Newcastle United 0 Middlesbrough 2

WATCHED by his pal Mido, Egyptian star Shawky made his introduction into English football tonight, writes GORDON COX from St James Park.

But it was an impressive all-round team performance which saw Boro consolidate their position at the head of the table.

Boro had all the early chances, but found luck and good defending blocking their path.

Shortly after Gaizka Mendieta hit the side netting with a curling 25-yard free-kick, Tom Craddock turned well in the box to fire inches over the bar.

Rhys Williams saw a goalbound header from a Mendieta corner cleared off the line by Matty Pattinson, before a superb move ended with a deep cross from Joe Bennett which found Jonathan Grounds inside the box.

A fine first-time shot looked to have opened the scoring but Fraser Forster produced an outstanding save to tip the ball onto the bar.

From the resulting corner Seb Hines glanced a header inches wide.

United steadied, but created little by the way of direct threat and Brad Jones, by and large, held a watching brief until a comfortably gathering a low 25-yard shot from Kazenga LuaLua. A few seconds earlier Shawky, from around 20 yards, had struck a low shot into the side netting.

The breakthrough came with 40 minutes played as Craddock shot for goal and Forster produced another fine save but Seb Hines converted with a very neat overhead kick from the edge of the six-yard box.

Approaching the end of the first half Mendieta found Craddock with a fine, long crossfield ball, but the young striker was again thwarted by an on-form goalkeeper who blocked a low, angled drive.

Half-time: Newcastle United 0 Middlesbrough 1

Graeme Owens replaced Bennett at the start of the second half and was soon off on one of his trademark runs down the flank. Leaving two in his wake and riding a challenge on the way from his own half to the United goal line, the Cramlington-born youngster looked keen to make his mark.

The Magpies made a good start to the second half and for a while it became a keenly contested affair, though to be fair, United, second best, had always given everything.

But it was Boro who were almost next on the score sheet as Dong Gook Lee shot low from 25-yards. Again Forster produced an excellent stop and was in action once more a few minutes later, diving away to his left to tip round a low drive from Mendieta after he had been set up by Owens.

Jones was called into his first agile save of the game, diving low to his right to turn around a low drive from the right-hand edge of the box from LuaLua.

Mendieta was next to try to add to the scoreline, but a low left-footed shot from the D missed by a foot.

United were handed a way back into the game with 21 minutes of the second half played when Tony McMahon was incorrectly judgedto have fouled LuaLua inside the penalty area, but Jones produced a fine save away to his left to save Ryan Donaldson's penalty.

By now it was an open game and it took fine defensive work from Hines and McMahon to repel an attack through the middle.

Breaking quickly, Jonathan Franks sped from midway inside his own half to the United goal line before pulling a fine ball back to Cattermole. A superbly-struck half-volley from 20 yards brought an equally impressive save from Forster.

From the corner Ben Hutchinson had a header cleared off the line.

Reserve team football is, in part, about the development of younger players and both central defender Rhys Williams and left-back Jonathan Grounds continue to catch the eye. Hines and Franks hold much promise, Craddock leads the line well, while tonight Cattermole was the master puppeteer who pulled all the strings.

In the final minute of the game two Boro subs combined to give the score line a more realistic feel as Owens wriggled free to send over a perfect cross which was met with an excellent header from Ben Hutchinson who powered a effort across Forster who, this time, could do nothing about it.

Teams

Newcastle United: Forster; Bertram, Lough, Doninger, Francis (Morris 21), Edgar, LuaLua, Pattison, Danquah (Donaldson 62), Godsmark, Troisi. Unused subs: Cook (gk); Marwood, Patterson.

Middlesbrough: Jones; McMahon, Grounds, Williams, Hines, Cattermole, Mendieta (Franks 71), Shawky, Craddock, Lee (Hutchinson 70), Bennett (Owens 46). Unused subs: Steele (gk); Johnson.

Bookings

Boro: Cattermole 22, foul.

Newcastle United: Doninger 25, foul.

Attendance: 608

Website Boro Man of the Match: Graeme Owens was a lively contender, but Lee Cattermole for a 90-minute contribution gets the vote.

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