Newcastle run amok after Barnsley lose Steele and discipline

Inspired by insidiously inventive performances from Peter Lovenkrands, Danny Guthrie and Jonás Gutiérrez, Newcastle United not only reinforced their position at the top of the Championship but threatened to score almost every time they attacked. While Chris Hughton's team were certainly helped by the 43rd-minute red card Luke Steele, Barnsley's goalkeeper, received for a perceived professional foul on Lovenkrands, the Danish winger turned forward had already done much to destabilise Mark Robins's team before winning the penalty. It opened the floodgates and with Guthrie – who, like Lovenkrands, scored twice – controlling central midfield as Gutiérrez ran riot on the wing, Barnsley were steamrollered into submission. "The sending off was pivotal," said Robins, accusing Lovenkrands of diving. "My goalkeeper told me he made no contact but the referee has covered himself by saying even an attempt to trip is a foul if it causes a loss of balance." Off trudged Steele, leaving Barnsley's 10 men looking as miserable as the Tyneside weather on a bitter, damp, gloves on, hoods up, sort of day. "Our heads went down in the second half and it became embarrassing," added Robins. "It wasn't a good experience but, without a shadow of a doubt, Newcastle are the division's best side." Initially, though, a combination of erratic crosses and resilient defending kept his always stretched side in it, even if Andy Carroll should have scored after connecting with Fabrice Pancrate's centre. Another cross, from Danny Simpson, brought Kevin Nolan steaming into the box on of his typical late advances but Bobby Hassell proved alert to the danger, swiping the ball to safety. Yet when Lovenkrands – who earlier saw a goal rightly disallowed for offside – accelerated on to Pancrate's clever through ball, Hassell and company were finally confounded and a penalty was awarded after Steele seemed to fell the Dane. The keeper could find himself facing further FA sanction after initially refusing to accept his red card and appearing to push Grant Hegley, the referee, as he argued his case. Eventually Steele departed, Robins replaced Anderson De Silva with the substitute keeper Dave Preece and the latter's first act was to watch helplessly as Lovenkrands's penalty kick flashed past him. The second half begun with Barnsley's Stephen Foster passing to Carroll on the left of Newcastle's area. The grateful centre-forward duly crossed for Lovenkrands to once again beat Preece, this time with a header. "I signed Peter because he could play in three places, left-wing, right-wing and up front," said Hughton. "But he always said striker was his best position." The visitors were still regrouping when Lovenkrands jinked beyond his marker before pulling the ball back for Guthrie to beat Preece with a superb, 20-yard shot from outside the area. Number four arrived when Gutiérrez sashayed down the left unimpeded before cutting inside and sending a sublime 25-yard strike past Preece that crashed in off the crossbar's underside. At Real Mallorca Gutiérrez marked goals by whipping out a Spider-Man mask of either shorts or socks and pulling it over his face. A lack of recent proficiency in the finishing department has meant such celebrations have been conspicuous by their absence at Newcastle but, finally, the Argentina international enjoyed a chance to race around the pitch as a masked man. That red headpiece had barely been removed before Guthrie's free-kick made it five. The tally rose to six thanks to Nolan's calm rounding of Preece before the Barnsley substitute Daniel Bogdanovic's shot supplied a footnote singularly lacking in consolatory powers. The Fan's Verdict Was it a good match? The second half was very good. The game changed after the penalty went in and their keeper was sent off. Barnsley were doing OK until that point and it was fairly even. We scored five really good goals after the break. Sometimes teams dig in when they have 10 men but that wasn't the case here and Newcastle made the most out of having the extra man. Who played well/who had a nightmare? Danny Guthrie played well in central midfield and was my MOTM. Peter Lovenkrands scored two great goals. Jonas Gutierrez finally got to wear his Spiderman mask. David Holmes, Observer reader To take part in the Fans' Verdict, email [email protected]