Newcastle’s Ryan Taylor settled a stormy Tyne-Wear derby with a stunning free-kick that clinched a 1-0 victory over 10-man Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
Alan Pardew’s side stretched their impressive run at their rivals’ home to just one defeat in 31 years thanks to Taylor’s second-half strike and the late dismissal of Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley. Taylor’s 25-yard free-kick from just outside the penalty area, after Sunderland skipper Lee Cattermole had fouled Jonas Gutierrez, settled a contest that was high on commitment, but sadly lacking in quality.
Taylor, who scored four times against his current employers earlier in his career for Wigan, before being sold by current Sunderland manager Steve Bruce, stepped up to comprehensively beat goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, who was caught badly out of position.
The margin of victory could have been greater but for a glaring error by the officials after 15 minutes.
Newcastle manager Pardew had called for an “astute” display from Howard Webb, who had to use all his experience to keep a lid on a fiery affair.
But the World Cup final referee was found wanting as Shola Ameobi rose to meet a Yohan Cabaye corner, his downward header flicked goalwards by Joey Barton, before Seb Larsson, guarding the post, flicked up an arm to deflect the ball to safety. Despite repeated pleas from the Newcastle players, and after consultation with his assistant, Webb, who was the best placed of the officials to see the infringement, awarded a corner as the injustice went unpunished.
Sunderland posed a greater goal threat early on, with Asamoah Gyan clipping the bar in first-half stoppage time after the Ghanaian had earlier volley narrowly wide from Larsson’s corner.
Taylor’s strike ensured justice was done in a second half of few clear-cut chances, as defender Bardsley earned a second yellow card late on for an over-the-top challenge on Newcastle skipper Fabricio Coloccini.
Only a fine block from Mignolet denied substitute Ryan Gosling from adding a second in stoppage time as Newcastle comfortably held on for the win that saw them top the Premier League for all of 45 minutes before Liverpool took over at the summit following their victory at Arsenal.
