1 week Ago By Joe Buck
Newcastle United Reporter at the Shields Gazette Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Clarke was the unfortunate man to pay the price for Ben Johnson’s red card as he was withdrawn by his manager to be replaced by Ben Godfrey . Godfrey, a natural defender, slotted into a makeshift back five as the ten men of Ipswich looked to resolutely defend against opponents who had their tails up.
Ultimately, they were able to hold out for just a matter of minutes before Newcastle United opened the scoring. Advertisement Advertisement Michael Salisbury, who was roundly booed by all four stands on Tyneside as he headed down the tunnel at half-time, awarded the hosts a penalty after being instructed by VAR to check a tackle made by Julio Enciso on Jacob Murphy. Alexander Isak stepped up to slot the resulting spot-kick home and give his side a lead they never looked like relinquishing.
Goals from Dan Burn and Will Osula condemned the Tractor Boys to a 3-0 defeat and relegation to the Championship after just one season in the top-flight. For Clarke, meanwhile, it was not a happy first return to the north east after leaving the Stadium of Light to move to Portman Road last summer. Before being substituted by his manager, Clarke could have opened the scoring at St James’ Park when he saw an early effort deflected and trickle past Nick Pope’s post.
The winger was then the centre of chants from the home support as his teammates lined up for the resulting corner. Those chants then extended from the Gallowgate to the whole of St James’ Park when the number 47 was lit up in red by the fourth official following Johnson’s red card: “Yeah, it was frustrating for him,” McKenna said. Advertisement Advertisement “I think we started well to be honest, I think if we spoke with him yesterday and he obviously played against Kieran Trippier last year with Sunderland , it was a big challenge.
He was really looking forward to the game and I thought it was a good tussle. “I thought they were both going at it and Jack was banged for a free kick and I thought it was set to be a really good battle. Really frustrated for him but I think he's made some good progress in different areas and he's going to be able to clock forward for the long term I think and hopefully improve.
” Ipswich’s relegation to the Championship means that Clarke will come up against one of his former employers next season - on the condition that Regis Le Bris ’ Sunderland do not secure promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs. Leeds United, meanwhile, have already secured their promotion to the top-flight and will feature at St James’ Park next term. Burnley have also secured promotion from the Championship with Sunderland and Sheffield United guaranteed their place in the play-offs.
Bristol City, Coventry City, Millwall, Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough will all compete for the final spot in the top six next weekend. National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting.
Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting..
