Robson's relief after 'very difficult' win

Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson saluted his defence after watching them fend off battling Bolton as the club worked behind the scenes to tempt Jonathan Woodgate to Tyneside.

A little more than 24 hours after Robson confirmed that United had lodged their interest in the Leeds defender, 23 today, Nikos Dabizas and Steve Caldwell, with the help of full-backs Aaron Hughes and Olivier Bernard, kept out Sam Allardyce’s raiders to help their side climb to within two points of second-placed Manchester United.

It was not vintage Newcastle, especially after the break, but the 69-year-old was delighted with the way his side ground out victory and kept a clean sheet, which means they have conceded just seven league goals in 13 appearances at St James’ Park so far this season.

“I’m not displeased,” he said. “I think we’ve won a very difficult game. The expectancy of the crowd naturally was for a 4-0 or a 5-0 win, that’s what they thought.

“I didn’t think that because I know I’m playing in the Premiership where anything can happen.

“Teams at the bottom are fighting hard and they’ve given us a very difficult game. You have to give credit to Bolton for a very strong fighting performance.

“They’ve given us as hard a match as we’ve had all season, and I mean that quite sincerely, so you’ve got to give Bolton some plaudits.

“I think you have to give our defence, who have been subject to a lot of criticism this season, credit for some sterling work.

“They haven’t scored, which means we’ve won 1-0, and they deserve a lot of credit. I think our back four have won us the match.

“One goal had won it, but had Bolton scored at some stage, would we have got the second goal to have won it?

“It was a tight game and we didn’t make any mistakes at the back. Nobody made a mistake, so our defence has done very well. Today, our defence has helped us to win this match, not our front players.”

Robson’s comments came as chairman Freddy Shepherd headed back to the north east from Brazil, where he has been holding talks with World Cup winning midfielder Kleberson, and the manager will be keen to hear news on that front and about the situation with top target Woodgate.

However, he was giving nothing away tonight.

“I have no comment to make,” he said. “All the information I have is that we have approached the two clubs about the two players and I think there’s communication and dialogue to be progressed.

“If it comes off, it comes off, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. The most important players at the moment are the ones that are here.”

United clinched their 11th successive home win in the Premiership with Jermaine Jenas’ 18th-minute strike, but they were made to work hard for the points after the break as Bolton rallied.

But Allardyce left the north east bemoaning two crucial decisions that went against his men as referee Phil Dowd waved aside penalty appeals after Henrik Pedersen went down under the challenge of Caldwell and Dabizas and Bernard Mendy went to ground as Hughes slid in.

“Unfortunately, as always, away-from-home controversial decisions – and it is a controversial decision on two occasions with Henrik Pedersen and Bernard Mendy - have cost us,” he said.

“I thought they were penalties at the time, I’ve looked at them both since the end of the game and I’m convinced that they’re both penalties.

“The Newcastle players have blocked our player from a clear opportunity of scoring a goal, not played the ball on either occasion, and the referee, unfortunately for us, has waved play-on.

“Unfortunately, I have to say that is not unusual playing away from home. It’s the old, old story from me, but it’s not just Bolton Wanderers, it will probably be West Brom, Birmingham and all them.

“It’s unfortunately something that I can’t live with, but it looks like I’m going to have to.”