Newcastle hold off Hull fightback to end Tigers’ unbeaten run

Following a heavy defeat away at Leeds on Monday, Newcastle were determined to respond in front of their own supporters. Their task carried an awkward historical edge, too: the Magpies had never beaten Hull at home in the Premier League. But any early anxiety disappeared in a blistering opening spell.

Match highlight

Newcastle took the lead after Harvey Barnes threaded a precise pass into Joe Willock inside the penalty area. The midfielder controlled the ball before firing an emphatic finish into the near corner, giving the home side the ideal platform.

The advantage was doubled just minutes later. Barnes was again at the heart of the move, receiving possession in midfield before driving directly at Hull’s defence. His pass found Lewis Hall, who kept his composure to send a low effort into the far corner and spark huge celebrations around St James’ Park.

Hull were fortunate not to be handed a route back into the game in the 15th minute when Newcastle goalkeeper Lukáš Horníček played a pass straight to Mohamed Belloumi. However, the Algerian forward could not react quickly enough to capitalise on the unexpected opportunity.

The visitors eventually slowed Newcastle’s attacking rhythm but struggled to test Horníček before the interval. 

Newcastle should have made the scoreline even more comfortable just before half-time when Sorba Thomas was penalised for pulling Jacob Murphy’s shirt inside the area. Yoane Wissa stepped up, but Konstantinos Tzolakis made an excellent save to keep the penalty out.

Hull head coach Sergej Jakirovic turned to his bench in search of a response, and the substitutions brought a new edge to the visitors’ play. 

In the 67th minute, Belloumi produced a superb pass for Mohamed-Ali Cho, who had been on the pitch for fewer than five minutes. Cho struck the post before seeing the ball cross the line, reducing the deficit and setting up a nervy final phase.

Hull pushed hard for an equaliser, with Horníček producing a crucial stop to deny Belloumi before Tim Iroegbunam fired over the bar. Newcastle, though, showed enough defensive resolve to see the match through.

The win extends Newcastle’s unbeaten home league run to six matches, comprising four victories and two draws. Both sides head into the international break on eight points from five games — a promising return that few would have predicted before the season began. 

For Hull, however, the loss ends their unexpected unbeaten run and denies them a place in Premier League history.