Newcastle ‘apologise’ and ‘fuming’ AFC Wimbledon hit out as St James’ claim made
Ciaran Kelly
5 – 7 minutes
You might have heard. It’s approaching a year since Newcastle United blew Kylian Mbappe and PSG away in the Champions League. If that was a night for the ages at St James’ Park, this 1-0 win versus League Two side AFC Wimbledon was anything but. It was a case of job done for much-changed Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. The brief victory lap after the game told you as much.
Newcastle enjoyed 78% possession and won a whopping 10 corners, but the Magpies mustered just four shots on target. The disjointed hosts were ultimately indebted to Fabian Schar for stepping up from the spot to secure a last 16 tie against Chelsea.
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Howe set out to ‘put on more of a show’, but the Newcastle boss was left ‘frustrated’ with his side’s rusty attacking play, particularly in the first half. Howe even felt the need to ‘apologise’ after it ‘did not turn out to be that kind of game’ for the 51,739 supporters in attendance.
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“You go from Manchester City to this game,” he told reporters. “Psychologically they’re totally different and it’s difficult for the players coming in, but individually you have to put that aside and show your best qualities in order to give yourselves the best opportunity of playing again as quickly as possible. Knowing the standard of the players, some of them didn’t do that today, especially the attacking players, and I think they will be disappointed.”
Nothing summed up that blunt attacking threat quite like Wimbledon goalkeeper Owen Goodman only having to make one save in the opening 44 minutes. Even then, Sean Longstaff’s effort from the edge of the area was easily claimed.
It fell to Schar, the stand-in skipper, to repeatedly step up as Newcastle’s creator. There was less than half an hour on the clock when Schar’s raking diagonal picked out Harvey Barnes down the left-hand side and the forward cut inside in trademark style before unleashing a curling effort that went wide.
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Schar’s vision and passing range were sorely needed against a disciplined side who got men behind the ball and, just a few minutes later, the defender played Almiron through with a superb ball over the top. Almiron took the ball down expertly, but blazed over when the Paraguay international should have at least hit the target from close range.
Almiron soon made amends, though, and won his side a penalty before half-time. It all came from a Newcastle corner kick when Longstaff fizzed the ball across to Schar, who anticipated Joe Pigott coming across, and fell to the turf inside the box. Although nothing was given, the ball then fell to Almiron and Pigott stuck a leg out and took the forward down.
Fabian Schar puts Newcastle United in front
Fabian Schar puts Newcastle United in front
The linesman belatedly waved his flag and a penalty was awarded by referee Darren Bond. Up stepped Schar to stroke the ball past Goodman to the relief of players, staff and fans alike. Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson, in contrast, could not believe it after he felt his side ‘lost by a dodgy penalty’.
“I’m fuming to be honest,” he said. “The first one is a dive so it should be a free-kick, yellow card, then there’s a break in play. There’s another coming together and about four or five passes after that.
“The referee is in a good position. He doesn’t give it. Then the linesman decides to get involved and give a penalty. Like we’re not up against it enough as a League Two team coming to Newcastle as the underdog. We don’t need the linesman to get involved at that stage. The referee is there to referee the game. He didn’t give it. He didn’t see fit.
“I’m angry about that one to be honest because I don’t see that happening down the other end and the linesman getting involved to give us a penalty somehow. I don’t see that at St James’ Park.”
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However furious Jackson was, though, his players kept their heads and the visitors held firm after the break – even after Newcastle introduced Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon as planned. Wimbledon were so resolute that Sean Longstaff, Joe Willock and Bruno all had efforts blocked inside the box in a matter of seconds midway through the second half; Riley Harbottle was even floored after taking a shot to the head.
Newcastle did have a chance to finally kill off the game in the 67th minute when Gordon skipped down the left, cut inside and clipped a cross to the back post. It was the kind of teasing delivery that was crying out for someone to get on the end of it, but a sliding Almiron could only strike the side netting after opting to use his favoured left foot rather than hooking it back across with his right.
There was still time for Osula to spin away from Harbottle inside the area a short while later, but the 21-year-old also hit the side netting. It was that kind of night.
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