NAME-CALLING comes with the territory on Tyneside. Insults have been hurled in all directions over the years – from the boardroom to the bootroom. Nowadays it is the tormented Toon Army who always have the most to say and no one has provoked them quite like Mike Ashley. This was the fi rst home game since he announced he had taken the club off the market and put Chris Hughton in charge permanently. But it is the sportswear mogul’s latest trick to ridiculously re-brand the Magpies’ proud fortress Sportsdirect.com@St James’ Park, that yesterday prompted angry protests against the owner. Several hundred fans gathered outside the ground before the game to chant “We want Ashley out” and protestors clashed with police after the match. Inside the stadium, those cries persisted along with “Stand up for St James’ Park” – which many fans literally did. Stewards were quick to remove anti-Ashley banners. On the pitch, Argentina winger Jonas Gutierrez’s mazy 40-yard run in the 15th minute put the Toon ahead after his shot defected past Joe Lewis. It was Gutierrez’s first competitive goal for the club since his move from Real Mallorca last summer. But the fun was short-lived, Gutierrez limping off in the 22nd minute to be replaced by Ryan Taylor. By then Newcastle were cruising thanks to Andy Carroll’s headed finish in the 18th minute from Danny Guthrie’s left-wing corner. Right-back Danny Simpson, on loan from Manchester United, lifted the mood seven minutes into the second half with a cross-cum-shot from the edge of the box that sailed over Lewis. Sensing a landslide, Posh went for broke and skipper Dean Keates swept in a deserved consolation 11 minutes from time. Hughton insisted the fans’ protests were not a distraction. He said: “It hasn’t taken anything away from the victory. We have a totally focused group of players. “We have got used to getting on with the job.” Posh boss Darren Ferguson, whose side are now bottom of the table, said: “I was disappointed. We didn’t give ourselves a chance.”
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