Reebok Win Earns Toon Award

[Smitheh 0]

The League Managers Association five-man Performance of the Week panel, comprising Chairman Howard Wilkinson, Sir Alex Ferguson, Joe Royle, Dave Bassett and Barry Fry, were in agreement that this week, the first week of both the Barclays Premier League and the Coca Cola Football League season, the F&C Investments Performance of the Week Award should go to Newcastle United following their 3-1 win at Bolton Wanderers.

 

Manager Sam Allardyce will receive a specially engraved crystal football in a presentation to be screened on Sky Soccer Saturday this weekend.

 

The new Newcastle manager celebrated his first league game in charge with victory over his former club.

 

Charles N'Zogbia scored the first of three first-half goals, in the 11th minute, with a curling free-kick that eluded everybody.

 

On 21 minutes Obafemi Martins hit a spectacular overhead kick, followed six minutes later by a long-range strike six minutes past Jussi Jaaskelainen as Newcastle led 3-0 at the break.

 

Nicolas Anelka finished a blistering break five minutes after the restart but the Magpies deserved their win.

 

Sam Allardyce was naturally delighted with the result, saying after the game: "It is a great start to the season for me and my players.

 

"The application by the players was terrific and I think that the quality of the finishing was the difference between the two teams.

 

"I'm not sure what level these players are at yet but they are starting to hit a standard I don't want them to drop."

[Row Z 0]

Oh great. 1-0 to Villa then!