Newcastle 3 Peterborough 1

THE curtain closed on yet another performance of a Comedy of Errors on Saturday, when themes of mistaken identity, madness, theft and demonic possession were mixed with farce.

Well that’s enough of Shakespeare’s fine comedy at the Theatre Royal, although it is hard to distinguish between Told by an Idiot’s excellent production and the comedy of errors portrayed by Newcastle’s bungling owner, Mike Ashley, and his mouthpiece, managing director, Derek Llambias.

The curtain was drawn on yet another turbulent and emotional week at St James’ Park with a convincing 3-1 home victory over struggling Peterborough United.

There were mass demonstrations before, during and after the Championship contest from fans angered by Ashley’s latest public relations gaffe, to rename St James’ Park.

The antipathy has not spread to the pitch and the fanatical following got behind their team and roared the Magpies to victory, while peppering the evocative afternoon with bitter songs aimed at Ashley’s two-year tenure.

Manager Chris Hughton captures perfectly Oscar Wilde’s epigram “talking without actually saying anything”.

In the current climate it is a refreshing juxtaposition to Llambias’ ill-informed comments.

He refused to be drawn on club politics when asked how supporters will remember the week of St James’ Parkgate.

The Newcastle boss, understandably, preferred to talk about football matters.

“I think what people will remember today is that we have a great support that got behind the team, and we won 3- 1, and all my thoughts and focuses are with that,” said the diplomatic manager after leading his side to a third consecutive triumph.

“We have a team that is focused on being at the right end of the table. We had a good start to the season and that gave us the momentum to believe we could sustain where we are at this particular time.

“It’s a good win but the most important thing is we have a team that is focused enough.

“We’re at the right end of the table, irrespective of Peterborough’s position in the league. They came and gave us a tough game.

“Even at 3-0 they’ve had their moments and could have scored another one. We still needed Steve Harper to make a couple of good saves for us.

There are no easy games for us. Every victory is a good victory.”

Hughton’s diplomacy and respect for Darren Ferguson’s strugglers is understandable but Posh are at the bottom of the Championship for a reason – they’re the worst side in the league.

But you can only beat what is put in front of you and Newcastle were purposeful in their task as they maintained a two-point cushion at the top of the table.

The Magpies scored three well-executed goals in arguably their most accomplished home performance of the campaign.

Jonas Gutierrez opened the scoring with a superb individual goal.

Running from inside his own half, and avoiding several challenges, he weaved into the box and produced a sucker punch to Joe Lewis from 12 yards. It was the Argentine’s first goal for the club since his move from RCD Mallorca 16 months ago.

Danny Simpson not only scored his premier goal for the club, when he netted the Magpies’ third, but his first in English senior football when he stepped inside Tommy Rowe and curled a beauty into the corner of the net.

Sandwiched inbetween those two goals is what is fast becoming Andy Carroll’s trademark – a bullet header from Danny Guthrie’s inswinging corner. Peterborough’s reply came via Dean Keates ten minutes from time after a goalmouth scramble.

Carroll looked ungainly, clumsy and off the pace when he was first introduced to the first team two years ago.

But while the 20-year-old striker is far from the finished article, this season could be the making of him. His first touch has improved, he’s starting to find the net more regularly and has shown he is no shrinking violet when standing up to Sheffield United hardman Chris Morgan last Monday.

Newcastle supporters are similarly standing up to a United bully boy, but it's still unclear whether the outcome will be resolved successfully or amicably.

In a Comedy of Errors, the play culminates in a happy resolution of the thematic conflict and everyone goes home contented. Unfortunately, for United followers, it appears as if we've just arrived at the midpoint stage of the drama and there will be several sinister plots and subplots to unravel before supporters will be able to welcome a similar luxury.

For United fans that is a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions.

Match facts

Goals:

1-0: Gutierrez (16, ran from the halfway line, avoiding several challenges before smashing the ball into the net from 15 yards)

2-0: Carroll (18, headed powerfully past goalkeeper from eight yards from Danny Guthrie’s corner)

3-0: Simpson (52, cut inside the 18 yard box and curled ball over the goalkeeper)

3-1: Keates (80, the midfielder struck from 12 yards following a goalmouth scramble)

Bookings: Bennett (87, foul)

Referee: Andy D’Urso (Billericay) – allowed play to ebb and flow without too much incident 8

Attendance: 43,067

Entertainment: ✰✰✰✰

NEWCASTLE UNITED: (4-4-2):

8 Harper: Handling and shot stopping was confident and pulled off three important saves in the second half;

8 Simpson: Capped a fine display with a superb goal

7 Coloccini: No real problems for the Argentine defender

8 S Taylor: The Geordie lionheart strolled through the game as if he’d never been away

7 Enrique: Worked hard and much improved from previous performances;

7 Guthrie: Asked to switch wings when Gutierrez went off injured and filled in comfortably

7 Nolan: Didn’t find his range but still pulled strings in the centre of midfield

8 Smith: Bossed the middle of the park as if it was playing in his own back garden;

7 Gutierrez: A sparkling 20 minute cameo cut short by a thigh strain;

6 Harewood: A much better performance from the on loan striker

8 CARROLL: If the big target man carries on like this he’ll be a Premier League striker by the end of the season

Subs

R Taylor (for Gutierrez 22): Was guilty of showboating 5 Ranger (for Harewood 78) Lovenkrands (for Carroll 78) (not used) Krul, Butt, Kadar, Donaldson, Geremi

PETERBOROUGH UNITED (4-5-1): Lewis 6; Lee 4, Morgan 5, Bennett 5, Rowe 4; Whelpdale 5 ( Batt 76), KEATES 6, Diagouraga 4 (Coutts 45, 5), Boyd 5, Rose 4 (McLean 45, 5); Mackail-Smith 5.

Subs (not used): Amos (gk), Martin, Zakuani, Frecklington

MAN OF THE MATCH

ANDY Carroll – gets better with every outing.