Newcastle's up-and-down start to the season continues. Having twice gone ahead at home against Hull City thanks to some excellent work by Loic Remy, the Magpies couldn't hold onto the lead and a wonderful late goal from Sone Aluko ensured that it was the visitors who walked away from St. James' Park with all three points.
Newcastle vs. Hull City: Final score 2-3, Aluko wins it late for Hull
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Newcastle had the better of the early stages, and quickly landed the first goal of the game. Moussa Sissoko drove down the right flank and spotted Papiss Cisse making a run at the back post. The striker didn't get much of anything on the ball with a twisting volley, but the mis-hit ended up working out in the hosts' favour, bobbling over the Hull defence and onto Remy's head. The summer signing nodded past Allan MacGregor to make it 1-0.
One might have expected the visitors to capitulate after that. Down early, away from home and under pressure, it would have been understandable for heads to drop. But instead, Steve Bruce's side regrouped and found their way back into the match. It took an excellent save from Tim Krul to deny Danny Graham when the centre forward looked certain to score with a point-blank header, but that didn't prevent the equaliser -- it just delayed it.
Seconds later, Aluko had the ball at the top of the box. He looked to his left, saw Robbie Brady in space, and fed the Northern Ireland international. Brady was completely free to advance towards goal and slot through Krul’s legs, bringing the match back to level pegging.
Hull weren't done there either. A brilliant pass from Tom Huddlestone would have set Graham clear if his first touch hadn't allowed Fabricio Coloccini to mop up, and although he made up for that mistake with some good work in the box seconds later, Jake Livermore failed to capitalise on the free ball.
The Tigers were applying all the pressure, so it was something of a surprise to see Newcastle end the first half ahead. But ahead they were thanks to some deft finishing by Remy. Yohan Cabaye's shot from outside the box looked to have been covered by MacGregor, but it never got to the goalkeeper. James Chester stuck out a foot to block the shot and the ball fell to Remy, who set his feet quickly and slotted into the virtually unguarded net.
However, that lead didn’t last long. Barely three minutes into the second half, Hull were level again through the unlikely figure of Ahmed Elmohamedy, who rose unchallenged to nod a Brady free kick in off the far post. Krul was beyond furious, and he had a point, too -- leaving someone unmarked in the six yard box on a free kick is an utterly demented thing to do.
Newcastle looked wobbly again and this time there would be no second chances. Hull were the better side in the second half, and eventually they grabbed a deserved lead. Substitute George Boyd worked his way down the left and his cutback was volleyed home brilliantly by Aluko.
There was enough time for Remy to grab what would have been a heroic hattrick, but the striker, given a gilt-edged chance at the beginning of injury time, saw his outside of the boot shot skim the wrong side of the post. That miss was enough to secure the points for Hull -- and important points they are.
Newcastle United starting lineup (4-4-2): Tim Krul; Davide Santon, Fabricio Coloccini, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Mathieu Debuchy (Cheick Tiote, 86'); Moussa Sissoko, Vurnon Anita, Yohan Cabaye (Yoann Gouffran, 62'), Hatem Ben Arfa; Loic Remy, Papiss Cisse (Sylvain Marveaux, 73').
Goals: Remy 10’ 44’.
Hull City starting lineup (4-3-3): Allan MacGregor; Liam Rosenior, Curtis Davies, James Chester, Ahmed Elmohamedy; Tom Huddlestone, Jake Livermore, Stephen Quinn (George Boyd, 64'); Robert Brady (David Meyler, 74'), Danny Graham (Yannick Sagbo, 84'), Sone Aluko.
Goals: Brady 26’, Elmohamedy 48’, Aluko 77’.
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