Sissoko's brace sinks Chelsea as Newcastle produce a comeback win

Newcastle’s French revolution is in full swing as the Magpies grabbed successive wins for the first time in 11 months at the expense of Chelsea. Frenchman Moussa Sissoko, one of Alan Pardew’s long line of fresh French imports inspired the Tynesiders to victory as his brace turned the match in Newcastle’s favour after they had fallen behind on the hour mark.

Newcastle came into the game in buoyant fashion. Fresh faces and a first win in six against Aston Villa in midweek had rejuvenated the side and Alan Pardew named an unchanged line-up. This meant home debuts for Moussa Sissoko and Yoan Gouffran. For Chelsea it was a return to action for John Terry while Eden Hazard had to sit out serving the second game of his three match suspension for his part in the ball boy fiasco. Demba Ba made a return to his former preying ground in the blue of Chelsea.

The restored belief in the Newcastle side was evident from the get go as they dominated the midfield, but their wing-play left much to be desired. The first chance of the game fell the Londoner’s way as Ashley Cole pulled the ball back for an on rushing Frank Lampard who failed to compose himself and blasted the shot high and handsome on 14 minutes. The home side didn’t seem deterred by the sudden hole that had appeared and kept their foot on the throttle while Chelsea looked to answer on the counter.

An ambitious effort from Cabaye on 20 minutes was comfortably gathered by Petr Cech but by then Newcastle had tested the Czech goalkeeper on 3 occasions already. Attempts on goal came thick and fast as Cissé and Santon produced efforts of their own as the home side searched for the opener. Meanwhile, Chelsea failed to get their playmakers Mata,Oscar and Lampard involved in the game.

Just as Newcastle looked to get an iron-grip on the game, Ba was played through on goal by a delightful Lampard chipped through-ball. The ex-Newcastle striker who was welcomed to the sounds of boos and jeers on his return, was thwarted by a reflex save from Dutch international keeper Tim Krul; the rebound fell kindly to the head of Senegalese but headed wide. If that wasn’t painful enough, Ba was hit flush on the face as Newcastle skipper Fabricio Coloccini made a last ditch effort to prevent Chelsea from going in front. The impact left Ba’s face in a pool of blood and a broken nose to take back to London on his return.

Just a minute later Ba’s former strike partner Cissé missed a guilt-edged opportunity as a ricochet off an Yohan Cabaye shot fell kindly for him but his tame effort was easily gobbled up by an outstretched Petr Cech.

Newcastle finally got their deserved lead on the 41st minute as a wonderful Cabaye’s cross-field pass found Santon in an advanced position on the left. The Italian put in a delightful cross into the box for Jonas Gutierrez to head in. Gutierrez came in from the right and caught Terry napping as he had the running start on the Chelsea skipper. The score remained that way as the half time whistle blew.

The team that appeared in blue for the second half seemed like a completely different one from the first as Mata, Lampard and Oscar started to dictate play, finding pockets of spaces seemingly everywhere around the field. Newcastle however did well to smother any openings before they became ominous.

But on 55 minutes Frank Lampard struck again as he rifled in a shot from about 25 yards out that Krul didn’t have a prayer of saving. The Englishman’s strike meant he is now just 5 behind Bobby Tambling’s record as Chelsea’s leading goal scorer.

The game had swung on its head and six minutes later, Chelsea completed their comeback as Juan Mata whipped in a delightful curling effort, which sneaked in at the far post. At the hour mark it now stood Newcastle-1 Chelsea-2 with the Londoners seemingly beginning to push down the gears.

It was soon becoming the same old story for Newcastle fans, who had witnessed second half frailties from their too often. The fear was that the early endeavours would take its toll on the Newcastle side, especially their newbies. But this Newcastle isn’t the same that was playing a couple of weeks back. The Magpies didn’t take it lying down and went back on the front foot again as they searched for a way back into the game.

That path was provided by a mistake from John Terry on 68 minutes as he lunged in on Papiss Cissé near the half way line. The Senegalese coolly turned his man and played in Yoan Gouffran beyond the last defender. Though his shot was parried by Petr Cech, it fell kindly for their other home debutante Moussa Sissoko who kept his cool to slot home his first in black and white.

The crowd was back roaring the home side forward and it seemed Newcastle fed off that as Sissoko went on a rampaging run down the right hand side leaving Ashley Cole home and dry. The powerful pile-driver at the end of the run was effectively deflected by Petr Cech to safety.

The game was getting more and more stretched and the players were feeling the effect of the high octane pace at which the game had been played. As both team tried to look for the winner the holes at the back kept getting bigger and on the 90 minute mark Sissoko came back to have the last say in the contest.

Santon showed immense maturity to hold on to the ball as he broke on the left knowing that he didn’t have much in the box and pulled it back into the path of Moussa Sissoko. With a swing of his right, Sissoko capped off a memorable night for both him as well as the toon army. The shot left Cech wrong footed and helpless as Newcastle took the lead that would go on to prove decisive.

A tense final five minutes followed and Chelsea did get their chance at redemption but Geordie lad Steven Taylor blocked another thunderous Lampard effort to see Newcastle through to the finishing line.

Newcastle have won back-to-back league games for the first time since April last season and the first comeback win under Alan Pardew. For Chelsea the gap with leaders Manchester United and second placed Manchester City keeps getting wider and it seems now that the Blues will have to be satisfied with a fight for a place in next year’s Champions League.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: Krul; Debuchy, S.Taylor, Coloccini (c), Santon; Perch, Cabaye; Gouffran (Marveaux 83), Sissoko (Yanga-Mbiwa 90), Gutierrez; Cissé

CHELSEA: Cech, Ivanovic, Cole, Cahill, Terry, Bertrand, Ramires, Lampard, Mata, Oscar, Ba (Torres 41)

Attendance; 52,314