Sibierski hero for Newcastle

Newcastle 1 Portsmouth 0

Antoine Sibierski cemented his blossoming reputation as a goal-scorer on Tyneside with a precious strike to hand his side a first Barclays Premiership win in 10 attempts.

The Frenchman struck from close range on 69 minutes with his second goal in four days and his first in the league for his new club to settle a game his side thoroughly deserved to win.

It was Sibierski’s fifth of the season in all competitions as the Magpies’ dominance of third-placed Pompey finally paid dividends to ease the pressure on manager Glenn Roeder.

He might have added a second nine minutes later, but was denied by keeper David James as he recovered smartly after racing from his line to prevent Kieron Dyer from latching on to a through-ball.

The former England keeper pulled off a superb 86th-minute save to block a Dyer volley, and there was an audible sigh of relief from a crowd of 48,743 at St James’ Park when the final whistle signalled the first league win at home since August 19.

Without a Barclays Premiership victory since September 17 and three points at home since the opening day of the season, an end to that run was the only option despite Portsmouth’s lofty standing in the table.

Just why the Magpies have prospered in the cup competitions this season – they are unbeaten in 11 outings in Europe and the Carling Cup – but fared so miserably in the league is a mystery to Roeder.

However, they showed enough before the break to suggest they are more than capable of addressing their parlous situation, if looking likely to do something decisive about it only fleetingly.

A depressing injury list before kick-off had grown substantially by the time the half-time whistle sounded with skipper Scott Parker and winger James Milner both limping off with problems which will make them doubts for the UEFA Cup trip to Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday evening.

However, the men who remained on the pitch showed enough appetite for the fight and went close to opening the scoring on several occasions.

Indeed, they had the ball in the net on 17 minutes, Obafemi Martins running on to the once again impressive Dyer’s through-ball to chip a neat shot over the advancing James.

His celebrations were cut short by an offside flag, although replays suggested the decision was marginal and the kind struggling teams rarely see go in their favour.

Emre twice went close from distance in the dying minutes of the half, but James’ only two saves of note came from his own men, David Thompson connecting rather too well with a headed back-pass and Linvoy Primus blasting a clearance against Dejan Stefanovic which almost crept under the bar.

For their part, the visitors showed enough enterprise to justify their exalted place in the table, although they created only one genuine chance.

There were only six minutes gone when Titus Bramble could only block Gary O’Neil’s cross to Kanu and Nolberto Solano, again proving more than effective as an emergency right-back, cleared his shot off the line.

Harry Redknapp made a change at the break when he replaced Stefanovic with Matt Taylor, but with Milner’s replacement Sibierski now partnering Martins in attack with Dyer just behind, the Magpies soon restored order.

Solano should have done better with a 53rd-minute free-kick which he drilled into the defensive wall, but with Dyer causing problems and Emre seeing plenty of the ball, Pompey were coming under increasing pressure.

The Turkish international almost unlocked the door on 57 minutes when he surged towards the edge of the box and picked out Martins, but although he turned smartly, he drilled his left foot shot over the bar.

Charles N’Zogbia and Dyer combined to good effect on the hour to carry the ball from deep inside their own half before the England international found Sibierski, but his shot from a right angle has turned away by James.

Dyer needed treatment after crashing into the advertising hoardings on 65 minutes in a successful attempt to win a corner, and the visitors were fortunate to survive a goalmouth scramble when the ball was played in.

However, the deadlock was finally broken four minutes later when Peter Ramage, Martins and N’Zogbia combined at pace down the left for the Frenchman to cross for compatriot Sibierski to apply the finishing touch.

The Magpies threatened to run riot at the minutes ticked away, James denying Dyer twice as well as Sibierski and Emre, but with Pompey risking everything in the search for an equaliser, they had to endure a tense conclusion, including seven and a half minutes of stoppage time, before referee Mark Halsey finally ended their agony.