Magpies foil Foxes

Flowers kept Leicester in the game until the final minute

Newcastle 1-0 Leicester

Leicester came close to halting their disastrous run of Premiership losses at St James' Park.

But their luck ran out in stoppage time as Carl Cort's last gasp shot was deflected by Gary Rowett past Tim Flowers.

It was tough on the former England keeper, whose succession of fine saves had kept the vistors in the game for so long.

I am not very happy because of the run we are in, but I am proud of the way my players performed. It just makes me more determined to succeed

  Peter Taylor

But Newcastle deserved the points, having created all the best chances. It was also their first clean sheet in 30 games.

Peter Taylor's team have now lost eight successive Premiership matches - an unwanted club record.

The visitors must have thought a point was within their grasp, thanks mainly to Flowers, back in place of Simon Royce.

His best stop came early in the second half as he tipped a point-blank header from Christian Bassedas onto the bar after Stephen Glass had delivered the cross.

Limited

A dive to his right in the 76th minute stopped a 22-yard free-kick from Gary Speed, who was making his Premiership record 318th appearance.

In between Newcastle attacks, Leicester had precious little to offer up front, countering mainly through the hard-running but limited Ade Akinbiyi.

Speed: New Premiership appearance record

He fashioned a chance for Arnar Gunnlaugsson in the 70th minute, but the Icelander's tame effort was easily saved by Shay Given.

Cort should have put Newcastle ahead in the 84th minute when he rose unmarked for Shola Ameobi's cross, but he somehow managed to head over the bar.

It was one-way traffic in the first half as Newcastle exploited Leicester's obvious lack of confidence after their poor run.

Kevin Gallacher nearly opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a turn and shot inside the Leicester box, but was denied by Flowers' fingertip touch onto the post.

The home side were in total control, aided by some wayward passing and poor clearances from Leicester whose defence constantly looked vulnerable.

It was turning into the Tim Flowers show. It was a marvellous performance by a top class keeper - everyone on our bench marvelled at the saves he made

  Newcastle coach Mick Wadsworth

Speed picked up a poor Rowett clearance and shot just wide from 20 yards on 17 minutes.

Eight minutes later, Flowers saved from a prone position to deny the lively Gallacher again.

His striking partner, Cort, sent a dipping 20-yarder over the bar in the 28th minute, then forced Flowers to save low to his right from just outside the area in the 36th.

But Cort made amends for his misses in the 90th minute as Flowers was finally beaten.

The season cannot end soon enough for Leicester.

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Newcastle: Given, Barton, O'Brien, Dabizas, Quinn, Acuna, Bassedas, Speed, Glass, Cort, Gallacher. Subs: Harper, Cordone, Hughes, Ameobi, Lua-Lua.

Leicester: Flowers, Impey, Davidson, Rowett, Marshall, Delaney, Lewis, Jones, Guppy, Akinbiyi, Sturridge. Subs: Royce, Gunnlaugsson, Dudfield, Benjamin, Oakes.

Referee: G Poll (Tring)