Anichebe ends goal drought

Nigerian international, Victor Anichebe has ended his month-long goal drought in the colours of West Bromwich Albion as he fired the Baggies to a one-all draw against Newcastle at Saint James’ Park on Saturday.

West Brom managed to withstand the pressure and went on to strike first blood just after the half-hour mark, Anichebe making the most of the Magpies’ weakness at set pieces to nod home from Gardner’s delivery.

Earlier in the game, the hosts were quickest off the starting blocks as Moussa Sissoko strode forward towards the edge of the West Brom box before firing over the top.

Newcastle then suffered a scare in the eighth minute when Craig Dawson met Craig Gardner’s corner with a downward header that cannoned off the post, Ryan Taylor then diving in the way of Youssouf Mulumbu’s follow-up.

John Carver’s charges soon imposed themselves on the game and had a penalty shout turned down when Remy Cabella was felled in the West Brom box, while a scramble in the same area saw Joleon Lescott clear off the line.

With Newcastle facing the prospect of slipping into the bottom three, they rallied round and duly equalised in the 42nd minute when Ayoze Perez stroked a half-volley into the bottom corner beyond Boaz Myhill.

The Baggies came within a whisker of regaining their lead just after the restart, but Gardner’s volley from a cross was miskicked and the effort flew past the post.

Newcastle, however, upped the tempo and enjoyed a dominant spell where they had Hull under the cosh, albeit stopping short of threatening Myhill’s goal.

The pendulum soon swung back the way of West Brom as Chris Brunt fired an instinctive volley against the bar, while Tim Krul had to be alert to save from the feet of an onrushing Saido Berahino.

Both sides then had a late flurry of chances in the latter stages of the game, but ultimately neither could force a winner as Newcastle remain just outside the Premier League drop zone and West Brom sit 13th.