Phew

Toon 2 Birmingham City 1

Lucky? Fortunate? Jammy... yup, Saturday's result was all of those. But, it was also hardworking, gutsy and deserved. Its an old adage, but you make your own luck. A penalty that on some days wouldn't have been given and a corner that was deflected off Beye's shoulder.

Anyway the Blues fans that I work with seem to conveniently forget Jerome's novel way of defending when last man on the wall... I know I've never played the game, but I'm fairly sure you aren't allowed to bat the ball away with your arm in the penalty area.... And they also seem to forget the squandered chances in front of the goal. But hey, what are rose tinted glasses for?

Saturday was just the result that the Toon needed. Three valuable points and three winnable games in front of us now, Wigan, Fulham and Derby (although not necessarily in that order) if we get some of this right then we should be able to rise a little off the mid-table obscurity that the Toon seems to excel at.

Also, I've taken a difficult decision this week - I'm not going to the away game at Man Ure. The prices have almost doubled in the past three years. Bearing in mind that this is the one game a year I usually walk to its been a difficult decision - but I'm not paying £47 to see us loose to them... as usual. Tough one - but its around the Wigan and FA Cup game v Stoke and I know which I'd prefer.