Hat-trick hero Nolan fires Newcastle to victory

Posted Monday, November 01, 2010 by YAHOO Sport

LONDON (SE) - Newcastle boss Chris Hughton helped forget talk of his job being on the line as Kevin Nolan’s hat-trick helped the Magpies thump local rivals Sunderland 5-1.

The former Bolton midfielder struck twice in the first half and again in the second at St James’ Park to give the Magpies a memorable win over their biggest rivals and ease pressure on Hughton.

His first ever Premier League treble sandwiched two from Newcastle-born Shola Ameobi in a thriller which saw former Magpie Titus Bramble sent off.

Newcastle boss Chris Hughton brushed off talk of the sack, saying: “It’s great getting three points against our biggest rivals. For me the best thing is to see the team doing well.

“It was a great performance and Kevin Nolan took his hat-trick brilliantly.”

Sunderland should have gone ahead early on in a feisty first half.

Danny Welbeck went it alone when top-scorer Darren Bent was unmarked in the centre screaming for the ball.

The lively Andy Carroll had claims for a penalty waved away and saw the impressive Simon Mignolet tip away his header

Fabricio Coloccini and Nolan had chances while Mignolet pushed Joey Barton’s drive past the post

But the Belgian could do nothing as captain fantastic Nolan acrobatically fired his side into a 27th minute lead.

Nolan had the Toon army in a frenzy as his overhead kick from Barton’s corner flew in.

He went close to doubling the lead a minute later but the sea of black and white did not have to wait long to see a second - and it came from that man again.

The ball-watching Sunderland centre backs were outmanoeuvred by Nolan, who got on the end of Carroll’s pass to chest down and slide home in the 34th minute.

The Newcastle fans would have been pinching themselves at being two up but were in dreamland by half time.

A Halloween horror show at the back continued as Sunderland’s Nedum Onuoha bundled over Jonas Gutierrez in the box. Up stepped Ameobi to fire home number three from the penalty spot.

A bad day was made worse for Sunderand with seven second half minute gone.

Former Magpie Titus Bramble was sent for an early bath by ref Phil Dowd for a lunging tackle on Carroll.

Sunderland were kept on the back foot for most of the second half, their best chance falling to Phil Bardsley, who was well kept out by Tim Krul.

Ameobi followed up Carroll’s header, which came back off the crossbar, with a flying volley for number four with 20 minutes to go.

And Nolan added the gloss with his hat-trick strike with 15 minutes to play.

Ameobi was again involved, nodding Barton’s corner on to Nolan, who had the easiest of headers from a yard out.

Bent swivelled to knock in a late consolation on the stroke of 90 minutes and could have bagged another seconds later but was kept out by Krul.

But nothing could take away from the joy of the Newcastle fans at the final whistle, and the dismay of both the travelling Sunderland faithful and boss Steve Bruce.

He said: “We weren’t at the races today. I’m sorry for the fans who had to see us get beaten like that.

“I thought the red card was harsh but after the first half we were never in the game.”