Will He Ever Better That Goal?

Last updated : 27 February 2019 By Footy Mad - Editor

Newcastle United took another huge step towards survival as they moved seven points clear of the relegation zone after recording back-to-back victories over their relegation rivals.

Fabian Schar and Sean Longstaff both scored at St James' Park as United defeated Burnley 2-0 on Tyneside, just three days after overcoming bottom-of-the-table Huddersfield Town by the same scoreline.

It was far from a classic, but the United faithful will not have cared - and instead they delighted in celebrating Schar's magnificent 20-yard first-half strike, as well as Academy graduate Longstaff's first senior goal at St James' Park.

Much-needed inspiration arrives from the most unlikely of sources.

Newcastle had attempted to start several attacks through Miguel Almiron, Ayoze Perez and Longstaff during the early stages, but with minimal success, and it took something very speculative to eventually open the scoring during a drab first half.

In the 24th minute, Burnley thwarted the Magpies’ initial build-up play, before eventually the Clarets’ defence backtracked and afforded Schar space 25 yards out.

Looking up, the Swiss defender recognised that the opposition backline were not closing him, and so he decided to let fly.

He caught his effort extremely sweetly, and the ball arrowed into the net via the right-hand post. Tom Heaton dived, but the ball was basically past him before he could even have hoped to have got across to it.

St James’ Park erupted in delight, and the United players ran to the corner to embrace Schar, who celebrated his third Magpies strike with glee.

It was exactly what a game which had been meandering towards nothingness needed - and it is a goal which Schar will certainly remember for a long time to come.

No matter how long he continues to play for United, he'll be hard pressed to hit a strike quite as sweetly again.