Another home game, another loss, and another woeful performance from the Newcastle defense just about sums up Newcastle’s season so far - very frustrating and worrying.

For Bolton, a good hard earned 2-1 victory away from home, and the first win at St. James’ Park since 1959. The Allardyce magic continues as they go to third in the league. Sam’s done such a great job with Bolton with very few resources available - let’s hope he comes out of the bung scandal in one piece - he is a character we badly need in football.

The first half was well contested with Newcastle looking particularly solid and a penalty, well taken by Ameobi, after 19 minutes, separated the teams at the half. This was the first goal Bolton had conceded in the Premiership since the August game against Charlton Athletic. While the penalty seemed slightly fortuitous when Faye moved his hand to a ball well turned in by Obefemi Martins, Ameobi looked supremely confident as he sent Jussi Jaaskelaainen the wrong way.

Newcastle were doing what is needed to beat Bolton, first to the ball, harrying at every opportunity and they probably deserved their one goal lead at the interval. It really should have been two when Ramage, on 41 minutes, somehow managed to send the ball high and wide from 7 yards when it seemed so much easier to score.

The only scare Newcastle had in the first half was when Harper had to make 3 saves in quick succession to keep the clean sheet but this had been a good first half from a Newcastle side who needed a win desperately to get them back on track for the season.
However, as so often happens with Newcastle, they were unable to keep their lead. Right out of the blue, on 55 minutes, Diouf was alone in the six yard box to side foot home and it was 1-1. Anelka had easily beaten Carr out wide and then crossed to find Diouf all alone. It seemed so easy that one had to ask again where the Newcastle defense was.

Then before the home fans could get over their disappointment Newcastle were amazingly behind, when Diouf again found himself all alone on the six yard line to head home past a despairing Harper on 57 minutes.

After all the hard work to get ahead and contain Bolton, Newcastle had seemed to throw it all away with the defense again at fault. Two goals conceded that couldn’t have been easier from Bolton’s point of view.

To be fair to Bolton they again showed what a resilient and dangerous team they are and you just cannot turn off against them - otherwise they will punish you.

Newcastle chased the game after that - with little conviction. One worrying statistic from the game was that the crowd was a little over 48,000 - the lowest crowd for a league game in many a season. I have never known it be below 50,000 for a Premiership game, but this should act as a warning that the Newcastle fans are getting a little fed up with the defense continually giving away silly goals that have cost them so many points this season.

All areas in Newcastle’s defense - except the goalkeeper - need strengthening and already players like Distin, Neill, Upson and Bridge are being linked with possible moves to Newcastle.

After the debacle of the summer transfer window, we’ll just have to wait and see what players we will actually get in to toughen up our defense - the more the better.