Toon end Hammers' unbeaten run

Newcastle United 2 West Ham United 1

Oh well, guess WHU's unbeaten run had to end somewhere and a freezing afternoon in Newcastle always looked difficult. Received the bad news while in Cookham at the Sir Stanley Spencer art gallery — middle-class football fans, eh?

We were unfortunate to come across Newcastle's new £12m signing JonJo Shelvey — a Harold Wood boy as well as a Voldemort doppelgänger — with a point to prove to Swansea and new boss Steve McLaren. West Ham don't get going for the first half, indicated by Noble dithering early on, resulting in a chance for Newcastle.

The Toon take the lead with a great goal; Shelvey's probing pass finds Wijnaldum who lays it off first-time for Perez to blast a fine effort into the corner. The Irons almost equalise when Cresswell gets in a great low centre only for Antonio to be thwarted by a fine block from Coloccini. But it's two after 15 minutes when Shelvey plays a great 60-yard pass to Janmaat on the right, who centres for Wijnaldum to beat Collins to the ball and flick home. Shelvey then shows the other side of his game, being lucky to stay on the pitch for an elbow on Valencia.

A bit strange of Bilic to play Valencia alone up front in the first half — presumably so that he could play both Obiang and Kouyate together — as Enner's never looked suited to the lone striker role. Jelavic comes on for the second half and scores with his first touch, when he gathers Mbemba's poor back pass, rounds the keeper and slots home. The Hammers play better in the second half, though Newcastle have chances to get a third as Adrian makes two good stops from Mitrovic and Wijnaldum slews wide. Late on Jelavic gets in a great centre and Kouyate's header is saved by Eliot's knee.

So the Wally With The Brolly has finally beaten Super Slav, watched by Alan Shearer and Ed Sheeran, who just might be the Geordies' version of Chas and Dave. Had we avoided defeat it would have been a club record nine matches undefeated in the Premier League. Hard to complain too much after our recent run, but now it's time to regroup for Man City.