Derbyshire gifts Rovers win

Matt Derbyshire continued Newcastle's dismal start under Kevin Keegan as Blackburn grabbed a commendable smash and grab victory over the Toon at St. James' Park.

Newcastle almost got off to the perfect start in the third minute when James Milner reached the byline and pulled the ball back for former Ewood Park favourite Damien Duff, but Andre Ooijer was able to block his shot and the ball ran just wide of goal.

Six minutes later Milner clipped a ball into the box which was headed narrowly over by Alan Smith, without a goal in 28 United appearances.

With 20 minutes gone Pedersen made a well-timed block to deflect a shot from Duff after Owen skipped past defender Zurab Khizanishvili and rolled the ball across the box.

Khizanishvili flashed a header just wide from a David Bentley corner in the 43rd minute and Steve Harper saved superbly from Ooijer on the stroke of half-time.

Neither manager made a change for the second half and United had the upper hand in the early stages, with Smith going closest after turning Samba on the edge of the box and shooting wide.

In the 56th minute it was Owen who almost opened the scoring, with Friedel tipping his header over his crossbar from point-blank range.

Arguably the game's biggest talking point came next, with Pedersen and Beye squaring up to each other and sparking a 12-man tussle next to the dugouts, which led to both being booked. The pair were lucky to stay on the pitch.

Worse was to come for Beye and his team in the 90th minute, when Pedersen took possession from a United corner and played the ball upfield to Bentley on the right.

With Beye out of position, he easily found Derbyshire, who had raced upfield. He kept his cool to beat Harper and condemn Newcastle to a fifth home defeat of the campaign.