When the story of Newcastle United’s season is committed to the history books, Peter Lovenkrands will merit a special mention.
After a night of tears and endeavour, the club’s unbeaten home record in the Coca-Cola Championship — the last in the division — remained intact, if only just. It represented a fitting reward for a selfless man.
West Bromwich Albion had reason to consider a feisty draw as a meagre return for their excellent performance after they twice grasped and forfeited the lead, but Lovenkrands deserved something tangible for his bravery in choosing to play, let alone score his side’s second equaliser, just three days after the death of his father.
Trailing 2-1, Newcastle were struggling to contain West Brom when, in the 54th minute, Jon?s Guti?rrez nudged the ball back to Jos? Enrique on the left and Lovenkrands met a fine cross with a header that beat a flailing Scott Carson at his near post.
The Dane, whose father, Bent, had been suffering from a long illness, pointed to the sky and wept for his loss. “I can’t put my feelings into words,” he said. “I’m still very emotional when I think about it. I’m just so pleased that we got a point and that I got a goal for my dad. It was a difficult decision to play, but he was such a huge football fan and he wanted me to do this. I didn’t want to let him down.”
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Chris Hughton, the Newcastle manager, said: “We’ve got a very tight group of players and Peter is part of that. I didn’t know he would play, but he showed fantastic character.”
That Roberto Di Matteo’s team failed to end a 33-year winless sequence at St James’ Park was a consequence of fortune, frailty and the resilience that Lovenkrands personified. “We deserved to win, but Lady Luck wasn’t with us,” the West Brom manager said.
Jonas Olsson flicked a shot beyond Steve Harper in the 13th minute to put Newcastle in an unusual position; on the back foot, lacking confidence and being outplayed and outmuscled. Danny Guthrie provided some respite with a sublime 25-yard free kick that fizzed past Carson, but the second period was only 33 seconds old when West Brom again grasped the advantage, Graham Dorrans crossing for Roman Bednar to head home.
Newcastle United (4-4-2): S Harper — D Simpson (sub: R Taylor, 86min), S Taylor, F Coloccini, J Enrique — D Guthrie, A Smith, K Nolan, J Guti?rrez — F Ameobi (sub: A Carroll, 78), P Lovenkrands. Substitutes not used: F Pancrate, N Butt, T Krul, T Kadar, N Ranger. Booked: Ameobi, Nolan.
West Bromwich Albion (4-5-1): S Carson — G Jara, G Tamas, J Olsson, M Cech — C Brunt, R Koren, Y Mulumbu, G Dorrans, J Thomas — R Bednar (sub: I Miller, 63). Substitutes not used: D Kiely, S Cox, L Moore, J Mattock, G Zuiverloon, F Teixeira. Booked: Tamas, Bednar, Olsson, Jara, Dorrans.
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Referee: P Taylor.