Football – Newcastle United scored four goals in 11 first-half minutes to keep alive their Champions League qualification hopes with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Nottingham Forest at St James’ Park yesterday but had to hold on under heavy pressure in the second period.
Newcastle move into fifth place with 44 points from 26 games, outside the top four on goal difference only. High-flying Forest lost for the second week in a row but remain in third with 47 points from the same number of matches.
Forest led early through Callum Hudson-Odoi’s long-range strike but Newcastle roared into life with four quick goals from 18-year-old Lewis Miley, Jacob Murphy and a brace from Alexander Isak, the first a penalty, which gave them a 4-1 halftime lead.
Forest were the better side in the second period and created numerous chances against a nervous home team, as Nikola Milenkovic netted and a late goal by Ryan Yates almost earned the visitors what would have been a deserved point.
It was the proverbial game of two halves, with Newcastle utterly dominant in the first but then meek in the second.
Forest led inside six minutes when Hudson-Odoi drilled a low shot from 30 metres into the bottom left corner, before Newcastle seized control with a goal blitz that started midway through the first half.
Miley was picked out in acres of space in the penalty box and fired low into the net, before the home side went ahead when Murphy bundled in the ball at the back post off his thigh.
Newcastle received a penalty when Lewis Hall’s cross from the left struck the arm of jumping Forest defender Ola Aina, which was deemed to be in an unnatural position.
Isak went down the middle with his spot kick and while Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels got a strong hand to it, he could not keep out the ball.
The home side added a fourth with Isak scoring his 50th Premier League goal in his 76th appearance.
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