No Doubt About It - Hughton's Boys Have Bottle!

Last updated : 06 December 2009 By Footy Mad - Editor

GU

Watching the likes of Michael Owen - on £108,000 per week - throw in the towel, still makes me so bitter towards the little tosser, I'd gladly kick him in the nuts if ever I met him in a one-to-one situation.

OK, we don't win things at Newcastle, and I'll be honest with you ... not many Geordies expect us to ... but as long as the players die for the cause in that black and white shirt ... EVERYTHING is forgiven.

It didn't happen very often last season, but praise where it is due, Chris Hughton saw his 10 men scrap their way to a victory over Watford ... and it was a tonic to the 43,000 who watched it!

Goals from Peter Lovenkrands and substitute Fabrice Pancrate secured a sixth successive win, for the first time since 1996, despite the Magpies playing the final 41 minutes without midfielder Kevin Nolan who was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

But goalkeeper Steve Harper and his defenders held on to claim an 11th clean sheet of the season ... and they stood PROUD ... to a man!

Chris Hughton: "If I look at what we have managed to achieve so far this season, we are always very keen to point that one out.

"There will be bad times to come, I am sure, but we have shown a lot of resilience and that is the mark of any side which is doing well, that resilience resulting in clean sheets.

"I am absolutely delighted with that.

"What we do know is we are going to have good days and bad days, and what we have so far shown is a resilience to cope with the bad days and, at times, get something from them.

"There are times when you can't speak highly enough of the group of lads you have, and that applies today.

"Pancrate's contribution was timed to perfection.

"It was a wonderful goal and a wonderful time to score."