frenchman. #NEW 0-0 #WOL
29 mins: A triple chance for Wolves but no end product!!! Firstly, Dubravka makes a great save from Leander Dendocker's long shot which arrows towards the top right corner. The resulting corner sees a free header for Ryan Bennett fly over the bar where he really could have put it in. Newcastle give away possession easily and then Diogo Jota hits a shot exactly like that of Allan Saint-Maximin at the other end but it hits the side netting rather than the back of the net. #NEW 0-0 #WOL
31 mins: It's the post for Wolves! They're really ramping it up now and this time from a tight angle Matt Doherty lashes one out but it hits the right post and goes out for a goal kick. How are they not in front? #NEW 0-0 #WOL
38 mins: GOALLLLL!!! THERE IT IS!!! It's been coming for Wolves and it's now in. Ruben Neves receives a sublime ball from Ryan Bennett, darts between the two onrushing defenders and calmly finishes to fire Wolves in front. #NEW 0-1 #WOL
40 mins: Yellow card on Fabian Schar now. The match is heated and Newcastle are showing early signs of desperation. They need to be careful. #NEW 0-1 #WOL
43 mins: Double chance for Ruben Neves. The goalscorers first shot is blocked by Schar and on the rebound he fakes a shot before sending one just wide of the right post. #NEW 0-1 #WOL
HT: What a half! I need to catch my breath! It's been all Wolves and a couple of Newcastle counters through Allan Saint-Maximin have been pretty much all for The Magpies. However, they're still in the game. At Half-Time it's Newcastle 0 Wolves 1.
2nd Half: The second period is underway. A little knock to Allan Saint-Maximin, Newcastle's best player in the 1st Half, sees him makeway for Christian Atsu.
46 mins: Already better from Newcastle. They get on the front foot immediately but Joelinton can't head Atsu's cross home. #NEW 0-1 #WOL
51 mins: If one players should have scored by now, it's Diogo Jota. Another chance for him and he really has to score it. Practically one-on-one after a really sharp turn but he bends it wide of the right post. #NEW 0-1 #WOL
57 mins: A couple of corner chances from both teams. Firstly, Leander Dendoncker climbs over Jamaal Lascelles but a difficult header drifts well wide. At the other end, Isaac Hayden makes a late run into the box to met Jonjo Shelvey's cross but he can't keep his header down. #NEW 0-1 #WOL
62 mins: A double substitution by Jordan Williams, a bold move by the new boss. Isaac Hayden is the latest in the book, but it allowed Fabian Schar, a red card waiting to happen, to come off for Marc-Oliver Kempf who will now make his debut. Matt Ritchie is on for Emil Krafth who also could've been sent off earlier which also means new signing Alfredo Morelos will have to wait for his debut. #NEW 0-1 #WOL
70 mins: The super-sub; MATT RITCHIE!!! WE HAVE A LEVELLER AT THE MOLINEUX!!! A sublime ball by Shelvey put Ritchie through on goal and he made no mistake, slotting the ball around and underneath Rui Patricio! What a game! #NEW 1-1 #WOL
71 mins: Wolves should've gone straight back in front. After the goal, Raul Jimenez is hauled off for debutant Patrick Cutrone, who races on and immediately finds himself through on goal. He fluffs his finish though and fires it well over the goal. #NEW 1-1 #WOL
73 mins: Oh, Diogo Jota!!! He's missed one-on-one again! This time Dubravka does make a very good save, but he still should have finished. Adama Traore is on for Wolves now, injecting pace. He replaces Ryan Bennett as they search for a winner. #NEW 1-1 #WOL
81 mins: Newcastle have been decent on the counter today. A sublimely hit first time volley by Joelinton is well blocked by ***** Boly, it falls to Jonjo Shelvey, who cleverly disguises a pass to Sean Longstaff. The midfielder hits it well, but Rui Patricio is on hand to tip it over the bar. #NEW 1-1 #WOL
84 mins: What does Diogo Jota have to do to score???!!! Traore hits a 45 yard long ball which is frankly quite wonderful. Jota takes it brilliantly first time but somehow Dubravka reads it and makes a great save. #NEW 1-1 #WOL
87 mins: Cutrone takes his turn to miss another one-on-one opportunity. Sean Longstaff makes a good block but it falls straight to the Italian who cannot prod home as Dubravka makes yet another save. #NEW 1-1 #WOL
89 mins: Oh my word! How have Wolves missed here? Cutrone does really well to get to the corner ahead of Dubravka and nods it down to ***** Boly. The defender has the goal at his mercy but for one reason or another tries to flick it at goal rather than a normal shot. It goes wide and that's just inexcusable from Wolves. #NEW 1-1 #WOL
90+2 mins: Jetro Willems into the book. Only a few more moments for Newcastle to hold on. #NEW 1-1 #WOL
90+5 mins: The whistle sounds. How Wolves didn't win this about 5-1 I don't know. Newcastle fans will be happy with the result. A brilliant watch, but in the end no winner. It's all over, Newcastle 1 Wolves 1.
Man of the Match: Ruben Neves
Despite all of Dubravka's saves, goalscorer Ruben Neves created several chances for Wolves as well as scoring one. He was brilliant in midfielder today.
Match Rating: 8.8
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So there you have it. A decent result but not the best performance. I don't really know how we got away with that one and it's one of those performances where you're extremely upset if you're the other side. Thankfully I wasn't today but if we play like this against Manchester City, I don't think we'll be coming away with a level scoreline like today. Our counter attacking was the only real positive but at least that was quite decent. Just also wanted to point out the contrasting kick-off times, I'll have that fixed for the next time, hope you can let it slip for now! Thanks for reading.
