Newcastle United 1-0 Wigan - Match Report

Newcastle left it late again but it was a deadly strike on the 80th minute from impressive French international midfielder Yohan Cabaye 20 yards out that secured all three points for the home side as The Geordies amazing start to the campaign continues. It was Cabaye's first goal for the club and capped off what was a nervy but deserving win for Newcastle who remain in the top four and their unbeaten run in all competitions stretches to 14 games. For the most part it was a tight encounter between two hard working sides but Newcastle had more possession throughout and it was just a lack of quality in the final third that let United down. Gabriel Obertan looked lively but too often clumsy and wasteful. Leon Best showed some good skills and had Newcastle's best chance of the first half with a downward header but couldn't find the killer blow and an over the top challenge saw him cautioned and then subbed at half time. His replacement Hatem Ben Arfa was causing problems and hit a great strike that had Wigan 'keeper Al-Habsi stretched but too often he found himself running into the brick wall of Wigan's dogged defending. But when the breakthrough game it was a curling strike to remember from Cabaye and the game Alan Pardew said was one Newcastle had to win, they did. Once again his changes in the second half made the difference as United's new found pace and energy from Ben Arfa and especially Sylvain Marveaux was too much for Wigan to handle. Roberto Martinez's men now crash to their sixth successive defeat and will rue the chances missed from Victor Moses (who forced Krul into another great save) and Hugo Rodallega in the first third of the game.