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90 mins +4: Newcastle’s frustration is bubbling over. Hall thinks he should have got a free-kick but instead Andy Madley whistles in Brentford’s favour.
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90 mins +2: Hall is now playing right-back and wins a free-kick, which brings about a big chance for Thiaw. Elanga was in space and found the centre-back but the finish was lacking.
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NINE minutes of added time. This ain’t over for Newcastle, not by a long chalk.
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89 mins: Dan Burn has come on for Newcastle and he may as well stay up front to try and win aerial duels.
We’ll get a fair chunk of added time in this one.
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87 mins: “Wissa, what’s the score?” is the ditty from Brentford’s fans.
The rest of the stadium is deathly quiet, reeling from that sucker punch.
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Jensen found the former Bournemouth winger in acres of space – Newcastle have been leaving those pockets throughout the game – and Ouattara needed no second invitation to drill low and hard with his left foot into the corner. Superb goal.
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GOAL! Newcastle 2-3 Brentford (Ouattara, 86)
It is Ouattara who thunders Brentford back ahead! A rasping low effort that Nick Pope simply couldn’t stop.
If ever a player deserved a goal …
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85 mins: Chaos-ball is suddenly working wonders for Newcastle, but that back door is still very much ajar if Brentford fancy a stab at nicking it on the break. Thiago’s linkup play has been sharp and Ouattara is lightning quick.
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83 mins: I dare say there is a certain theatre that VAR has brought to football.
Anyway, Newcastle are pushing for a winner here, but Osula is held up by some dogged Brentford defending.
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82 mins: What is this game of thrills going to throw up next?
“Naysayers be damned, VAR is brilliant,” says Niall Mullen on email. “Football was barely watchable before the explosion in penalties and people asking for penalties.”
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Two penalties, another penalty that might have been, two other goals… and still plenty of time left. What a Saturday night treat this game has been.
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80 mins: St James’s Park is thrumming with noise now; the home supporters will believe their side can kick on and nick this.
Romelle Donovan has been introduced by Brentford.
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GOAL! Newcastle 2-2 Brentford (Guimarães, 79)
Guimarães dusts himself down and stands over the penalty … he makes no mistake! Kelleher went the wrong way.
There was no card for Kayode, by the way, but he was furious with the awarding of the penalty.
Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimarães sends past Brentford’s keeper Caoimhin Kelleher the wrong way to level scores at 2-2. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images/ReutersNewcastle United’s Bruno Guimarães celebrates scoring their second goal with William Osula. Photograph: Scott Heppell/ReutersShare
Updated at 19.25 GMT
Penalty. It’s another soft one, as Kayode is adjudged to have fouled Guimarães when the Newcastle man was charging to meet Elanga’s cross. Is that the denial of a goalscoring chance too?
The referee took an absolute age to look at the screen, checking and double-checking, eventually announcing “there is a careless trip” by Kayode.
Bruno Guimarães reacts after being fouled by Michael Kayode. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PAReferee Andrew Madley consults the pitch-side monitor before awarding a penalty to Newcastle. Photograph: Andy Buchanan/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 19.18 GMT
On-field review! Maybe Guimarães was fouled after all. Andy Madley is going to the screen.
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75 mins: A fast breakaway from Newcastle sees Osula go left to Elanga, whose cross evades everyone. Guimarães has stayed down after lunging for the ball. I’m not sure it’s a penalty but the Brazilian is definitely hurt.
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74 mins: Ouattara does brilliantly for Brentford once again, racing forward to alleviate the pressure on his defenders, winning a corner.
The set-piece is swung in by Jensen but powerfully met by Botman’s head.
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71 mins: Some determined defending from Lewis-Potter stops Hall from surging down the Newcastle left, before Woltemade runs into trouble on the edge of the box.
This isn’t quite happening for the home side. Credit to Brentford for their organisation.
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69 mins: There’s still 25 minutes (including the likely added time) to go in this one and Eddie Howe has played all his attacking trump cards.
Thiago is going to get booked for thundering into the back of Lewis Hall as they challenged for a header.
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67 mins: And just as I type that, Thiaw steps forward out of the backline and thunders a shot that stings the palms of Kelleher. Close.
And the resulting corner is nodded just wide by the goalscorer, Botman. Close again.
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Updated at 18.59 GMT
There’s just no pattern to Newcastle’s attacks, no discernible plan other than to wallop it forward and hope the pace of Barnes and Elanga means they can create something from the long searching balls. They’ve really lacked cohesion through the middle this afternooon; Guimarães looks a long way off his best.
Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimarães doesn’t look to be enjoying himself. Photograph: Scott Heppell/ReutersShare
Updated at 19.09 GMT
65 mins: There’s another handball penalty appeal for Andy Madley to deal with, and he responds to the Newcastle shouts that Ajer had handled it… by giving a Brentford free-kick for offside.
Wissa, who has been fairly poor, is removed in place of Osula.
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63 mins: Yet another attacking player is being readied by the Newcastle coaching staff. Will Osula is stripped and receiving his instructions.
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62 mins: This is a masterclass in game management and defensive organisation from Brentford at the minute.
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61 mins: I’ve noticed this a few times lately – officials insisting that throw-ins are taken from the position the ball went out even when the taker is trying to retreat a few yards. It just happened with Trippier there. Odd.
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59 mins: Kayode hurls a long throw right into the mixer. There’s all sorts of pushing and shoving going on but Pope catches at the second attempt.
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57 mins: Yarmoliuk has a piece of paper, which he’s passed on to Janelt. A quick read, some hand signals and it’s gone straight into the sock. Modern football eh.
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56 mins: This is end-to-end now. Newcastle aren’t bothering to leave bodies when they attack, which could bring something for Brentford on the counter.
The visitors are going to replace Jordan Henderson with Yegor Yarmoliuk. Perhaps some fresh legs and an injection of energy in a high-pace game.
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54 mins: Barnes heads wide. He had to generate his own power on that header, with Trippier’s looping cross losing momentum and the former Leicester man a good eight or nine yards from goal when he met it.
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52 mins: It’s a bit frenetic from Newcastle right now, all bluster and not much composure.
It’s been a tough old evening for Andy Madley and the officials; and they’ve not necessarily got the big calls right, though that one was clearly correct.
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No it was off Henry’s chest. That will not be given by VAR so it’s just a corner for Newcastle.
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51 mins: Brentford are now looking to make the game as scrappy and scruffy as they can, and take time out of it.
Trippier is the latest to appeal for a penalty for handball. Did that come off Rico Henry’s arm as the cross came in?
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48 mins: Newcastle are at least on the front foot, now their side is packed with attacking options. Those of a black and white persuasion may worry about where such an aggressive lineup will leave them in terms of midfield cover.
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Will that mean Woltemade and Wissa play as a strike pairing? It looks that way, a straight 4-4-2 for Newcastle?
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46 mins: Nick Woltemade and Anthony Elanga have replaced Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy for Newcastle. Ultra-positive changes from Eddie Howe.
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We’re back under way.
We’ll start the second half coverage with a deserved bit of praise for Rico Henry, from reader Kári Tulinius
I was struck by something Rico Henry did at around the 20th minute. He chased down a ball rolling out of bounds, and that resulted in about three-four minutes of concerted pressure by Brentford. I paid attention to him for the rest of the half, and even in a side as industrious as the Bees, he’s notably selfless and hardworking. I doubt he’ll be mentioned in match reports, but he’s impressed me.
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On Sky Sports, Les Ferdinand has described Dango Ouattara’s ball for Brentford’s first goal as “one of the best crosses I’ve seen all season”. And there’s a man who knew what a decent crossed looked like.
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“Couldn’t envisage a worse response to our failed Worthington Cup defence,” says Newcastle fan Chris Paraskevas – he’s back in my inbox again. “Deservedly behind. And I had to wake up for this game in the middle of a heatwave, so the poor performance is magnified by the pool of sweat I’m sitting in.
“This is the EPL season on the line right here, but we are displaying the urgency of a Sunday kickabout.”
I agree with every word, Chris. Apart from calling it the ‘EPL’.
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An email from Matthew Guite has arrived questioning my use of the term “neutrals”.
Who are these ‘neutrals’. My guess for this game is that 85% of those watching have a direct interest, positive or negative, in one or other of the teams… And from a Newcastle perspective its been pretty dire. And just got worse.
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HT: Newcastle 1-2 Brentford.
Eddie Howe was furiously scribbling on his notepad as the half came to a close. The Newcastle manager certainly has some thinking to do during the break. His team have been outplayed for much of this game so far, with Brentford coming to the north-east with a positive gameplan – which they’ve executed to perfection so far. They’ve pressed diligently and they’ve carved out opportunities for their talented forward players. Ouattara and Lewis-Potter have particularly impressed.
Newcastle’s confidence at St James’s Park looks very brittle at the moment. They’re going to need to rouse themselves for a second half comeback.
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Brentford’s away fans are loudly singing Thiago’s name. He’s cool, calm and collected, that man. That goal prompted huge fist pump from Keith Andrews and a hug between manager and goalscorer.
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GOAL! Newcastle 1-2 Brentford (Thiago, 45+2)
Igor Thiago steps up from 12 yards … and sends Pope the wrong way with an assured penalty kick!
What a finish to the first half for Brentford.
Brentford’s Igor Thiago celebrates scoring their second goal with Jordan Henderson. Photograph: Scott Heppell/ReutersShare
Updated at 18.27 GMT
Murphy doesn’t really stick his arm out. It doesn’t seem an unnatural position. VAR has had a long hard look … and stayed with the on-field call. It’s probably justice after that earlier Brentford penalty shout was waved way.
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Penalty to Brentford! Ouattara took too long when given loads of space in the Newcastle box, opting to square it to Jensen instead. It’s alleged that Jacob Murphy handled the ball from Jensen’s shot.
VAR is looking. Tricky one, this. I’m really not sure.
Brentford win a penalty after Newcastle United’s Jacob Murphy (right) handballs in the area. Photograph: Andy Buchanan/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 18.29 GMT
43 mins: Newcastle really haven’t got Bruno Guimarães on the ball enough, so far. Maybe the Brazilian is still working his was back to match fitness, or maybe Brentford’s waspish disruptors have successfully denied the home side their talisman.
Either way Howe must work out how to get Guimarães into the game.
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Lewis-Potter whacked it at the wall himself. Speculative was the word.
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40 mins: Lewis-Potter proves himself a menace once more, skipping through the middle and winning his side a free-kick. This is some 30 yards from goal, but maybe someone will fancy a speculative hit …
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39 mins: This has been a fun half of football to watch, from a neutral’s perspective.
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Dango Ouattara take a bow. What a cross. Janelt’s header wasn’t the cleanest, but it was directed down and far enough away from Nick Pope to leave the Newcastle keeper stranded. Back to parity.
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GOAL! Newcastle 1-1 Brentford (Janelt, 37)
The immediate answer to the question posed below is no, but the goal has come for Brentford! They deserve that. That’s a superb cross from Ouattara from the left to make the chance for Janelt to nod home.
Vitaly Janelt wins the header … Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PAThe header goes past Newcastle’s keeper Nick Pope and Brentford are level. Photograph: Scott Heppell/ReutersJanelt (centre) celebrates with teammates Keane Lewis-Potter (left) and Michael Kayode. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PAShare
Updated at 18.22 GMT
35 mins: A storming run from centre-back by Kristoffer Ajer splits the hosts and earns Brentford a corner. Can they hit back via a set-piece?
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34 mins: Back come Brentford, though. They’re building their attacks a little slower now, perhaps mindful of a quickfire Newcastle second that could kill the game. A period of possession is welcome, momentarily taking the sting out of the Gallowgate noise.
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32 mins: The sea change in momentum has been quite astonishing to see in the past five minutes or so. Suddenly, it’s all going Newcastle’s way and they’re pinning Brentford back.
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30 mins: These Guimarães corners for Newcastle are Arsenal-esque; he’s whipping them right under the crossbar from the left.
It’s palmed out by Kelleher for Tonali but the Italian volleys over the bar.
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29 mins: Somehow it’s not 2-0 to Newcastle. Janelt hacks one clear off the line as Wissa very nearly finishes a sequence that started with a driving Lewis Hall run into the box, and was followed by a cutback across the six-yard box. The hosts smell a second, for sure.
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