A LOOK at the key stats and figures from Rovers defeat against Newcastle United.
BRAD FRIEDEL: Another decent display from the big American but may have been caught out of position for Speed's winner...7
JOHN CURTIS: Solid enough defensively but maybe could have offered more going forward...6
LUCAS NEILL: On this form Souness doesn't need to sign any cover for Stig Bjornebye at left-back. Strong defensively and always willing to get forward...7
HENNING BERG: Needed to be at his best as Newcastle poured forward at every opportunity, particularly in the second half...8
* CRAIG SHORT: Kept the shackles on Alan Shearer with a rock solid display at the centre of Rovers' defence...8
GARRY FLITCROFT: Hadn't played for a month due to injury and it showed as he struggled to pick up the pace of the game...5
DAVID DUNN: Showed great courage in scoring the goal but didn't run the game as we know he can...7
TUGAY: Never hit the heights he reached against Arsenal in midweek as Rovers struggled in midfield...6
KEITH GILLESPIE: Desperate to turn on the style against his old club but didn't see enough of the ball to cause maximum damage...6
DAMIEN DUFF: Newcastle had done their home work and always doubled up to prevent him from getting to the goal-line to whip over crosses...6
MATT JANSEN: Made a promising enough start before an ankle injury brought his afternoon to a premature end...6
SUBS
MARK HUGHES (for Jansen, 26)...7
MARTIN TAYLOR (for Hughes, 70)...6
CICCIO GRABBI (for Curtis, 78)...6
NOT USED: Alan Mahon, Alan Kelly
NEWCASTLE UNITED
GIVEN...Badly at fault for Dunn's opener 6
ELLIOT...Did a sterling job on Gillespie 7
HUGHES...Kept Duff quiet all afternoon 7
O'BRIEN...Solid enough defensively 7
DISTIN...Ding-dong battle with Hughes 7
LEE...Not the influence he used to be 6
SPEED...Stole the points with a fluke 7
SOLANO...Always looked dangerous 7
AMEOBI...The man with telescopic legs 6
SHEARER...Strong as an ox 7
BERNARD...Scored a great goal 8
SUBS
DYER...(for Lee, 46) 7
LUALUA...(for Ameobi, 59)
STATS:
Goal attempts: Rovers 8 Newcastle 11
Shots on target: Rovers 6 Newcastle 3
Woodwork: Rovers 1 Newcastle 0
Offsides: Rovers 3 Newcastle 8
Corners: Rovers 6 Newcastle 9
Free kicks: Rovers 17 Newcastle 8
REFEREE...Steve Dunn (Bristol) 7
Attendance: 50,064
YELLOW CARDS - Rovers: Neill and Dunn (both fouls), Hughes (ungentlemanly conduct)
Newcastle: None
RED CARDS - None
TIME FOR ACTION:
05 Rovers nearly make a dream start but Matt Jansen's flick from a Garry Flitcroft header is blocked on the line
13Nol Solano fires just wide with a free-kick on the edge of the box
20Rob Lee finds Alan Shearer in space but he shoots tamely at Brad Friedel
25Matt Jansen collapses in agony after landing awkwardly on his ankle and has to be stretchered off
28Another Solano free-kick finds Shola Ameobi but he heads wide at the back post
34It's 1-0 to Rovers as David Dunn bundles home the opener after Tugay's shot proved too hot to handle
40Oliver Bernard picks out Solano but his shot is deflected wide by Lucas Neill
56Bernard heads wide from a searching cross by Aaron Hughes
65It's 1-1 as Bernard drills a brilliant low drive into Friedel's bottom right hand corner
70Magpies strike again as Gary Speed's header loops over Friedel into the far corner
TACTICS:
NEWCASTLE boss Bobby Robson had clearly done his homework as United frequently doubled up on Rovers wingers Keith Gillespie and Damien Duff to cut out the supply.
As a result, Rovers rarely got behind the Newcastle defence despite enjoying their fair share of possession
KEY MOMENT:
MATT Jansen being stretchered off in the 25th minute. It was always going to be an uphill struggle after that even after taking the lead
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