Res: Newcastle 1 United 2

Gabriel Obertan struck twice in the second half as the Reds claimed a hard-fought away win at Newcastle United on Monday afternoon.


The Frenchman made the breakthrough in the 68th minute, controlling substitute Davide Petrucci's ball over the top before advancing to beat Magpies keeper Tim Krul. Obertan then doubled the Reds' lead five minutes from time after again being picked out by Petrucci.


Newcastle pulled a goal back through Michael Richardson's close-range finish, but the Reds then held firm for the final few moments to end a winless streak of three games.


The three late goals reflected an improvement on the first half, when the most notable action reduced both sides to ten men. The Reds' Ravel Morrison and Newcastle's James Perch were both sent off on the brink of the interval following an off-the-ball incident. Morrison had come closest to opening the scoring just a few minutes before his red card, when a wind-assisted 30-yarder hit the crossbar.


Two goalline clearances prevented further goals, one for each team. Reds defender Oliver Gill thwarted Jeff Henderson's effort from a Newcastle corner when the score was 0-0, while Ryan Tunnicliffe's attempt, shortly before Obertan's second goal, was brilliantly blocked by Magpies sub Patrick Nzuzi.


United: Johnstone; R Brown, Wootton, Gill, Dudgeon; Vermijl (Petrucci, 53), Norwood, Tunnicliffe, Obertan; King (Blackett, 64), Morrison. Subs not used: M Keane, McGinty.