Newcastle 1 Brentford 0: Howe’s blushes spared by Flekken howler as Wilson penalty wins the points for lacklustre Toon
EDDIE HOWE was spared more flak by flaky Brentford keeper Mark Flekken.
Newcastle CEO Darren Eales admitted before the season that he had to calm the Saudi chiefs down after a draw with Crystal Palace in January.
That point extended the Magpies unbeaten run to 15, so you started to wonder how they would react if this ended in a loss or turgid stalemate on the back of three straight defeats.
And at no point did Newcastle look like winning this one until the dodgy Dutch stopper – a summer signing from Freiburg – handed the Tynesiders a lifeline on a platter by needlessly taking Anthony Gordon out on the byline for a penalty just after the hour.
Callum Wilson buried it, making it 14 goals in his last 17 Prem games and taking him level with Les Ferdinand’s Toon total.
This was about the win but the Tynesiders were once again well off it.
Famed for their intensity under Howe, it is sorely lacking right now.
Despite that, three points stops their mini-crisis reaching boiling point as they head to face AC Milan on Tuesday for their Champions League return following a 20-year absence.
Now up to 11th in the Prem, and with Sheffield United next, this could prove a huge turning point – even if it was another performance to concern Howe.
He made five changes to try and kickstart the season, with Harvey Barnes handed a first start and Wilson, Sven Botman, Elliot Anderson and Sean Longstaff also in.
This already had a must-win feel to it the Mags manager wanted to avoid heading to AC Milan on Tuesday with further questions over his future.
Yet they could and perhaps should have been behind inside three minutes when Aaron Hickey – finding a ridiculous amount of space inside the box – was denied by Nick Pope from a tight angle.
PADDY POWER WELCOME OFFER – Get £40 in free bet builder bets
But that warning shot hardly sparked Newcastle into life with Brentford the far better side early on.
The hosts were lethargic off the ball, sloppy on it and their left side was under constant bombardment.
Expecting to see their side come out firing, the crowd were not impressed.
Yoane Wissa was a whisker away from converting Mathias Jensen’s wicked cross 23 minutes in.
The Geordies finally had a shot five minutes later, and from the resulting corner Bruno Guimaraes’ header from point-blank range at the back post was just about kept out by Mark Flekken.
The first-half was instantly forgettable and Newcastle needed inspiration, yet they started the second just as slack.
Wilson then bundled the ball in following a goalmouth scramble after the unconvincing Flekken fluffed a punched clearance, but Craig Pawson immediately gave a foul.
Wissa squandered another half-chance at the other end seconds later yet, shooting towards the Gallowgate, it was Newcastle pressing – and they were handed a penalty just after the hour for Flekken’s foul on Gordon.
Deadly Wilson made no mistake – taking his season’s tally to three – firing over the outstretched Flekken to the mighty relief of St James’.
It was far from over though but just as Brentford threatened to get back in, ref Craig Pawson pointed to the spot again for a Bryan Mbeumo handball – only to reverse his decision after looking at the monitor.
There were nine minutes of injury time but Newcastle held on without any major frights for a priceless victory.