Magpies squander lead in Norwegian draw

Valerenga 1 Newcastle 1

Newcastle squandered a UEFA Cup third-round first-leg lead from Craig Bellamy in Oslo as Valerenga ensured that they have something to play for on Tyneside next week.

Former Coventry midfielder Runar Normann proved a thorn in Newcastle’s side as Bobby Robson’s side.

Bellamy’s third goal in as many starts had put the visitors in front six minutes before the break on a bitterly cold night in Oslo, and Newcastle looked to be well on the way to placing one foot in the fourth round.

However, they wilted alarmingly after the break after Normann had dragged the home side back into the tie, and could have suffered an even worse fate before mounting a late fightback.

Bobby Robson’s men, who started without big names Alan Shearer, Kieron Dyer and Laurent Robert, largely strolled through the first 45 minutes, but were forced to work much harder in the second half by Kjetil Rekdal’s side, who played their last competitive game in November.

And in the end, they had little choice but to accept yet another draw on their travels, something they have had to do on eight occasions out of 12 games in the Premiership so far this season.

Robson’s assessment of his side’s opponents was abundantly clear as soon as the team sheet arrived with skipper Shearer – for the first time since the Carling Cup clash with West Brom on October 29 – and midfielders Dyer and Robert named only among the substitutes.

The wisdom of that decision appeared evident early in the game as Valerenga proved to be a hard-working, but limited, outfit who rarely caused Newcastle any problems and once the visitors had found their tempo, looked likely to concede.

However, the atmosphere changed as the home side upped the tempo in the second half and they looked the more likely side to claim a winner as time ran down.

The Norwegians created the first chance with seven minutes gone when Morten Berre slid a pass into the path of striker Freddy Dos Santos and he forced Shay Given to dive to his right and palm away a tricky bouncing effort.

However, from then on, central defender Titus Bramble and Andy O’Brien were largely able to stroll through the first half in front of a drastically under-employed Given as Robson’s side set about the task of forcing their way into the lead.

They did not have things all their own way with David Brocken in particular impressive at the back for the home side, but keeper Oyvind Bolthof had to kick away a 23rd-minute effort from Darren Ambrose, who was enjoying the space afforded to him down the Newcastle right.

The visitors gradually increased their tempo, but they had to wait until six minutes before the break before making the breakthrough.

Skipper for the night Gary Speed, who had earlier flashed a header wide, this time saw his effort cleared off the line by David Hanssen, but when Hugo Viana crossed again, Bellamy volleyed a first-time shot past the stranded Bolthof and into the bottom corner off the foot of the post.

However, Bramble and O’Brien then had to make timely interventions as substitute Tommy Edvardsen set about the United rearguard.

Both Magpies defenders had to make timely interventions to deny Daniel Fredheim Holm clear shots at goal, and although Speed had whistled a volley over the bar in the meantime, the danger signs were there.

Robson’s men did not heed them, and found themselves back on level terms with 55 minutes gone after Bellamy’s former City team-mate Normann climbed high above Aaron Hughes to head home a Brocken cross.

United, who had earlier replaced Ambrose with Dyer, were clearly rattled and might have fallen behind on the hour when Hanssen dragged a left-foot shot just wide.

It took another fine block by Bramble to keep out Edvardsen two minutes later after Dos Santos had failed to get a clean strike on player-coach Rekdal’s free-kick, and life was becoming increasingly uncomfortable for the visitors.

Robson opted for change 16 minutes from time when he replaced Shola Ameobi and Viana with Michael Bridges and Robert and the Frenchman used his first touch to drive in a long-range free-kick which was deflected away for a corner.

United finally started to exercise some form of control over the game once again and Robert tested Bolthof with a dipping 80th-minute effort which the keeper turned away for a corner.

However, it was Given who found himself the busier goalkeeper in the closing stages as he turned away an Ardian Gashi drive and claimed another effort from substitute Lars Ovrebo two minutes from time.