Newcastle picked up their first win since Boxing day as they defeated West Ham at Upton Park on Saturday. A brace from Yohan Cabaye and one from Loic Remy, provided Alan Pardew's side with a much needed boost after a tricky few weeks. For West Ham, the loss sees them slip back into the relegation places, a frustrating outcome for manager Sam Allardyce after his side victory over Cardiff last weekend. But, it is not all doom and gloom for the Hammers. If ever there was a game of two halves, it was this. Newcastle dominated the first 45, zipping the ball about with consummate ease and carving open their opponent on several occasions. A fortuitous own-goal on the stroke of half-time ensured that West Ham went in just 2-1 down. While the Magpies may have dominated the first half, the opposite occurred in the second. Allardyce's side rallied well, buoyed by the vocal home support and introduction of Andy Carroll. However they were unable to breakdown the stubborn visitors and with seconds remaining, Cabaye sealed the win with a delightful 20 yard free-kick. After such a fast-paced and action-packed match, WhatCulture takes a look back at the 90 minutes to see what we can learn from this encounter.
Simon is an NCTJ qualified sports journalist. He has conducted interviews with Tony Adams and Peter Shilton, while also having work published in The Daily Telegraph and The Sun. Follow him on Twitter via @sr_collings.
