Pardew joy as Toon get used to life after Carroll

NEWCASTLE registered their first victory of the post-Andy Carroll era last night as goals from Peter Lovenkrands and Republic of Ireland international Leon Best ensured a comfortable success against Birmingham at St Andrew’s.

Lovenkrands opened the scoring after four minutes and then Best struck early in the second period to wrap up the points for the Magpies.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew said: “I think it was evident tonight that the players we have can fill the gap after Carroll.

“The pleasing thing is that the two strikers showed effort and commitment despite the pressure that is on them.

“One (Lovenkrands) came off with a thigh strain and the other (Best) had to be substituted because of the amount of work he was doing.

“But for them both to score from open play is the biggest plus for me.”

Birmingham lacked cutting edge as they suffered a first defeat in six.

Newcastle had picked up only two points from three games since Carroll’s departure but they looked the more threatening throughout the 90 minutes with Jose Enrique surging forward from left-back to good effect. They were well marshalled in midfield from skipper Kevin Nolan and were a constant threat on the counter-attack.

Nikola Zigic, who had scored in the previous three games, posed the biggest threat for the home side.

Newcastle got a dream start with Lovenkrands putting them ahead after just four minutes. Enrique’s original cross was cleared after he had skipped past Sebastian Larsson but Jonas Gutierrez pounced and delivered a testing low centre to the near post.

Lovenkrands was first to react and he slid in front of Roger Johnson and drilled his shot past Ben Foster. .

Blues looked shaky and more good play by Enrique found skipper Nolan inside the box but he did not extend Foster. Then Steve Harper did well to turn aside Zigic’s shot on the turn from inside the box after good play by Barry Ferguson.

Midfielder Craig Gardner came close to equalising five minutes before the interval. The midfielder hammered a 20-yard drive just wide after being teed up by Larsson who cut into the box.

Newcastle doubled their lead five minutes into the second half through Best’s fifth goal of the campaign as Birmingham were again caught cold.

Gutierrez delivered a left-wing cross to the far post and Best got above Johnson to head home.

Larsson made a crucial challenge to deny Best a second goal after good play by Cheik Tiote

Zigic had a great chance to reduce the arrears but headed over from Ridgewell’s pinpoint cross.

Johnson forced Harper to save his low header from Bentley’s centre and substitute Kevin Phillips miskicked inside the box when well placed.

But Birmingham seldom threatened to salvage anything tangible from the game.

BIRMINGHAM: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Jiranek (Murphy 73), Ridgewell, Larsson (Phillips 75), Ferguson, Gardner, Bentley, Martins (Jerome 58), Zigic.

NEWCASTLE: Harper, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Barton, Tiote, Nolan, Gutierrez (Campbell 87), Lovenkrands (Ranger 64), Best (Guthrie 75).

Ref: Lee Mason (Lancashire).