2010 ELECTION RESULT
LAB 258 (-90)
CON 307 (+97)
LD 57 (-6)
OTH 28 (-1)
All 650seats declared.
*Revised Exit poll: LAB 255 CON 305 LD 61 OTH 29
*CON short of a majority of 21 seats
NORTH
2010: LAB 28(-3) CON 4(+2) LD 3(+1)
Seats after 2005 election: Lab 31, Con 2, LD 2
Labour
Barrow and Furness
Bishop Auckland
Blaydon
Blyth Valley
Copeland
Darlington
Durham, City of
Durham North
Durham North West
Easington
Gateshead
Hartlepool
Houghton and Sunderland South
Jarrow
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough South and Cleveland East
Newcastle upon Tyne Central
Newcastle upon Tyne East
Newcastle upon Tyne North
Sedgefield
South Shields
Stockton North
Sunderand Central
Tynemouth
Tyneside North
Wansbeck
Washington and Sunderland West
Workington
Liberal Democrats
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Redcar - LD gain from Lab
Westmorland and Lonsdale
Conservatives
Carlisle - CON gain from Lab
Hexham
Penrith and The Border
Stockton South - CON gain from Lab
LANCASHIRE/MANCHESTER
2010: LAB 41(-7) CON 12(+7) LD 5(-)
Seats after 2005 election: Lab 48, Con 5, LD 5
Labour
Ashton under Lyne
Birkenhead
Blackburn
Blackley and Broughton
Blackpool South
Bolton North East
Bolton South East
Bolton West
Bootle
Bury South
Chorley
Denton and Reddish
Garston and Halewood
Heywood and Middleton
Hyndburn
Knowsley
Lancashire West
Leigh
Liverpool Riverside
Liverpool Walton
Liverpool Wavertree
Liverpool West Derby
Makerfield
Manchester Central
Manchester Gorton
Oldham East and Saddleworth
Oldham West and Royton
Preston
Rochdale
St Helens South and Whiston
St Helens North
Salford and Eccles
Sefton Central
Stalybridge and Hyde
Stretford and Urmston
Stockport
Wallasey
Wigan
Wirral South
Worsley and Eccles South
Wythenshawe and Sale East
Liberal Democrats
Burnley - LD gain from Lab
Cheadle
Hazel Grove
Manchester Withington
Southport
Conservatives
Altrincham and Sale West
Blackpool North and the Cleveleys - CON gain from Lab
Bury North - CON gain from Lab
Fylde
Lancaster and Fleetwood - CON gain from Lab
Morecambe and Lunesdale - CON gain from Lab
Pendle - CON gain from Lab
Ribble South - CON gain from Lab
Ribble Valley
Rossendale and Darwen - CON gain from Lab
Wirral West
Wyre and Preston North
YORKSHIRE/HUMBER/LINCOLNSHIRE
2010: LAB 32(-10) CON 26(+11) LD 3(-1)
Seats after 2005 election: Lab 42, Con 15, LD 4
Labour
Barnsley Central
Barnsley East
Batley and Spen
Bradford South
Bradford West
Doncaster Central
Doncaster North
Don Valley
Great Grimsby
Halifax
Hemsworth
Huddersfield
Hull East
Hull North
Hull West and Hessle
Leeds Central
Leeds East
Leeds North East
Leeds West
Morley and Outwood
Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford
Penistone and Stocksbridge
Rotherham
Rother Valley
Scunthorpe
Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough
Sheffield Central
Sheffield Heeley
Sheffield South East
Wakefield
Wentworth and Dearne
York Central
Conservatives
Beverley and Holderness
Boston and Skegness
Brigg and Goole - CON gain from Lab
Calder Valley - CON gain from Lab
Cleethorpes - CON gain from Lab
Colne Valley - CON gain from Lab
Dewsbury - CON gain from Lab
Elmet and Rothwell - CON gain from Lab
Gainsborough
Grantham and Stamford
Haltemprice and Howden
Harrogate and Knaresborough - CON gain from LD
Keighley - CON gain from Lab
Lincoln - CON gain from Lab
Louth and Horncastle
Pudsey - CON gain from Lab
Richmond
Scarborough and Whitby
Selby and Ainsty
Shipley
Skipton and Ripon
Sleaford and North Hykeham
South Holland and The Deepings
Thirsk and Malton
York Outer - CON gain from LD
Yorkshire East
Liberal Democrats
Bradford East - LD gain from Lab
Leeds North West
Sheffield Hallam
WEST MIDLANDS/STAFFS/SHROPS
2010: LAB 28(-14) CON 35(+15) LD 1 (-) Oth 0(-1)
Seats after 2005 election: Lab 42, Con 20, LD 1, Oth 1
Labour
Birmingham Edgbaston
Birmingham Erdington
Birmingham Hall Green
Birmingham Hodge Hill
Birmingham Ladywood
Birmingham Northfield
Birmingham Perry Barr
Birmingham Selly Oak
Birmingham Yardley
Coventry North East
Coventry North West
Coventry South
Dudley North
Ellesmere Port and Neston
Halton
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Stoke-on-Trent Central
Stoke-on-Trent North
Stoke-on-Trent South
Telford
Walsall North
Walsall South
Warley
Warrington North
West Bromwich East
West Bromwich West
Wolverhampton North East
Wolverhampton South East
Conservatives
Aldridge-Brownhills
Bromsgrove
Burton - CON gain from Lab
Cannock Chase - CON gain from Lab
Chester, City of - CON gain from Lab
Congleton
Crewe and Nantwich - CON gain from Lab
Dudley South - CON gain from Lab
Eddisbury
Halesowen and Rowley Ridge - CON gain from Lab
Hereford and South Herefordshire - CON gain from Lab
Herefordshire North
Lichfield
Ludlow
Macclesfield
Meriden
Redditch - CON gain from Lab
Shrewsbury and Atcham
Shropshire North
Stafford - CON gain from Lab
Staffordshire Moorlands
Stafforshire South
Stone
Stourbridge - CON gain from Lab
Sutton Coldfield
Tamworth - CON gain from Lab
Tatton
Warrington South - CON gain from Lab
Weaver Vale - CON gain from Lab
Wolverhampton South West - CON gain from Lab
Worcester - CON gain from Lab
Worcestershire Mid
Worcestershire West
Wrekin, The
Wyre Forest - CON gain from Ind
Liberal Democrats
Solihull - LD gain from Con
EAST MIDLANDS
2010: LAB 15(-10) CON 23 (+11) LD 0(-1)
Seats after 2005 election: Lab 25, Con 12, LD 1
Labour
Ashfield
Bassetlaw
Bolsover
Chesterfield - LAB gain from LD
Derby North
Derby South
Derbyshire North East
Gedling
Leicester East
Leicester South
Leicester West
Mansfield
Nottingham East
Nottingham North
Nottingham South
Conservatives
Amber Valley - CON gain from Lab
Bosworth
Broxtowe - CON gain from Lab
Charnwood
Derbyshire Dales
Derbyshire Mid
Derbyshire South - CON gain from Lab
Erewash - CON gain from Lab
Harborough
High Peak - CON gain from Lab
Kenilworth and Southam
Leicestershire North West - CON gain from Lab
Leicestershire South
Loughborough - CON gain from Lab
Newark
Nuneaton - CON gain from Lab
Rugby
Rushcliffe
Rutland and Melton
Sherwood - CON gain from Lab
Stratford-on-Avon
Warwick and Leamington - CON gain from Lab
Warwickshire North - CON gain from Lab
SOUTH WEST
2010: LAB 6(-8) CON 40(+13) LD 15(-5)
Seats after 2005 election: Lab 14, Con 27, LD 20
Labour
Bristol East
Bristol South
Exeter
Oxford East
Plymouth Moor View
Somerset North East
Conservatives
Banbury
Bournemouth East
Bournemouth West
Bridgwater and West Somerset
Bristol North West - CON gain from Lab
Camborne and Redruth - CON gain from LD
Christchurch
Cornwall North - CON gain from LD
Cornwall South East - CON gain from LD
Cotswolds, The
Devizes
Devon Central
Devon East
Devon South West
Dorset North
Dorset South - CON gain from Lab
Dorset West
Filton and Bradley Stoke
Forest of Dean
Gloucester - CON gain from Lab
Henley
Kingswood - CON gain from Lab
Newton Abbot - CON gain from Lab
Oxford West and Abingdon - CON gain from Lab
Plymouth Sutton and Devonport - CON gain from Lab
Poole
Salisbury
Somerset North
Stroud - CON gain from Lab
Swindon North - CON gain from Lab
Swindon South - CON gain from Lab
Tewkesbury
Tiverton and Honiton
Totnes
Truro and Falmouth - CON gain from Lab
Wantage
Weston-Super-Mare
Wiltshire North
Wiltshire South West
Witney
Liberal Democrats
Bath
Bristol West
Cheltenham
Chippenham
Devon North
Devon West and Torridge
Dorset Mid and Poole North
St Austell and Newquay
St Ives
Somerton and Frome
Taunton Deane
Thornbury and Yate
Torbay
Wells - LD gain from Con
Yeovil
SOUTH AND SOUTH EAST
2010: LAB 3(-10) CON 63(+10) LD 4(-1) GRN 1(+1)
Seats after 2005 election: Lab 13, Con 52, LD 6
Labour
Southampton Itchen
Southampton Test
Slough
Conservatives
Aldershot
Arundel and South Downs
Ashford
Basingstoke
Bexhill and Battle
Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
Bracknell
Brighton Kemptown - CON gain from Lab
Cantebury
Chatham and Aylesford - CON gain from Lab
Chichester
Crawley - CON gain from Lab
Dartford - CON gain from Lab
Dover - CON gain from Lab
Epsom and Ewell
Esher and Walton
Fareham
Faversham and Kent Mid
Folkstone and Hythe
Gillingham and Rainham - CON gain from Lab
Gosport
Gravesham
Guildford
Hampshire East
Hampshire North East
Hampshire North West
Hastings and Rye - CON gain from Lab
Havant
Horsham
Hove - CON gain from Lab
Isle of Wight
Maidenhead
Maidstone and The Weald
Meon Valley
Mole Valley
Newbury
New Forest East
New Forest West
Portsmouth North - CON gain from Lab
Reading East
Reading West - CON gain from Lab
Reigate
Rochester and Strood
Romsey and Southampton North - CON gain from LD
Runnymede and Weybridge
Sevenoaks
Sittingbourne and Sheppey
Spelthorne
Surrey East
Surrey Heath
Surrey South West
Sussex Mid
Thanet North
Thanet South
Tonbridge and Malling
Tunbridge Wells
Wealden
Winchester - CON gain from LD
Windsor
Woking
Wokingham
Worthing East and Shoreham
Worthing West
Liberal Democrats
Eastbourne - LD gain from Con
Eastleigh
Lewes
Portsmouth South
Green
Brighton Pavilion - GRN gain from Lab
EAST OF ENGLAND
2010: LAB 2(-16) CON 66(+15) LD 4(+1)
Seats after 2005 election: Lab 18, Con 51 LD 3
Labour
Luton North
Luton South
Conservatives
Aylesbury
Basildon and Billericay
Basildon South and East - CON gain from Lab
Beaconsfield
Bedford - CON gain from Lab
Bedfordshire Mid
Bedfordshire North East
Bedfordshire South West
Braintree
Brentwood and Ongar
Broadland
Broxbourne
Buckingham
Bury St Edmunds
Cambridgeshire North East
Cambridgeshire North West
Cambridgeshire South
Cambridgeshire South East
Castle Point
Chelmsford
Chesham and Amersham
Clacton
Corby - CON gain from Lab
Daventry
Epping Forest
Great Yarmouth - CON gain from Lab
Harlow - CON gain from Lab
Harwich and North Essex
Hemel Hempstead
Herford and Stortford
Hertfordshire North East
Hertfordshire South West
Hertsmere
Hitchin and Harpenden
Huntingdon
Ipswich - CON gain from Lab
Kettering
Maldon
Milton Keynes North - CON gain from Lab
Milton Keynes South - CON gain from Lab
Norfolk Mid
Norfolk North West
Norfolk South
Norfolk South West
Northampton North - CON gain from Lab
Northampton South - CON gain from Lab
Northamptonshire South
Norwich North - CON gain from Lab
Peterborough
Rayleigh and Wickford
Rochford and Southend East
St Albans
Saffron Walden
Southend West
Stevenage - CON gain from Lab
Suffolk Central and Ipswich North
Suffolk Coastal
Suffolk South
Suffolk West
Thurrock - CON gain from Lab
Watford - CON gain from Lab
Waveney - CON gain from Lab
Wellingborough
Welwyn Hatfield
Witham
Wycombe
Liberal Democrats
Cambridge
Colchester
Norfolk North
Norwich South - LD gain from Lab
GREATER LONDON
2010: LAB 37(-6) CON 28(+7) LD 8(-) OTH 0(-1)
Seats after 2005 election: Lab 43, Con 21, LD 8, Oth 1
Labour
Barking
Bethnal Green and Bow - LAB gain from Respect
Brent North
Camberwell and Peckham
Croydon North
Dagenham and Rainham
Dulwich and West Norwood
Ealing North
Ealing Southall
East Ham
Edmonton
Eltham
Erith and Thamesmead
Feltham and Heston
Greenwich and Woolwich
Hackney North and Stoke Newington
Hackney South and Shoreditch
Hammersmith
Harrow West
Hayes and Harlington
Holborn and St Pancras
Ilford South
Islington North
Islington South and Finsbury
Lewisham Deptford
Lewisham East
Lewisham West and Penge
Leyton and Wanstead
Mitcham and Morden
Poplar and Limehouse
Streatham
Tooting
Tottenham
Vauxhall
Walthamstow
West Ham
Westminster North
Conservatives
Battersea - CON gain from Lab
Beckhenham
Bexleyheath and Crayford
Brentford and Isleworth - CON gain from Lab
Bromley and Chislehurst
Chelsea and Fulham
Chingford and Woodford Green
Chipping Barnet
Cities of London and Westminster
Croydon Central - CON gain from Lab
Croydon South
Ealing Central and Acton - CON gain from Lab
Enfield North
Enfield Southgate
Finchley and Golders Green
Harrow East - CON gain from Lab
Hendon - CON gain from Lab
Hornchurch and Upminster
Ilford North
Old Bexley and Sidcup
Orpington
Putney
Kensington
Richmond Park - CON gain from LD
Romford
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
Uxbridge and South Ruislip
Wimbledon
Liberal Democrats
Bermondsey and Old Southwark
Brent Central - LD gain from Lab
Carshalton and Wallington
Hampstead and Kilburn
Hornsey and Wood Green
Kingston and Surbiton
Sutton and Cheam
Twickenham
SCOTLAND
2010: LAB 41(-), CON 1(-), LD 10(-), SNP 6(-)
Seats after 2005 election: Lab 41, Con 1, LD 10, SNP 6
Labour
Aberdeen North
Aberdeen South
Airdrie and Shotts
Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
Ayrshire Central
Ayrshire North and Arran
Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintillock East
Dumfries and Galloway
Dunbartonshire West
Dundee West
Dunfermline and West Fife
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
East Lothian
Edinburgh East
Edinburgh North and Leith
Edinburgh South
Edinburgh South West
Falkirk
Glasgow Central
Glasgow East
Glasgow North
Glasgow North East
Glasgow North West
Glasgow South
Glasgow South West
Glenrothes
Inverclyde
Kilmarnock and Loudoun
Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
Lanark and Hamilton East
Linlithgow and East Falkirk
Livingston
Midlothian
Motherwell and Wishaw
Ochil and South Perthshire
Paisley and Renfrewshire North
Paisley and Renfrewshire South
Renfrewshire East
Rutherglen and Hamilton West
Stirling
Liberal Democrats
Argyll and Bute
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross
Dunbartonshire East
Edinburgh West
Fife North East
Gordon
Inverness Nairn Badenoch and Strathspey
Orkney and Shetland
Ross Skye and Lochaber
Scottish National Party
Angus
Banff and Bucha
Dundee East
Moray
Na h-Eileanan An Iar (Western Isles)
Perth and North Perthshire
Conservatives
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
WALES
2010: LAB 26(-4) CON 8(+5) LD 3(-1) PC 3(+1) OTH 0(-1)
Seats after 2005 election: Lab 30, Con 3, LD 4, PC 2, Oth 1
Labour
Aberavon
Alyn and Deeside
Blaenau Gwent - LAB gain from Ind
Bridgend
Caerphilly
Cardiff South and Penarth
Cardiff West
Clwyd Souh
Cynon Valley
Delyn
Gower
Islwyn
Llanelli
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
Neath
Newport East
Newport West
Ogmore
Pontypridd
Rhondda
Swansea East
Swansea West
Torfaen
Vale of Clwyd
Wrexham
Ynys Mon
Liberal Democrats
Brecon and Radnorshire
Cardiff Central
Ceredigion
Plaid Cymru
Arfon - PC gain from Lab
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
Dwyfro Meirionnydd
Conservatives
Aberconwy - CON gain from Lab
Cardiff North - CON gain from Lab
Carmarthen West - CON gain from Lab
Clwyd West
Monmouth
Montgomeryshire - CON gain from LD
Preseli Pembrokeshire
Vale of Glamorgan - CON gain from Lab
NORTHERN IRELAND
2010: DUP 8(-1) SF 5(-) SDLP 3(-) UUP 0(-1) AP(+1) Ind(+1)
Seats after 2005 election: DUP 9, SF 5 SDLP 3, UUP 1
Democratic Unionists
Antrim East
Antrim North
Antrim South
Belfast North
Lagan Valley
Londonderry East
Strangford
Upper Bann
Sinn Fein
Belfast West
Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Newry and Armagh
Tyrone West
Ulster Mid
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Belast South
Down South
Foyle
Alliance Party
Belfast East - Alliance Party gain from DUP
Independent
Down North - Independent gain fron UUP
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Newcastle United promotion review 2009-10 - Dignity restored
NEWCASTLE UNITED players made an ultimately appropriate choice when selecting their dressing room theme tune for this season last summer.
'Dignity', by Deacon Blue, is exactly what has been restored to the club after a tremendous title-winning campaign of 30 wins, 90 goals and 102 points.
Other notable achievements included:
*The only unbeaten home record in English professional football in 2009-10, and something not done at St James Park since 1906-07,
*Records in the Championship for the highest single attendance (52,181) and the highest average attendance (43,384)
*A club record for the number of clean sheets (22) in a season, and
*A club record unbeaten run of 17 games which lasted until the end of the season, beating the previous record of 15, also made during 2009-10.
There were 17 different scorers in the league with four players reaching double figures. Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan were joint-top league scorers with 17 goals, and local lad Carroll was the overall top scorer with 19 league and cup goals.
The success is a far cry from the bitter taste left by relegation which prompted me to write a scathing post about the ills of the club almost 12 months ago.
A troubled pre-season had done little to lift to gloom over Tyneside. On the field, a brawl at Huddersfield Town was followed by a 6-1 drubbing at Leyton Orient which led to certain senior players taking charge of the dressing room.
Off the field, owner Mike Ashley had put the club up for sale for a second time, and he was refusing to speak to Alan Shearer over the club legend's wish to become manager.
It was undertstandable, then, that Newcastle fans approached the club's first season in the second tier since 1992-93 with some trepidation.
A good start was vital but even the fixtures computer seemed to lack much sympathy, sending United to the Hawthorns for an opening day against West Bromwich Albion.
The Baggies may have finished below United in the previous season's Premier League but only just. Also, as a yo-yo club, they were far better prepared to deal with the pain of relegation.
The BBC cameras were rolling but the country failed to witness a Newcastle meltdown, as Damien Duff's equaliser was enough to secure a 1-1 draw.
Shortly afterwards, Duff signed for Fulham for £2.5m. But, while Oba Martins and Michael Owen also unsurprisingly departed, United had retained, relatively speaking, a strong squad for the division.
One player who seemed to have found his level was Shola Ameobi and he scored his first senior hat-trick in Newcastle's first home game against Reading, a 3-0 win.
Ameobi struck again four days later at home against Sheffield Wednesday for the only goal of the game.
Three days later, and United had their first away win since February as goals inside the first 20 minutes from Ryan Taylor and Nolan were enough to beat Crystal Palace at Selhurt Park.
And, after coming from 3-1 behind to beat Huddersfield 4-3 in the League Cup, Newcastle confirmed their good start to the season, moving top of the league with a 1-0 win over Leicester City.
Danny Guthrie scored the only goal of a game played in torrential rain on the night of the August Bank Holiday while injuries forced 18-year-old Nile Ranger to lead the line as a sole striker.
The first international break appeared to have come at an unfortunate time for United who were building up a head of steam with five league and cup wins in a row.
But, on their return, Chris Hughton's men ground out an impressive 1-0 win at Cardiff City as Argentine defender Fabricio Coloccini scored his first for club with a header.
After the goal on 18 minutes, United were forced on the back-foot for long periods but displayed a tenacity and ruthlessness which would become a trademark of many away performances.
Not at Blackpool, though. United suffered the first defeat of the season at Bloomfield Road despite Carroll having given the Magpies the lead against the run-of-play.
Brett Ormerod struck on half-time and Jason Euell midway through the second half to give the Seasiders a deserved 2-1 win.
But the response from Newcastle was immediate as Plymouth Argyle were brushed aside 3-1, despite briefly holding parity at St James.
Steven Taylor had given United an early lead before Karl Duguid equalised early in the second half.
That seemed to wake Newcastle up as Nolan and Carroll scored for an ultimately comfortable win against the league's then-bottom side.
A midweek 2-0 loss in the League Cup to Peterborough featured mainly reserve players with the first-team held back for what would be an emotional match against Ipswich Town.
It came just a matter of weeks after the death of Sir Bobby Robson and he surely would have smiled from above at the swagger displayed by Newcastle in a 4-0 away win.
The contest had been fairly even in the first half an hour but a three-goal blast - two from Nolan and one from Ryan Taylor - in the space of five minutes put United in complete control.
Early in the second half, Nolan completed his first Newcastle hat trick, prompting a party in the away end in Suffolk.
Little did United fans know then that it would be another month before the team won again as the Magpies suffered their first proper blip.
First, United could only draw with Queens Park Rangers who became the first visiting team to take the lead at St James Park in 2009-10 when Ben Watson scored on seven minutes.
Loan signing Marlon Harewood ensured Newcastle retained their unbeaten home record with an equaliser on his home debut.
A second home draw followed four days later as United did everything but score in a 0-0 draw against Bristol City.
The four dropped points from two home games seemed to dent the Newcastle players' confidence and the 1-0 loss at in-form Nottingham Forest was a predictable outcome.
It got worse four days later as, despite Nolan's equaliser, United lost 2-1 at Scunthorpe United to make it just two points from 12.
At least, Newcastle were back at St James Park for the next game against Doncaster Rovers. But home advantage seemed to count for little and Rovers took the lead through Dean Shiels.
To the relief of another 40,000+ crowd, Carroll scored an equaliser midway through the second half but Zurab Khizanishvili's sending off seemed to end all hope of a first win in five.
That was until Nolan popped up with a priceless winner, hitting the net with a low shot in-off the post from just outside the box.
It was truly a vital three points from United, shaking them from their poor form and becoming the first of a run of seven successive wins.
Almost identikit 1-0 away wins against Sheffield United and Preston North End, where Nolan scored yet another winner, came either side of a 3-1 revenge win over Peterborough.
Jonas Gutierrez scored his first goal for the club against Posh but declined to display his Spiderman mask.
Carroll made it two inside 20 minutes before right-back Danny Simpson made it three early in the second half.
Dean Keates scored a consolation for Posh with ten minutes left but it was not enough to save Darren Ferguson from the sack.
United next home against Swansea City was meant to be a much tougher exercise but the Welsh opponents were blown away inside half an hour in a 3-0 win.
Harewood struck twice and Peter Lovenkrands scored the first goal of his second spell having re-signed for the club after finding no offers of gainful employment elsewhere.
Lovenkrands was at it again the following Saturday in a 2-0 home win against Watford, but the game is most memorable for Fabrice Pancrate's fabulous introduction to English football.
Going into the last 10 minutes and still leading 1-0, but without Nolan who had been sent off, sub Pancrate turned on a sixpence and fired a high shot into the net via the crossbar.
It ensured no doubt about that result and sent Newcastle to Coventry in high spirits. There, Ranger hit his first senior goal to seal a routine 2-0 win after Ameobi had scored in first half stoppage time.
That made it seven wins on the spin for Hughton's men who enjoyed a seven-point gap to second-placed West Brom and a gap of 12 points to Cardiff and Forest in mid-December.
The run came to an end at Barnsley in an entertaining festive encounter but only after Newcastle gave away the lead twice, failing to hold out with three minutes left on the second occasion.
Nolan's sixth-minute strike had been equalised early in the second half but the winning streak looked set to continue when Harewood scored with 12 minutes left until the late sting in the tail.
At least, in Middlesbrough, Newcastle found their opponents providing a goodwill gesture in keeping with the season as the Teessiders produced an insipid performance at St James Park.
Goals from Harewood and Ameobi made this one of the easiest 2-0 victories in a Tyne-Tees match that the Magpies will ever have.
But, Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day was another matter altogether.
Scrapping at the bottom, the Owls matched United in a 2-2 draw at Hillsborough as Newcastle fans were forced to travel for an eighth successive St Stephen's Day.
A Luke Varney header had given Wednesday a deserved lead after 15 minutes before United scored with their first two attacks through Nolan and Ameobi.
But a second successive 2-1 lead in South Yorkshire was given away in the second half when James O'Connor out-muscled Steve Harper on the hour mark.
Successive 0-0 draws followed - in the league at home against Derby County and in the FA Cup away at Plymouth before Reading away was postponed due to heavy snow.
The two nil-nils made it four draws in five games since the Coventry game in mid-December and the lead had been cut by Forest in second place to two points, although United had two games in hand.
Plymouth were sent packing in the Cup as Lovenkrands scored a 'perfect' hat-trick in a 3-0 win to send the Pilgrims to their second defeat at St James after the league win in September.
But all eyes were focused on the home league clash with West Brom who were six points behind in third. This was also one of those games in hand on Forest.
Perhaps unsurprisingly with the way things had gone recently, the match ended in yet another draw, a 2-2, but this time United were happy enough with that.
The visitors had twice taken the lead in a open match played at a much higher tempo than many other Championship games.
You could see why these were two sides vying for promotion back to the top flight but Newcastle were the happier of the two, having had to play catch-up.
First, Jonas Olsson was given too much space to prod home from six yards on 13 minutes before a Guthrie free-kick left Scott Carson rooted and got United back on terms at half time.
Within seconds of the restart, it was 2-1 to the Baggies as Roman Bednar took advantage of more slack defending to score with a diving header.
Thankfully, Newcastle equalised again as Lovenkrands scored with just 18 minutes left and, while it was a big goal for United, it was an even bigger one for the Dane.
Having made a late decision to play following the death of his father days before, an emotional Lovenkrands raised a finger and looked to the skies in tribute, before being surrounded by team mates.
As luck would have it, West Brom were back on the fixture list straightaway after the fourth round Cup draw had paired the teams at the Hawthorns.
After two draws in the league, Albion finally got the better of Newcastle, 4-2, but perhaps only because Graham Dorrans had been allowed to slot away two contentious penalties.
Olsson had again given West Brom the lead before the first of Dorrans' penalties despite Tamas Kadar's tackle taking place outside the box.
Into the second half, Newcastle got back into the game after Gutierrez set up Carroll for his first goal in two months before Dorrans' second penalty.
This time, Newcastle's disgruntlement surrounded the fact that Ameobi had been denied a clear penalty moments before Albion marched up the other end and won one of their own.
Jerome Thomas added insult to injury before Carroll got his second of the match as mere consolation.
At least, United were back in league action within four days and forgot about their Cup exit with their second 2-0 win of the season over Crystal Palace.
Newcastle had been gifted the opener on 13 minutes when Shaun Derry hooked a clearance into his own net.
But, this was no classic and the Magpies had to wait until stoppage time to add a second through Ranger after new signing Wayne Routledge set him up.
Next, an uneventful 0-0 draw at Leicester on a cold January night was a match so bad that barely anything memorable about it springs to mind.
Needless to say, Newcastle were due a performance and it came against Cardiff City.
Just like their Welsh neighbours Swansea in November, the Bluebirds were blown away in the first 15 minutes with two goals from Carroll either side of an own goal after Carroll had hit the post.
This time, United added to their score with two goals from Lovenkrands in the second half before a late Cardiff consolation. Full time - 5-1.
Yet, if Newcastle had taken any confidence from the big result, it did not show once Hughton's men got back on their travels.
In the worst week of the season, United lost 3-0 at bogey team Derby before a 1-1 draw at Swansea which was barely any better.
The Swans deserved to win by a comfortable margin but only had David Cotterill's early second half strike to show for their efforts.
Paulo Sousa's notoriously goal-shy team were made to pay for their profligacy when Carroll rescued a point with a towering header three minutes from time.
Back at St James and United enjoyed home comforts a lot more with successive three-goal wins over midtable plodders Coventry City and Preston North End.
Coventry actually had the temerity to take the lead through Clinton Morrison but it was completely against the run of play and United were soon back level.
A delicious volley by Routledge gave him his maiden Toon goal and capped a man-of-the-match performance from the tricky winger.
United took control in the second half as goals from Carroll, Lovenkrands and Ryan Taylor in stoppage time put the result beyond doubt.
Preston were dispatched still more easily with Lovenkrands scoring after just three minutes.
Nolan scored his first goal of the calendar year on 55 minutes before Ryan Taylor scored another stoppage time third.
United also struck early in each half at Vicarage Road to overcome struggling Watford 2-1 in a battling performance.
Coloccini scored his second goal for the club on four minutes and Carroll added a second on 50 before Will Hoskins ensured a nervy end to a professional performance.
Newcastle held firm in stoppage time for their first away win in eight league and cup matches since beating Coventry in December.
Having got back to winning ways on the road, United returned home to deliver their biggest win of the season against unfortunate Barnsley.
United had dominated their Yorkshire opponents in the first half but had struggled to make a breakthrough until Tykes keeper Luke Steele brought down Lovenkrands in the box.
Steele was slightly harshly sent off and sub keeper David Preece's first job was to pick the ball out of the net, something which he did repeatedly for the rest of his afternoon.
After Lovenkrands' penalty made it 1-0 to United at half time, the Dane scored a second early in the second half.
Then, there were further goals followed from Guthrie, Gutierrez, Guthrie again and Nolan in a pulsating period of 23 minutes which still left 20 minutes to play.
Rarely had I seen United so threatening against opponents short of a man. Barnsley fans may have a right to dispute the red card, but it really could have been more than six.
In the end, United had to settle for 6-1, as Daniel Bogdanovic scored a consolation that was barely noticed, and the smell of promotion began to fill the warm, spring air.
However, Hughton ensured feet stayed firmly on the ground ahead of the second Tyne-Tees match of the season, this time at the Riverside.
By all account, Middlesbrough had the better of the match and led with just 15 minutes left after Scott McDonald and Barry Robson had overturned Lovenkrands early goal.
But Boro did not take into consideration Carroll's handy knack of scoring late equalisers and the Gateshead lad delivered again with eight minutes left.
Carroll then enjoyed his best home game since Cardiff, scoring twice in a routine 3-0 home win against Scunthorpe United.
Lovenkrands scored the other goal in between Carroll's strikes as United set themselves up well ahead of two away trips to Bristol City and Doncaster.
The Robins really gave Newcastle a game and led 2-0 at half time leaving Hughton with much to do.
But an injection of pace down both flanks courtesy of Gutierrez and Routledge helped and Newcastle finally forced their way back into the game with 20 minutes left.
Gutierrez scored his third of the season before Carroll's trademark away strike left the Magpies with enough time to force a winner.
That did not come, but it did not make the point gained feel any less valuable.
The second away game in four days at Doncaster came after reports that Carroll had broken Steven Taylor's jaw in a training-ground bust-up.
With promotion still not assured, this was unwanted news, the kind of which United had done well to avoid throughout the season.
Hughton was forced into a big call and Carroll travelled with the team. Not only that but he scored the winner on the hour mark before being mobbed in celebration by team-mates.
That seemed to confirm that the squad's excellent team spirit had not been much dented although comments from Taylor or the club were not forthcoming.
It left a slightly sour taste in the mouth although it was sweetened by relief that, for once, the club did not wash its dirty laundry in public.
Fate intervened anyway to ensure Carroll would only have a bit-part in the next major chapter of the season - a big home match against Nottingham Forest.
Forest had made a real promotion push over the winter but poor away form in February and March meant they had dropped ten points off the pace though they still lay in third.
Billy Davies' men were certainly more enterprising than most who visited St James but United finished the stronger after Carroll went off injured for Ameobi.
First, the gangly striker gave Newcastle the lead with a quick turn-and-hit which went in-off the post, leaving Lee Camp in the Forest goal flat-footed.
Another moment of quality wrapped up a 2-0 win in stoppage time as Ameobi back-heeled the ball perfectly into Jose Enrique's path for the Spaniard to slam home his first ever career goal.
United were potentially within a win of promotion but were made to wait by Forest, despite a 3-2 win against Peterborough.
Not for the first time this season, the Magpies made hard-work of dispatching Posh who took the lead through Dominic Green.
Goals either side of half time from Nolan and Joey Barton before a further strike from Ameobi on the hour seemed to put United in control.
Liam Dickinson ensured a nervy end but United held out only to find that Forest had stopped their losing away run with a draw at Bristol City, which was good enough to deny Newcastle promotion.
But Newcastle did not need to wait for long. Indeed, they were promoted on Easter Monday without kicking a ball after Forest could only get another draw against Cardiff.
Newcastle still had a match to play that evening against Sheffield United and the Blades looked set to be party-poopers after Richard Cresswell gave them the lead.
The Magpies struggled to find any rhythm but they were given a lifeline on half-time when Chris Morgan, who had scored an own goal in the 1-0 win at Bramall Lane, fouled Carroll.
Lovenkrands fired home the resultant penalty and Newcastle found the going easier in the second half.
A 2-1 win against the Blades was completed by a spectacular scissor-kick goal at the Gallowgate End by Nolan, later to be unveiled as the Championship's player of the season.
It was a phenomenal way to celebrate promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt.
Newcastle's next targets were to win the league and stay unbeaten at home. Both objectives were aided in another easy home win, 4-1 against Blackpool.
Gutierrez gave United the lead after just 12 minutes with his fourth of the season before Carroll doubled it with a header for a 2-0 half-time lead.
Nolan benefited from generous defending to make it 3-0 before sub Ameobi immediately set up Routledge for the fourth.
Only Brett Ormerod's goal spoiled the day as the veteran striker scored his second against Newcastle, having also scored in their 2-1 home win in September.
A sixth successive win came at the Madejski Stadium in Reading in a match that was played at the third time of asking after postponements for the weather and the Royals' cup run.
Nolan was the star performer with two first-half goals and, in the second half, only the width of a post denied him a second hat-trick of the season.
United defended deep and soaked up a lot of pressure until the hosts gained a chance of salvaing a point after Enrique slammed his clearance off Simpson's backside into the net.
Once again, though, Newcastle held on for a single-goal away win, a 10th on the road for the season.
Ten became 11 as United wrapped up the title with a 2-0 win that relegated Plymouth in the fourth meeting of the season between the sides.
Two goals in ten first-half minutes from Carroll and Routledge were enough to overcome the spirited Pilgrims who had some great chances but lacked a killer instinct up front.
Carroll inevitably scored from a header as United began to exert some pressure after a quiet first 20 minutes.
The second goal followed shortly afterwards and it will be long-remembered. Not only because it sealed the league but also for its quality as Barton slipped in Routledge for a cool finish reminscent of David Kelly's title-winning goal against Grimsby in 1993.
Newcastle received the Championship trophy after their final home game against Ipswich in front of a full house at St James Park.
Roy Keane's men tried to spoil the party, and came away with a 2-2 draw, but the point ensured United maintained a season-long unbeaten home record.
Not that the record was in much danger of being lost to the Tractor Boys. Newcastle took the lead on 26 minutes when Carroll placed a wonderful header from Routledge's cross but Conor Wickham levelled the scores just before half-time.
A second half devoid of action followed until Nicky Butt, making his last appearance in United colours, won a penalty which Ameobi converted.
Newcastle were denied a 19th home league win of the season by Jon Walters' strike deep into the stoppage time but even that goal could not prevent a party atmosphere at the cup presentation.
Finally, Hughton's men completed the season with a 1-0 win at Queens Park Rangers, the eighth win out of nine and a club-record fifth successive away win.
Former United defender Peter Ramage was sent off for hauling down Ameobi but it took a while before Newcastle made use of their one-man advantage.
Indeed, the match was meandering towards a 0-0 draw until Lovenkrands prevented it with a fine strike with 20 minutes left.
A winning note to end on, then, for United who spent most of the season winning games - 32 of them in league and cup, in fact.
Not all of them have been pretty, especially those in the first half of the season.
But a never-say-die attitude mixed with hints of quality and a ruthlessness rarely seen recently in these parts ensured this dip into the second flight of English football could be enjoyed rather than endured.
An incredibly tough season back in the Premier League awaits Newcastle - there will be more defeats, for sure - and the squad will need to be strengthened.
For now, though, Newcastle fans can bask in this set of players giving something back restoring one of the values most cherished by all football fans. Dignity.
Match stats and scorers courtesy of NUFC.com
League table stats courtesy of Statto.com
'Dignity', by Deacon Blue, is exactly what has been restored to the club after a tremendous title-winning campaign of 30 wins, 90 goals and 102 points.
Other notable achievements included:
*The only unbeaten home record in English professional football in 2009-10, and something not done at St James Park since 1906-07,
*Records in the Championship for the highest single attendance (52,181) and the highest average attendance (43,384)
*A club record for the number of clean sheets (22) in a season, and
*A club record unbeaten run of 17 games which lasted until the end of the season, beating the previous record of 15, also made during 2009-10.
There were 17 different scorers in the league with four players reaching double figures. Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan were joint-top league scorers with 17 goals, and local lad Carroll was the overall top scorer with 19 league and cup goals.
The success is a far cry from the bitter taste left by relegation which prompted me to write a scathing post about the ills of the club almost 12 months ago.
A troubled pre-season had done little to lift to gloom over Tyneside. On the field, a brawl at Huddersfield Town was followed by a 6-1 drubbing at Leyton Orient which led to certain senior players taking charge of the dressing room.
Off the field, owner Mike Ashley had put the club up for sale for a second time, and he was refusing to speak to Alan Shearer over the club legend's wish to become manager.
It was undertstandable, then, that Newcastle fans approached the club's first season in the second tier since 1992-93 with some trepidation.
A good start was vital but even the fixtures computer seemed to lack much sympathy, sending United to the Hawthorns for an opening day against West Bromwich Albion.
The Baggies may have finished below United in the previous season's Premier League but only just. Also, as a yo-yo club, they were far better prepared to deal with the pain of relegation.
The BBC cameras were rolling but the country failed to witness a Newcastle meltdown, as Damien Duff's equaliser was enough to secure a 1-1 draw.
Shortly afterwards, Duff signed for Fulham for £2.5m. But, while Oba Martins and Michael Owen also unsurprisingly departed, United had retained, relatively speaking, a strong squad for the division.
One player who seemed to have found his level was Shola Ameobi and he scored his first senior hat-trick in Newcastle's first home game against Reading, a 3-0 win.
Ameobi struck again four days later at home against Sheffield Wednesday for the only goal of the game.
Three days later, and United had their first away win since February as goals inside the first 20 minutes from Ryan Taylor and Nolan were enough to beat Crystal Palace at Selhurt Park.
And, after coming from 3-1 behind to beat Huddersfield 4-3 in the League Cup, Newcastle confirmed their good start to the season, moving top of the league with a 1-0 win over Leicester City.
Danny Guthrie scored the only goal of a game played in torrential rain on the night of the August Bank Holiday while injuries forced 18-year-old Nile Ranger to lead the line as a sole striker.
The first international break appeared to have come at an unfortunate time for United who were building up a head of steam with five league and cup wins in a row.
But, on their return, Chris Hughton's men ground out an impressive 1-0 win at Cardiff City as Argentine defender Fabricio Coloccini scored his first for club with a header.
After the goal on 18 minutes, United were forced on the back-foot for long periods but displayed a tenacity and ruthlessness which would become a trademark of many away performances.
Not at Blackpool, though. United suffered the first defeat of the season at Bloomfield Road despite Carroll having given the Magpies the lead against the run-of-play.
Brett Ormerod struck on half-time and Jason Euell midway through the second half to give the Seasiders a deserved 2-1 win.
But the response from Newcastle was immediate as Plymouth Argyle were brushed aside 3-1, despite briefly holding parity at St James.
Steven Taylor had given United an early lead before Karl Duguid equalised early in the second half.
That seemed to wake Newcastle up as Nolan and Carroll scored for an ultimately comfortable win against the league's then-bottom side.
A midweek 2-0 loss in the League Cup to Peterborough featured mainly reserve players with the first-team held back for what would be an emotional match against Ipswich Town.
It came just a matter of weeks after the death of Sir Bobby Robson and he surely would have smiled from above at the swagger displayed by Newcastle in a 4-0 away win.
The contest had been fairly even in the first half an hour but a three-goal blast - two from Nolan and one from Ryan Taylor - in the space of five minutes put United in complete control.
Early in the second half, Nolan completed his first Newcastle hat trick, prompting a party in the away end in Suffolk.
Little did United fans know then that it would be another month before the team won again as the Magpies suffered their first proper blip.
First, United could only draw with Queens Park Rangers who became the first visiting team to take the lead at St James Park in 2009-10 when Ben Watson scored on seven minutes.
Loan signing Marlon Harewood ensured Newcastle retained their unbeaten home record with an equaliser on his home debut.
A second home draw followed four days later as United did everything but score in a 0-0 draw against Bristol City.
The four dropped points from two home games seemed to dent the Newcastle players' confidence and the 1-0 loss at in-form Nottingham Forest was a predictable outcome.
It got worse four days later as, despite Nolan's equaliser, United lost 2-1 at Scunthorpe United to make it just two points from 12.
At least, Newcastle were back at St James Park for the next game against Doncaster Rovers. But home advantage seemed to count for little and Rovers took the lead through Dean Shiels.
To the relief of another 40,000+ crowd, Carroll scored an equaliser midway through the second half but Zurab Khizanishvili's sending off seemed to end all hope of a first win in five.
That was until Nolan popped up with a priceless winner, hitting the net with a low shot in-off the post from just outside the box.
It was truly a vital three points from United, shaking them from their poor form and becoming the first of a run of seven successive wins.
Almost identikit 1-0 away wins against Sheffield United and Preston North End, where Nolan scored yet another winner, came either side of a 3-1 revenge win over Peterborough.
Jonas Gutierrez scored his first goal for the club against Posh but declined to display his Spiderman mask.
Carroll made it two inside 20 minutes before right-back Danny Simpson made it three early in the second half.
Dean Keates scored a consolation for Posh with ten minutes left but it was not enough to save Darren Ferguson from the sack.
United next home against Swansea City was meant to be a much tougher exercise but the Welsh opponents were blown away inside half an hour in a 3-0 win.
Harewood struck twice and Peter Lovenkrands scored the first goal of his second spell having re-signed for the club after finding no offers of gainful employment elsewhere.
Lovenkrands was at it again the following Saturday in a 2-0 home win against Watford, but the game is most memorable for Fabrice Pancrate's fabulous introduction to English football.
Going into the last 10 minutes and still leading 1-0, but without Nolan who had been sent off, sub Pancrate turned on a sixpence and fired a high shot into the net via the crossbar.
It ensured no doubt about that result and sent Newcastle to Coventry in high spirits. There, Ranger hit his first senior goal to seal a routine 2-0 win after Ameobi had scored in first half stoppage time.
That made it seven wins on the spin for Hughton's men who enjoyed a seven-point gap to second-placed West Brom and a gap of 12 points to Cardiff and Forest in mid-December.
The run came to an end at Barnsley in an entertaining festive encounter but only after Newcastle gave away the lead twice, failing to hold out with three minutes left on the second occasion.
Nolan's sixth-minute strike had been equalised early in the second half but the winning streak looked set to continue when Harewood scored with 12 minutes left until the late sting in the tail.
At least, in Middlesbrough, Newcastle found their opponents providing a goodwill gesture in keeping with the season as the Teessiders produced an insipid performance at St James Park.
Goals from Harewood and Ameobi made this one of the easiest 2-0 victories in a Tyne-Tees match that the Magpies will ever have.
But, Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day was another matter altogether.
Scrapping at the bottom, the Owls matched United in a 2-2 draw at Hillsborough as Newcastle fans were forced to travel for an eighth successive St Stephen's Day.
A Luke Varney header had given Wednesday a deserved lead after 15 minutes before United scored with their first two attacks through Nolan and Ameobi.
But a second successive 2-1 lead in South Yorkshire was given away in the second half when James O'Connor out-muscled Steve Harper on the hour mark.
Successive 0-0 draws followed - in the league at home against Derby County and in the FA Cup away at Plymouth before Reading away was postponed due to heavy snow.
The two nil-nils made it four draws in five games since the Coventry game in mid-December and the lead had been cut by Forest in second place to two points, although United had two games in hand.
Plymouth were sent packing in the Cup as Lovenkrands scored a 'perfect' hat-trick in a 3-0 win to send the Pilgrims to their second defeat at St James after the league win in September.
But all eyes were focused on the home league clash with West Brom who were six points behind in third. This was also one of those games in hand on Forest.
Perhaps unsurprisingly with the way things had gone recently, the match ended in yet another draw, a 2-2, but this time United were happy enough with that.
The visitors had twice taken the lead in a open match played at a much higher tempo than many other Championship games.
You could see why these were two sides vying for promotion back to the top flight but Newcastle were the happier of the two, having had to play catch-up.
First, Jonas Olsson was given too much space to prod home from six yards on 13 minutes before a Guthrie free-kick left Scott Carson rooted and got United back on terms at half time.
Within seconds of the restart, it was 2-1 to the Baggies as Roman Bednar took advantage of more slack defending to score with a diving header.
Thankfully, Newcastle equalised again as Lovenkrands scored with just 18 minutes left and, while it was a big goal for United, it was an even bigger one for the Dane.
Having made a late decision to play following the death of his father days before, an emotional Lovenkrands raised a finger and looked to the skies in tribute, before being surrounded by team mates.
As luck would have it, West Brom were back on the fixture list straightaway after the fourth round Cup draw had paired the teams at the Hawthorns.
After two draws in the league, Albion finally got the better of Newcastle, 4-2, but perhaps only because Graham Dorrans had been allowed to slot away two contentious penalties.
Olsson had again given West Brom the lead before the first of Dorrans' penalties despite Tamas Kadar's tackle taking place outside the box.
Into the second half, Newcastle got back into the game after Gutierrez set up Carroll for his first goal in two months before Dorrans' second penalty.
This time, Newcastle's disgruntlement surrounded the fact that Ameobi had been denied a clear penalty moments before Albion marched up the other end and won one of their own.
Jerome Thomas added insult to injury before Carroll got his second of the match as mere consolation.
At least, United were back in league action within four days and forgot about their Cup exit with their second 2-0 win of the season over Crystal Palace.
Newcastle had been gifted the opener on 13 minutes when Shaun Derry hooked a clearance into his own net.
But, this was no classic and the Magpies had to wait until stoppage time to add a second through Ranger after new signing Wayne Routledge set him up.
Next, an uneventful 0-0 draw at Leicester on a cold January night was a match so bad that barely anything memorable about it springs to mind.
Needless to say, Newcastle were due a performance and it came against Cardiff City.
Just like their Welsh neighbours Swansea in November, the Bluebirds were blown away in the first 15 minutes with two goals from Carroll either side of an own goal after Carroll had hit the post.
This time, United added to their score with two goals from Lovenkrands in the second half before a late Cardiff consolation. Full time - 5-1.
Yet, if Newcastle had taken any confidence from the big result, it did not show once Hughton's men got back on their travels.
In the worst week of the season, United lost 3-0 at bogey team Derby before a 1-1 draw at Swansea which was barely any better.
The Swans deserved to win by a comfortable margin but only had David Cotterill's early second half strike to show for their efforts.
Paulo Sousa's notoriously goal-shy team were made to pay for their profligacy when Carroll rescued a point with a towering header three minutes from time.
Back at St James and United enjoyed home comforts a lot more with successive three-goal wins over midtable plodders Coventry City and Preston North End.
Coventry actually had the temerity to take the lead through Clinton Morrison but it was completely against the run of play and United were soon back level.
A delicious volley by Routledge gave him his maiden Toon goal and capped a man-of-the-match performance from the tricky winger.
United took control in the second half as goals from Carroll, Lovenkrands and Ryan Taylor in stoppage time put the result beyond doubt.
Preston were dispatched still more easily with Lovenkrands scoring after just three minutes.
Nolan scored his first goal of the calendar year on 55 minutes before Ryan Taylor scored another stoppage time third.
United also struck early in each half at Vicarage Road to overcome struggling Watford 2-1 in a battling performance.
Coloccini scored his second goal for the club on four minutes and Carroll added a second on 50 before Will Hoskins ensured a nervy end to a professional performance.
Newcastle held firm in stoppage time for their first away win in eight league and cup matches since beating Coventry in December.
Having got back to winning ways on the road, United returned home to deliver their biggest win of the season against unfortunate Barnsley.
United had dominated their Yorkshire opponents in the first half but had struggled to make a breakthrough until Tykes keeper Luke Steele brought down Lovenkrands in the box.
Steele was slightly harshly sent off and sub keeper David Preece's first job was to pick the ball out of the net, something which he did repeatedly for the rest of his afternoon.
After Lovenkrands' penalty made it 1-0 to United at half time, the Dane scored a second early in the second half.
Then, there were further goals followed from Guthrie, Gutierrez, Guthrie again and Nolan in a pulsating period of 23 minutes which still left 20 minutes to play.
Rarely had I seen United so threatening against opponents short of a man. Barnsley fans may have a right to dispute the red card, but it really could have been more than six.
In the end, United had to settle for 6-1, as Daniel Bogdanovic scored a consolation that was barely noticed, and the smell of promotion began to fill the warm, spring air.
However, Hughton ensured feet stayed firmly on the ground ahead of the second Tyne-Tees match of the season, this time at the Riverside.
By all account, Middlesbrough had the better of the match and led with just 15 minutes left after Scott McDonald and Barry Robson had overturned Lovenkrands early goal.
But Boro did not take into consideration Carroll's handy knack of scoring late equalisers and the Gateshead lad delivered again with eight minutes left.
Carroll then enjoyed his best home game since Cardiff, scoring twice in a routine 3-0 home win against Scunthorpe United.
Lovenkrands scored the other goal in between Carroll's strikes as United set themselves up well ahead of two away trips to Bristol City and Doncaster.
The Robins really gave Newcastle a game and led 2-0 at half time leaving Hughton with much to do.
But an injection of pace down both flanks courtesy of Gutierrez and Routledge helped and Newcastle finally forced their way back into the game with 20 minutes left.
Gutierrez scored his third of the season before Carroll's trademark away strike left the Magpies with enough time to force a winner.
That did not come, but it did not make the point gained feel any less valuable.
The second away game in four days at Doncaster came after reports that Carroll had broken Steven Taylor's jaw in a training-ground bust-up.
With promotion still not assured, this was unwanted news, the kind of which United had done well to avoid throughout the season.
Hughton was forced into a big call and Carroll travelled with the team. Not only that but he scored the winner on the hour mark before being mobbed in celebration by team-mates.
That seemed to confirm that the squad's excellent team spirit had not been much dented although comments from Taylor or the club were not forthcoming.
It left a slightly sour taste in the mouth although it was sweetened by relief that, for once, the club did not wash its dirty laundry in public.
Fate intervened anyway to ensure Carroll would only have a bit-part in the next major chapter of the season - a big home match against Nottingham Forest.
Forest had made a real promotion push over the winter but poor away form in February and March meant they had dropped ten points off the pace though they still lay in third.
Billy Davies' men were certainly more enterprising than most who visited St James but United finished the stronger after Carroll went off injured for Ameobi.
First, the gangly striker gave Newcastle the lead with a quick turn-and-hit which went in-off the post, leaving Lee Camp in the Forest goal flat-footed.
Another moment of quality wrapped up a 2-0 win in stoppage time as Ameobi back-heeled the ball perfectly into Jose Enrique's path for the Spaniard to slam home his first ever career goal.
United were potentially within a win of promotion but were made to wait by Forest, despite a 3-2 win against Peterborough.
Not for the first time this season, the Magpies made hard-work of dispatching Posh who took the lead through Dominic Green.
Goals either side of half time from Nolan and Joey Barton before a further strike from Ameobi on the hour seemed to put United in control.
Liam Dickinson ensured a nervy end but United held out only to find that Forest had stopped their losing away run with a draw at Bristol City, which was good enough to deny Newcastle promotion.
But Newcastle did not need to wait for long. Indeed, they were promoted on Easter Monday without kicking a ball after Forest could only get another draw against Cardiff.
Newcastle still had a match to play that evening against Sheffield United and the Blades looked set to be party-poopers after Richard Cresswell gave them the lead.
The Magpies struggled to find any rhythm but they were given a lifeline on half-time when Chris Morgan, who had scored an own goal in the 1-0 win at Bramall Lane, fouled Carroll.
Lovenkrands fired home the resultant penalty and Newcastle found the going easier in the second half.
A 2-1 win against the Blades was completed by a spectacular scissor-kick goal at the Gallowgate End by Nolan, later to be unveiled as the Championship's player of the season.
It was a phenomenal way to celebrate promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt.
Newcastle's next targets were to win the league and stay unbeaten at home. Both objectives were aided in another easy home win, 4-1 against Blackpool.
Gutierrez gave United the lead after just 12 minutes with his fourth of the season before Carroll doubled it with a header for a 2-0 half-time lead.
Nolan benefited from generous defending to make it 3-0 before sub Ameobi immediately set up Routledge for the fourth.
Only Brett Ormerod's goal spoiled the day as the veteran striker scored his second against Newcastle, having also scored in their 2-1 home win in September.
A sixth successive win came at the Madejski Stadium in Reading in a match that was played at the third time of asking after postponements for the weather and the Royals' cup run.
Nolan was the star performer with two first-half goals and, in the second half, only the width of a post denied him a second hat-trick of the season.
United defended deep and soaked up a lot of pressure until the hosts gained a chance of salvaing a point after Enrique slammed his clearance off Simpson's backside into the net.
Once again, though, Newcastle held on for a single-goal away win, a 10th on the road for the season.
Ten became 11 as United wrapped up the title with a 2-0 win that relegated Plymouth in the fourth meeting of the season between the sides.
Two goals in ten first-half minutes from Carroll and Routledge were enough to overcome the spirited Pilgrims who had some great chances but lacked a killer instinct up front.
Carroll inevitably scored from a header as United began to exert some pressure after a quiet first 20 minutes.
The second goal followed shortly afterwards and it will be long-remembered. Not only because it sealed the league but also for its quality as Barton slipped in Routledge for a cool finish reminscent of David Kelly's title-winning goal against Grimsby in 1993.
Newcastle received the Championship trophy after their final home game against Ipswich in front of a full house at St James Park.
Roy Keane's men tried to spoil the party, and came away with a 2-2 draw, but the point ensured United maintained a season-long unbeaten home record.
Not that the record was in much danger of being lost to the Tractor Boys. Newcastle took the lead on 26 minutes when Carroll placed a wonderful header from Routledge's cross but Conor Wickham levelled the scores just before half-time.
A second half devoid of action followed until Nicky Butt, making his last appearance in United colours, won a penalty which Ameobi converted.
Newcastle were denied a 19th home league win of the season by Jon Walters' strike deep into the stoppage time but even that goal could not prevent a party atmosphere at the cup presentation.
Finally, Hughton's men completed the season with a 1-0 win at Queens Park Rangers, the eighth win out of nine and a club-record fifth successive away win.
Former United defender Peter Ramage was sent off for hauling down Ameobi but it took a while before Newcastle made use of their one-man advantage.
Indeed, the match was meandering towards a 0-0 draw until Lovenkrands prevented it with a fine strike with 20 minutes left.
A winning note to end on, then, for United who spent most of the season winning games - 32 of them in league and cup, in fact.
Not all of them have been pretty, especially those in the first half of the season.
But a never-say-die attitude mixed with hints of quality and a ruthlessness rarely seen recently in these parts ensured this dip into the second flight of English football could be enjoyed rather than endured.
An incredibly tough season back in the Premier League awaits Newcastle - there will be more defeats, for sure - and the squad will need to be strengthened.
For now, though, Newcastle fans can bask in this set of players giving something back restoring one of the values most cherished by all football fans. Dignity.
Match stats and scorers courtesy of NUFC.com
League table stats courtesy of Statto.com
Sunday, 2 May 2010
World Snooker: Robertson bt Dott 18-13 - frame-by-frame
THE FINAL
Neil ROBERTSON (9) beat Graeme DOTT 18-13
Session 1: 10-87 (80), 65-55, 1-93, 35-62, 68-56 (R62, D52), 62-56, 24-73 (57), 47-74
Session 2: 66-5 (61), 90-6 (90), 79-72 (D72) (rsb), 79-53 (79), 52-11, 4-71 (56), 27-70 (53), 113-23 (75)
Session 3: 23-87 (79), 69-56, 82-1 (82), 31-66, 89-12 (51), 2-116 (112)
Session 4: 12-81, 116-13 (55, 51), 36-83 (57), 69-15 (55), 63-49, 58-73, 74-23, 58-10, 94-1 (53)
Session Four: Robertson 6-3 Dott
Robertson becomes the first non-UK/Ireland winner at the Crucible since Canada's Cliff Thorburn in 1980 after dominating the latter part of a marathon final session.
Dott made it hard work for the Aussie by taking two of the opening three frames to close the lead to one. But Robertson won five of the last six frames against his tiring opponent.
Unfortunately, on a difficult weekend for snooker in light of the allegations against world number one John Higgins, the standard of play in the final was not great, even accounting for the obvious tension. Only one century was made - by Dott in the 22nd frame - and there were only seven breaks over 70 in 31 frames. Even the quality of the safety play dropped as the length of the match visibly wore down the players.
But not all of this was the players' fault and, as several people including Steve Davis mentioned, earlier session times would certainly have helped them.
In the end, Robertson was a deserved winner and the fact that he is an overseas winner, as well as being a likeable chap, is perhaps the best thing to take from a final that will not be remembered as a classic.
Frame 31:
Some wonderful snooker from Robertson in this frame wins the championship for the Australian. He really relaxed once he got over the finish line and, although his high break in the frame was 53, he never looked in any danger of losing that frame against a shattered Dott.
Frame 30:
Robertson is now within a single frame of victory and he looks visibly fresher. In this frame, Robertson got the first chance and made a 36 break before failing to open the pack. Instead, he was forced to play safe but the Aussie did well, putting Dott tight behind the brown, forcing a hit-and-hope from the Scot which almost came off. It didn't, though, and Robertson looked set to seal the frame. A miss on the blue let in Dott again but he could not take advantage and Robertson eventually scored enough in shards to go one frame away.
Frame 29:
Robertson goes three frames clear again and within two of victory after a 48-minutes long frame, the longest of the match. Dott had gained eight early foul points by laying a fine snooker behind the yellow but it was Robertson who took control of the frame with a 35 break. This was followed by yet another stalemate with both men playing some desperately tired safety shots. Short fragments of scoring from both players continued to be mixed with longer bouts of safety until Dott left a red over the right corner pocket, allowing Robertson to get that bit closer to the line.
Frame 28:
Dott gets back to within two frames with a pot on the pink after Robertson had lost a good chance to go four frames clear with a miss on a black. Robertson had opened the reds but he could only make nine before putting Dott behind the green. The Scot conceded 13 points in four missed attempts but he did well to persist as Robertson then missed a red, leaving Dott in the balls. Dott made a 42 break but missed a long red before Robertson's failure to capitalise.
Frame 27:
The tension was evidently unbearable for these players in a pivotal frame lasting 45 minutes. With the score 40-37 in Dott's favour, the players went more than 20 shots without making a pot. Robertson ended the stalemate to the relief of the Crucible audience but then missed the frame-ball brown. Dott potted brown and blue but a double-kiss on the pink gave Robertson the frame with a fine pot which he celebrated with a fist-pump and a shout of "Come on". Earlier, Dott had started the frame with a 19 break but only just rattled in a red and the following blue via the jaws. It was third time unlucky for Dott as a red missed, leaving Robertson in the balls. Several modest breaks from both players followed before the dramatic finish on the colours.
Frame 26:
Robertson again made hard work of winning a frame but he now only needs four more to be champion. He broke down on a 55 break after making contact with the wrong red trying to get on the black but then did enough to leave Dott needing a snooker. The Scot played an excellent shot to leave Robertson tight behind the black but the Robertson succeeded in escaping
Frame 25:
Dott continues to hang onto Robertson's coat-tails, 13-12 down, after a 57 break. Robertson benefited from a fluke early on but he was unable to open the pack and he broke down on 15. Another bout of safety was ended when Dott potted a long red, enabling him to make his break and leave Robertson needing snookers. Robertson failed in his task when Dott potted green and brown after Robertson had inadvertently sunk the yellow.
Frame 24:
Breaks of 55 and 51 were the key to Robertson restoring the two-frame gap. The Australian had won the early safety battle but could only score 10. When Dott did little better with a 13 break, Robertson made his first major contribution leaving the Scot needing snookers. Robertson made his second break after being handed an easy starter.
Frame 23:
Dott showed great determination to win a scrappy opening frame of the final session to close back to within one frame. Unlike the last frame, there were no major contributions but Dott was always in control after a 36 break in the middle of it.
Session Three: Robertson 3-3 Dott
Dott keeps his title challenge alive with the first century of the final in the 22nd frame, a frame largely out of keeping with the rest of the session. Robertson will not be too displeased at having split this session 3-3 as he retains a two-frame lead but, with the players only having fitted in six frames in session three, it could be a long night ahead.
Frame 22:
Finally, a century in the Crucible final. It came courtesy of gritty Dott who keeps his chances of a second championship alive with a magificent 112 break. At one stage, the Scot looked set to break down but potted a brilliant red to the middle and a pink off the cushion on his way to an eighth ton in the championship.
Frame 21:
Breaks of 37 and 51 were enough to restore Robertson's three-frame lead. Robertson was set to win with one visit but went in-off when cutting in a thin red. Soon enough, Robertson was back in the balls and you get the feeling that Dott can ill-afford to fall four frames behind before this evening's session.
Frame 20:
Dott ensures the first four frames are shared but this was another struggle. The Scot looked set to win the frame in one go but broke down on a 52 break when failing with an attempted double after running out of position. He then gained the upper hand in the safety battle after Robertson took a ridiculous four-and-a-half minutes on deciding whether to play a shot or put Dott back in after a foul on the green. Another few reds from Dott left Robertson needing two snookers but the Aussie took the last red off the table and Dott escaped repeatedly on the yellow.
Frame 19:
There has still not been a century in the final but Robertson's 82 was as convincing a break as we've seen and it has now given him a three-frame lead. Dott had the first chance after finding a plant but he missed a blue straight after it, putting Robertson in the balls to score heavily.
Frame 18:
Robertson made much harder work of opening the lead back up to two frames than he should. The Aussie got the first chance and made a 49 break before breaking down on a pink for a second successive frame. Dott responded with a break of 47 before failing to take the last red off the cushion. A protacted safety battle on the last red and colours ended when Robertson potted brown, blue and pink.
Frame 17:
Dott took the first frame of the day with a 79 break after a bad miss by Robertson. The Australian's long-potting prowess gave him the first opportunity but he could only contribute 20 points before missing an easy pink, allowing Dott to clear up.
Session Two: Robertson 6-2 Dott
Oddly enough, both men will be pleased enough with the outcome of that session, though Robertson especially. Having lost the first session 5-3, a brilliant start to this evening means he takes a two-frame advantage into the final day. Dott looked worryingly fragile as he lost all of the first five frames in this session but two typically gritty breaks of 53 and 56 have kept him in this match. Meanwhile, Robertson's decent 70 break in the final frame made the score an accurate reflection of the contest. Notably, there has yet to be a century made in this final despite both players having hit seven tons in the earlier rounds. And so, while the play has not been outstanding, it has at least been intriguing.
Frame 16:
A composed effort from Robertson this time, clearing the table to win his first frame out of three and giving himself a two-frame lead going into tomorrow's finale. Dott actually got the first real chance after Robertson missed a long red but a good-looking break ended when he failed with a plant to the middle pocket. Dott got another chance when Robertson missed another red to the middle but, trying to play a thin red, he fouled on the blue, leaving the Aussie with a third chance which he could not refuse.
Frame 15:
Dott took a second successive frame after a 53 break following a bad miss on a simple black from Robertson. Dott's break ended when a miss to the middle gave Robertson a chance of making another comeback. But, for once, the Australian could not take advantage, breaking down after a poor positional shot and allowing Dott to make the 17 points required to wrap up the frame.
Frame 14:
A gritty, determined effort from Dott whose 56 break finally stopped the rot after Robertson had missed a red to the middle. A massive frame win for the Scot.
Frame 13:
Unfortunately for Dott, the interval has not changed the pattern of this match at all. He had his chances again in this frame, notably missing a black off the spot. But after that error, Robertson always looked like winning a fifth successive frame to lead by three.
Frame 12:
Robertson made a 79 clearance to make it four frames on the spin tonight despite Dott again getting the first chance. Needless to say, the Scot will be pleased to break for the mid-session interval.
Frame 11:
Dott has looked really ragged tonight and this was an absolute steal for Robertson who won on a respotted black, having earlier needed a snooker. A break of 72 from a terrific long red seemed to have put Dott in control of the frame but a misguided double on the last red allowed Robertson to put the Scot in trouble. Dott went in-off to give Robertson the required points and the Australian cleared the table to set up the respotted black. On the black, Robertson left Dott with another tempting double but Dott missed again, enabling the Australian to win a potentially pivotal frame.
Frame 10:
Make that a great start to the session for Robertson. The Aussie has really looked the part and restored parity with a 90 break after Dott missed a black off the spot early on.
Frame 9:
A good start to the session for Robertson who closes the gap to just one frame straightaway. He won this frame with a break of 61, having found the path to the black off an early red which Dott had tried and failed to do himself.
Session One: Robertson 3-5 Dott
It is not a Crucible classic so far with Dott's break of 80 in the first frame as the highest break of the match, and only four breaks above 50 overall. As expected, this final is very tight though Robertson has done well just to lose the session 5-3 after providing Dott with numerous chances even in the frames which he has won.
Frame 8:
Dott will take a two-frame lead into the evening session after a reprieve from Robertson. Dott got in first with a good scoring chance but he could only make 38 before missing a tough red to the left corner. Robertson was next to benefit from a good spread of balls to make 46 and a poor safety from Dott presented the Aussie with a fine chance to extend his advantage. But a miss on an awkward brown allowed Dott to make a 36 for the frame.
Frame 7:
Dott will be relieved after nearly throwing away a third successive frame. After working hard for a 57 break, Dott potted a black along the cushion to leave Robertson needing a snooker. But, off the last red, Robertson achieved just that, putting Dott tight behind the pink. Dott got out of the snooker brilliantly off three cushions and won the frame with his next visit.
Frame 6:
A real scrappy frame, eventually won on the black by Robertson. The Aussie has not played well today so far but he has really scrapped for his three frame wins. Eventually, poor safety play proved Dott's downfall in this frame. First, he gave Robertson the tactical advantage off the last red and then he left the yellow over the left corner, allowing Robertson to clear up.
Frame 5:
Robertson got in first but could only make six points before Dott played a wonderful long pot and cannon on the black to put himself in the balls again. Dott scored 52 but left himself in a bad position on a black. He missed and Robertson made a composed 62, his highest break of the match so far, to trail just 3-2.
Frame 4:
Another scrappy frame with no significant contributions, finally won by Dott on the colours. The Scot has had the rub of the green so far but Robertson has had some uncharacteristic misses and the luck should even itself out over a maximum 35 frames.
Frame 3:
Dott made a 45 break before breaking down, missing a pot to the middle. Robertson looked to have Dott in trouble behind the brown but, having forced a mistake, the Aussie then missed a thin-cut on a red to the bottom left. Dott made a 48 to take a 2-1 lead.
Frames 1 and 2:
I missed the opening two frames due to the football but they were shared, Dott making an 80 break to win the first before Robertson won the second on the colours.
Route to the Final:
NEIL ROBERTSON
R1 bt Fergal O'Brien 10-5
R2 bt Martin Gould 13-12
QF bt Steve Davis 13-5
SF bt Allister Carter (5) 17-12
GRAEME DOTT
R1 bt Peter Ebdon (14) 10-5
R2 bt Stephen Maguire (3) 13-6
QF bt Mark Allen (11) 13-12
SF bt Mark Selby (7) 17-14
Neil ROBERTSON (9) beat Graeme DOTT 18-13
Session 1: 10-87 (80), 65-55, 1-93, 35-62, 68-56 (R62, D52), 62-56, 24-73 (57), 47-74
Session 2: 66-5 (61), 90-6 (90), 79-72 (D72) (rsb), 79-53 (79), 52-11, 4-71 (56), 27-70 (53), 113-23 (75)
Session 3: 23-87 (79), 69-56, 82-1 (82), 31-66, 89-12 (51), 2-116 (112)
Session 4: 12-81, 116-13 (55, 51), 36-83 (57), 69-15 (55), 63-49, 58-73, 74-23, 58-10, 94-1 (53)
Session Four: Robertson 6-3 Dott
Robertson becomes the first non-UK/Ireland winner at the Crucible since Canada's Cliff Thorburn in 1980 after dominating the latter part of a marathon final session.
Dott made it hard work for the Aussie by taking two of the opening three frames to close the lead to one. But Robertson won five of the last six frames against his tiring opponent.
Unfortunately, on a difficult weekend for snooker in light of the allegations against world number one John Higgins, the standard of play in the final was not great, even accounting for the obvious tension. Only one century was made - by Dott in the 22nd frame - and there were only seven breaks over 70 in 31 frames. Even the quality of the safety play dropped as the length of the match visibly wore down the players.
But not all of this was the players' fault and, as several people including Steve Davis mentioned, earlier session times would certainly have helped them.
In the end, Robertson was a deserved winner and the fact that he is an overseas winner, as well as being a likeable chap, is perhaps the best thing to take from a final that will not be remembered as a classic.
Frame 31:
Some wonderful snooker from Robertson in this frame wins the championship for the Australian. He really relaxed once he got over the finish line and, although his high break in the frame was 53, he never looked in any danger of losing that frame against a shattered Dott.
Frame 30:
Robertson is now within a single frame of victory and he looks visibly fresher. In this frame, Robertson got the first chance and made a 36 break before failing to open the pack. Instead, he was forced to play safe but the Aussie did well, putting Dott tight behind the brown, forcing a hit-and-hope from the Scot which almost came off. It didn't, though, and Robertson looked set to seal the frame. A miss on the blue let in Dott again but he could not take advantage and Robertson eventually scored enough in shards to go one frame away.
Frame 29:
Robertson goes three frames clear again and within two of victory after a 48-minutes long frame, the longest of the match. Dott had gained eight early foul points by laying a fine snooker behind the yellow but it was Robertson who took control of the frame with a 35 break. This was followed by yet another stalemate with both men playing some desperately tired safety shots. Short fragments of scoring from both players continued to be mixed with longer bouts of safety until Dott left a red over the right corner pocket, allowing Robertson to get that bit closer to the line.
Frame 28:
Dott gets back to within two frames with a pot on the pink after Robertson had lost a good chance to go four frames clear with a miss on a black. Robertson had opened the reds but he could only make nine before putting Dott behind the green. The Scot conceded 13 points in four missed attempts but he did well to persist as Robertson then missed a red, leaving Dott in the balls. Dott made a 42 break but missed a long red before Robertson's failure to capitalise.
Frame 27:
The tension was evidently unbearable for these players in a pivotal frame lasting 45 minutes. With the score 40-37 in Dott's favour, the players went more than 20 shots without making a pot. Robertson ended the stalemate to the relief of the Crucible audience but then missed the frame-ball brown. Dott potted brown and blue but a double-kiss on the pink gave Robertson the frame with a fine pot which he celebrated with a fist-pump and a shout of "Come on". Earlier, Dott had started the frame with a 19 break but only just rattled in a red and the following blue via the jaws. It was third time unlucky for Dott as a red missed, leaving Robertson in the balls. Several modest breaks from both players followed before the dramatic finish on the colours.
Frame 26:
Robertson again made hard work of winning a frame but he now only needs four more to be champion. He broke down on a 55 break after making contact with the wrong red trying to get on the black but then did enough to leave Dott needing a snooker. The Scot played an excellent shot to leave Robertson tight behind the black but the Robertson succeeded in escaping
Frame 25:
Dott continues to hang onto Robertson's coat-tails, 13-12 down, after a 57 break. Robertson benefited from a fluke early on but he was unable to open the pack and he broke down on 15. Another bout of safety was ended when Dott potted a long red, enabling him to make his break and leave Robertson needing snookers. Robertson failed in his task when Dott potted green and brown after Robertson had inadvertently sunk the yellow.
Frame 24:
Breaks of 55 and 51 were the key to Robertson restoring the two-frame gap. The Australian had won the early safety battle but could only score 10. When Dott did little better with a 13 break, Robertson made his first major contribution leaving the Scot needing snookers. Robertson made his second break after being handed an easy starter.
Frame 23:
Dott showed great determination to win a scrappy opening frame of the final session to close back to within one frame. Unlike the last frame, there were no major contributions but Dott was always in control after a 36 break in the middle of it.
Session Three: Robertson 3-3 Dott
Dott keeps his title challenge alive with the first century of the final in the 22nd frame, a frame largely out of keeping with the rest of the session. Robertson will not be too displeased at having split this session 3-3 as he retains a two-frame lead but, with the players only having fitted in six frames in session three, it could be a long night ahead.
Frame 22:
Finally, a century in the Crucible final. It came courtesy of gritty Dott who keeps his chances of a second championship alive with a magificent 112 break. At one stage, the Scot looked set to break down but potted a brilliant red to the middle and a pink off the cushion on his way to an eighth ton in the championship.
Frame 21:
Breaks of 37 and 51 were enough to restore Robertson's three-frame lead. Robertson was set to win with one visit but went in-off when cutting in a thin red. Soon enough, Robertson was back in the balls and you get the feeling that Dott can ill-afford to fall four frames behind before this evening's session.
Frame 20:
Dott ensures the first four frames are shared but this was another struggle. The Scot looked set to win the frame in one go but broke down on a 52 break when failing with an attempted double after running out of position. He then gained the upper hand in the safety battle after Robertson took a ridiculous four-and-a-half minutes on deciding whether to play a shot or put Dott back in after a foul on the green. Another few reds from Dott left Robertson needing two snookers but the Aussie took the last red off the table and Dott escaped repeatedly on the yellow.
Frame 19:
There has still not been a century in the final but Robertson's 82 was as convincing a break as we've seen and it has now given him a three-frame lead. Dott had the first chance after finding a plant but he missed a blue straight after it, putting Robertson in the balls to score heavily.
Frame 18:
Robertson made much harder work of opening the lead back up to two frames than he should. The Aussie got the first chance and made a 49 break before breaking down on a pink for a second successive frame. Dott responded with a break of 47 before failing to take the last red off the cushion. A protacted safety battle on the last red and colours ended when Robertson potted brown, blue and pink.
Frame 17:
Dott took the first frame of the day with a 79 break after a bad miss by Robertson. The Australian's long-potting prowess gave him the first opportunity but he could only contribute 20 points before missing an easy pink, allowing Dott to clear up.
Session Two: Robertson 6-2 Dott
Oddly enough, both men will be pleased enough with the outcome of that session, though Robertson especially. Having lost the first session 5-3, a brilliant start to this evening means he takes a two-frame advantage into the final day. Dott looked worryingly fragile as he lost all of the first five frames in this session but two typically gritty breaks of 53 and 56 have kept him in this match. Meanwhile, Robertson's decent 70 break in the final frame made the score an accurate reflection of the contest. Notably, there has yet to be a century made in this final despite both players having hit seven tons in the earlier rounds. And so, while the play has not been outstanding, it has at least been intriguing.
Frame 16:
A composed effort from Robertson this time, clearing the table to win his first frame out of three and giving himself a two-frame lead going into tomorrow's finale. Dott actually got the first real chance after Robertson missed a long red but a good-looking break ended when he failed with a plant to the middle pocket. Dott got another chance when Robertson missed another red to the middle but, trying to play a thin red, he fouled on the blue, leaving the Aussie with a third chance which he could not refuse.
Frame 15:
Dott took a second successive frame after a 53 break following a bad miss on a simple black from Robertson. Dott's break ended when a miss to the middle gave Robertson a chance of making another comeback. But, for once, the Australian could not take advantage, breaking down after a poor positional shot and allowing Dott to make the 17 points required to wrap up the frame.
Frame 14:
A gritty, determined effort from Dott whose 56 break finally stopped the rot after Robertson had missed a red to the middle. A massive frame win for the Scot.
Frame 13:
Unfortunately for Dott, the interval has not changed the pattern of this match at all. He had his chances again in this frame, notably missing a black off the spot. But after that error, Robertson always looked like winning a fifth successive frame to lead by three.
Frame 12:
Robertson made a 79 clearance to make it four frames on the spin tonight despite Dott again getting the first chance. Needless to say, the Scot will be pleased to break for the mid-session interval.
Frame 11:
Dott has looked really ragged tonight and this was an absolute steal for Robertson who won on a respotted black, having earlier needed a snooker. A break of 72 from a terrific long red seemed to have put Dott in control of the frame but a misguided double on the last red allowed Robertson to put the Scot in trouble. Dott went in-off to give Robertson the required points and the Australian cleared the table to set up the respotted black. On the black, Robertson left Dott with another tempting double but Dott missed again, enabling the Australian to win a potentially pivotal frame.
Frame 10:
Make that a great start to the session for Robertson. The Aussie has really looked the part and restored parity with a 90 break after Dott missed a black off the spot early on.
Frame 9:
A good start to the session for Robertson who closes the gap to just one frame straightaway. He won this frame with a break of 61, having found the path to the black off an early red which Dott had tried and failed to do himself.
Session One: Robertson 3-5 Dott
It is not a Crucible classic so far with Dott's break of 80 in the first frame as the highest break of the match, and only four breaks above 50 overall. As expected, this final is very tight though Robertson has done well just to lose the session 5-3 after providing Dott with numerous chances even in the frames which he has won.
Frame 8:
Dott will take a two-frame lead into the evening session after a reprieve from Robertson. Dott got in first with a good scoring chance but he could only make 38 before missing a tough red to the left corner. Robertson was next to benefit from a good spread of balls to make 46 and a poor safety from Dott presented the Aussie with a fine chance to extend his advantage. But a miss on an awkward brown allowed Dott to make a 36 for the frame.
Frame 7:
Dott will be relieved after nearly throwing away a third successive frame. After working hard for a 57 break, Dott potted a black along the cushion to leave Robertson needing a snooker. But, off the last red, Robertson achieved just that, putting Dott tight behind the pink. Dott got out of the snooker brilliantly off three cushions and won the frame with his next visit.
Frame 6:
A real scrappy frame, eventually won on the black by Robertson. The Aussie has not played well today so far but he has really scrapped for his three frame wins. Eventually, poor safety play proved Dott's downfall in this frame. First, he gave Robertson the tactical advantage off the last red and then he left the yellow over the left corner, allowing Robertson to clear up.
Frame 5:
Robertson got in first but could only make six points before Dott played a wonderful long pot and cannon on the black to put himself in the balls again. Dott scored 52 but left himself in a bad position on a black. He missed and Robertson made a composed 62, his highest break of the match so far, to trail just 3-2.
Frame 4:
Another scrappy frame with no significant contributions, finally won by Dott on the colours. The Scot has had the rub of the green so far but Robertson has had some uncharacteristic misses and the luck should even itself out over a maximum 35 frames.
Frame 3:
Dott made a 45 break before breaking down, missing a pot to the middle. Robertson looked to have Dott in trouble behind the brown but, having forced a mistake, the Aussie then missed a thin-cut on a red to the bottom left. Dott made a 48 to take a 2-1 lead.
Frames 1 and 2:
I missed the opening two frames due to the football but they were shared, Dott making an 80 break to win the first before Robertson won the second on the colours.
Route to the Final:
NEIL ROBERTSON
R1 bt Fergal O'Brien 10-5
R2 bt Martin Gould 13-12
QF bt Steve Davis 13-5
SF bt Allister Carter (5) 17-12
GRAEME DOTT
R1 bt Peter Ebdon (14) 10-5
R2 bt Stephen Maguire (3) 13-6
QF bt Mark Allen (11) 13-12
SF bt Mark Selby (7) 17-14
World Snooker: Robertson and Dott to contest Crucible Final
THE CRUCIBLE climax sees Neil Robertson take on Graeme Dott in the world snooker final in a marathon best-of-35 frames contest over the Bank Holiday.
Robertson became the first Australian to reach the final since the late Eddie Charlton in 1975, beating Allister Carter 17-12 in convincing fashion.
And unseeded 2006 champion Dott joined him though only after a much sterner from Mark Selby in the other semi which ended 17-14.
Ninth seed Robertson led his semi final from the start, taking the first five frames with breaks of 124, 91 and 76 in frames two, four and five.
Carter had been given few chances by Robertson in the opening stages and he was still struggling to judge the pace of the table when he finally got off the mark in frame six.
The final two frames of the first session were shared to leave Robertson firmly in control, 6-2 ahead, though Carter's 52 break in frame eight was his highest contribution of the match to that point.
Robertson struck again at the start of the second session. A magnificent 140 break and a tight win in frame 10 gave him an 8-2 lead before the first twist in the tale.
For the first time in the match, the Australian lost a little form and Carter upped his potting game with breaks of 76 and 81 to win four frames in a row.
But that was to be as good as it would get for fifth seed Carter.
Robertson composed himself sufficiently to take the last two frames of the session with breaks of 59 and 104 to retain a four-frame lead.
A scrappy, low-scoring first frame of the third session was won by Carter but Robertson still looked the more accomplished, scoring his third century of the match in a four-frame winning streak.
That made the score 14-7 and left Robertson with the chance of winning the match with a session to spare by winning the last three frames.
In the event, he won just one of the last three but he was not complaining of an overnight score of 15-9.
Carter came out fighting at the start of the final session, taking the opening two frames with breaks of 64 and 71.
But Robertson crushed any notion of a comeback by winning two of the next three frames and sealing his place in the final.
Dott was forced to work much harder against Masters champions Mark Selby for his third appearance in the showpiece event though, just like Robertson, the Scot shaded the early exchanges.
Breaks of 79, 71 and 93 helped Dott into a 5-2 lead before Selby made his first real impression with a 142 break in the last frame of the session.
The opening four frames of session two were shared before Dott exerted control by winning three frames out of the next four to lead 10-6.
The first of those three frames was the result of a brilliant 146 break, a real testament to the hard work which he has put in to improve the scoring part of his game.
It puts Dott in line to share the highest break money with Mark Allen who also hit 146 in his quarter final match against Mark Davies.
Selby had to react to keep his chances of a second Crucible final appearance alive and the Leicester man started the third session well.
By taking four of the first five frames, he reduced his arrears to 11-10 but Dott held firm and edged himself closer to the line by taking the last three in the session for a 14-10 lead.
Still playing catch up, Selby started the final session in similar style to his early success in session three, winning the first three frames to trail just 14-13.
The next two frames were shared and the match looked set to be a late night thriller but, despite a diminishing lead, Dott did not panic.
Instead, he won the tactical battle in the final two frames to complete a brilliant recent turnaround in his professional career.
After winning a turgid final in 2006 against Peter Ebdon, the Scot's ranking fell as low as 48 in the following years as he struggled with depression.
But this run to the Crucible final caps an excellent 2009-10 season which has put Dott back in the top 16 for next year, whatever the result of the final.
That should allow him to play with some freedom while no one could fault Robertson for being a little nervous until he wins his first frame.
On the other hand, Dott may suffer from his relatively late finish and any perceived advantage from his 2006 win might have been negated by the troubles which followed.
Whichever way it is looked at, this final should be a close one with both men fully deserving of their place.
Robertson is the in-form player of the season and Dott is on his mighty comeback trail. Now, 18 frame wins stand between them and glory.
RESULTS/CENTURIES
Semi finals (best of 33 frames)
Neil Robertson (9) bt Allister Carter (5) 17-12
Graeme Dott bt Mark Selby (7) 17-14
Quarter finals (best of 25 frames)
Neil Robertson (9) bt Steve Davis 13-5
Allister Carter (5) bt Shaun Murphy (13) 13-12
Graeme Dott bt Mark Allen (11) 13-12
Mark Selby (7) bt Ronnie O'Sullivan (2) 13-11
First Round and Second Round results
See earlier blog post.
2010 World Championship century breaks
Total: 58, Most centuries: Graeme Dott/Neil Robertson (7 each)
146 - Mark Allen, Graeme Dott
142 - Mark Selby
140 - Neil Robertson
137 - Ding Junhui
131 - Mark Allen
130 - Graeme Dott
128 - Steve Davis, Shaun Murphy
127 - Liang Wenbo, Stephen Lee, Graeme Dott
124 - Neil Robertson
122 - Mark Allen, Allister Carter
121 - John Higgins, Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams
120 - Ding Junhui, Stephen Maguire
117 - Mark Selby, Ronnie O'Sullivan
116 - Martin Gould, Graeme Dott, Neil Robertson
115 - John Higgins, Graeme Dott
114 - Stephen Maguire
112 - John Higgins, Michael Holt, Marco Fu, Neil Robertson
111 - Ronnie O'Sullivan
110 - Graeme Dott
108 - Ronnie O'Sullivan, Shaun Murphy, Mark Selby
107 - Tom Ford, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson
106 - John Higgins, Ronnie O'Sullivan
105 - Graeme Dott
104 - Ronnie O'Sullivan, Allister Carter, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson
103 - Mark Selby, Martin Gould, Liang Wenbo, Ding Junhui
102 - Martin Gould, Steve Davis
101 - Mark Allen
100 - Ronnie O'Sullivan, Allister Carter, Shaun Murphy, Mark Allen
Robertson became the first Australian to reach the final since the late Eddie Charlton in 1975, beating Allister Carter 17-12 in convincing fashion.
And unseeded 2006 champion Dott joined him though only after a much sterner from Mark Selby in the other semi which ended 17-14.
Ninth seed Robertson led his semi final from the start, taking the first five frames with breaks of 124, 91 and 76 in frames two, four and five.
Carter had been given few chances by Robertson in the opening stages and he was still struggling to judge the pace of the table when he finally got off the mark in frame six.
The final two frames of the first session were shared to leave Robertson firmly in control, 6-2 ahead, though Carter's 52 break in frame eight was his highest contribution of the match to that point.
Robertson struck again at the start of the second session. A magnificent 140 break and a tight win in frame 10 gave him an 8-2 lead before the first twist in the tale.
For the first time in the match, the Australian lost a little form and Carter upped his potting game with breaks of 76 and 81 to win four frames in a row.
But that was to be as good as it would get for fifth seed Carter.
Robertson composed himself sufficiently to take the last two frames of the session with breaks of 59 and 104 to retain a four-frame lead.
A scrappy, low-scoring first frame of the third session was won by Carter but Robertson still looked the more accomplished, scoring his third century of the match in a four-frame winning streak.
That made the score 14-7 and left Robertson with the chance of winning the match with a session to spare by winning the last three frames.
In the event, he won just one of the last three but he was not complaining of an overnight score of 15-9.
Carter came out fighting at the start of the final session, taking the opening two frames with breaks of 64 and 71.
But Robertson crushed any notion of a comeback by winning two of the next three frames and sealing his place in the final.
Dott was forced to work much harder against Masters champions Mark Selby for his third appearance in the showpiece event though, just like Robertson, the Scot shaded the early exchanges.
Breaks of 79, 71 and 93 helped Dott into a 5-2 lead before Selby made his first real impression with a 142 break in the last frame of the session.
The opening four frames of session two were shared before Dott exerted control by winning three frames out of the next four to lead 10-6.
The first of those three frames was the result of a brilliant 146 break, a real testament to the hard work which he has put in to improve the scoring part of his game.
It puts Dott in line to share the highest break money with Mark Allen who also hit 146 in his quarter final match against Mark Davies.
Selby had to react to keep his chances of a second Crucible final appearance alive and the Leicester man started the third session well.
By taking four of the first five frames, he reduced his arrears to 11-10 but Dott held firm and edged himself closer to the line by taking the last three in the session for a 14-10 lead.
Still playing catch up, Selby started the final session in similar style to his early success in session three, winning the first three frames to trail just 14-13.
The next two frames were shared and the match looked set to be a late night thriller but, despite a diminishing lead, Dott did not panic.
Instead, he won the tactical battle in the final two frames to complete a brilliant recent turnaround in his professional career.
After winning a turgid final in 2006 against Peter Ebdon, the Scot's ranking fell as low as 48 in the following years as he struggled with depression.
But this run to the Crucible final caps an excellent 2009-10 season which has put Dott back in the top 16 for next year, whatever the result of the final.
That should allow him to play with some freedom while no one could fault Robertson for being a little nervous until he wins his first frame.
On the other hand, Dott may suffer from his relatively late finish and any perceived advantage from his 2006 win might have been negated by the troubles which followed.
Whichever way it is looked at, this final should be a close one with both men fully deserving of their place.
Robertson is the in-form player of the season and Dott is on his mighty comeback trail. Now, 18 frame wins stand between them and glory.
RESULTS/CENTURIES
Semi finals (best of 33 frames)
Neil Robertson (9) bt Allister Carter (5) 17-12
Graeme Dott bt Mark Selby (7) 17-14
Quarter finals (best of 25 frames)
Neil Robertson (9) bt Steve Davis 13-5
Allister Carter (5) bt Shaun Murphy (13) 13-12
Graeme Dott bt Mark Allen (11) 13-12
Mark Selby (7) bt Ronnie O'Sullivan (2) 13-11
First Round and Second Round results
See earlier blog post.
2010 World Championship century breaks
Total: 58, Most centuries: Graeme Dott/Neil Robertson (7 each)
146 - Mark Allen, Graeme Dott
142 - Mark Selby
140 - Neil Robertson
137 - Ding Junhui
131 - Mark Allen
130 - Graeme Dott
128 - Steve Davis, Shaun Murphy
127 - Liang Wenbo, Stephen Lee, Graeme Dott
124 - Neil Robertson
122 - Mark Allen, Allister Carter
121 - John Higgins, Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams
120 - Ding Junhui, Stephen Maguire
117 - Mark Selby, Ronnie O'Sullivan
116 - Martin Gould, Graeme Dott, Neil Robertson
115 - John Higgins, Graeme Dott
114 - Stephen Maguire
112 - John Higgins, Michael Holt, Marco Fu, Neil Robertson
111 - Ronnie O'Sullivan
110 - Graeme Dott
108 - Ronnie O'Sullivan, Shaun Murphy, Mark Selby
107 - Tom Ford, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson
106 - John Higgins, Ronnie O'Sullivan
105 - Graeme Dott
104 - Ronnie O'Sullivan, Allister Carter, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson
103 - Mark Selby, Martin Gould, Liang Wenbo, Ding Junhui
102 - Martin Gould, Steve Davis
101 - Mark Allen
100 - Ronnie O'Sullivan, Allister Carter, Shaun Murphy, Mark Allen
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