Joe Willock and Lewis Hall's goals inside the opening 10 minutes were enough to steer Newcastle to a thrilling 2-1 victory at St James' Park and end Hull's unbeaten Premier League start. Harvey Barnes' neat through-ball allowed Willock to smash past Konstantinos Tzolakis inside three minutes, and the inspired Barnes was rewarded with his second assist of the game when left-back Hall fired home a pinpoint finish into the bottom-left corner just four minutes later to put Newcastle firmly in control. The first half ended on a sour note for the home side, though, as Yoane Wissa missed the chance to put his side three up on the stroke of half-time.
His penalty was expertly saved by Tzolakis after Sorba Thomas - making his first league start - was deemed to have fouled Jacob Murphy, bringing down the winger with an outstretched arm. It was a miss that was ever so close to proving costly, as a resilient Hull came into the second half buoyed, and their spell of dominance was rewarded when substitute Mohamed-Ali Cho's finish kissed the post and nestled in the Newcastle net just after the hour mark. Hull ramped up the pressure for the final 15 minutes, with full-backs Lewie Coyle and Ryan Giles whipping in cross after cross.
The best chance fell to summer signing Tim Iroegbunam, whose close-range volley was inches away from finding the top-right corner, but a determined Newcastle held on to secure a much-needed three points after their 4-1 drubbing at Leeds on Monday, thereby ending Hull's fairytale beginning to Premier League life. 3: GOAL! Lovely work from Barnes allows Willock to smash past Tzolakis from just inside the box to put Newcastle in front from their first meaningful attack of the game 7: GOAL! Hall makes it two with a pinpoint finish into the bottom-left corner after another brilliant run and throughball from Barnes - his second assist in the first 10 minutes! 15: CAREFUL!
Lukas Hornicek almost hands Hull a goal as Mohamed Belloumi robs him of the ball on the six-yard line, but the goalkeeper smothers at the second attempt and the ball is cleared! 22: CHANCE! Matt Crooks' bending low cross almost finds Thomas in the box but Sean Steur is there to clear his lines expertly! 32: SO CLOSE! A brilliant fizzed cross from Murphy is somehow missed by both Wissa and Barnes, and Hall's eventual back-post effort is spooned over! 45: PENALTY SAVED!
Wissa cannot convert from the spot! Thomas is adjudged to have fouled Murphy with an outstretched hand brushing the winger's leg, but Tzolakis gets down ever so well to tip it round the right-hand post! 67: GOAL! Cho gets one back for Hull just four minutes after coming on with an expert finish that kisses the post and nestles in the net! 81: SO, SO CLOSE!
It looks for all the world that Iroegbunam has equalised, but his close-range volley is inches above the crossbar and Newcastle hold on! Play Super 6 for a chance to win £250k!
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