Newcastle United 5 Sunderland 1 (31st October 2010)

There’s a man associated with Newcastle United whose ownership has been lamentable at best.  He was plotting the removal of fans’ favourite Chris Hughton from his role as manager despite going fifth in the table after a victory away to Arsenal and this emphatic victory over local rivals Sunderland.  

He then sanctioned the sale of Andy Carroll for £35m which on paper looked good business but in reality, underlined his lack of ambition for the club as the money was not reinvested.  Despite that backdrop, Halloween 2010 was one of the greatest days in any Newcastle fan’s life.  Secret Agent Steve Bruce pretended to be Sunderland manager for a few years and, to try and convince the Sunderland fans that he was on their side, even sported a red face and white hair in tribute to the famous Sunderland club colours.

There was very little doubt about the destination of the points when after 26 minutes, almost complete Magpie dominance was rewarded when Kevin Nolan hooked the ball over his head into the Sunderland net from six yards.  

This was followed by every Newcastle outfield player lying on top of the scorer and creating a Kevin Nolan shaped indentation in the pitch.  Eight minutes later Jonás Gutiérrez took a shot which was blocked by a Sunderland foot but skipped up nicely for Andy Carroll to knock across the box for the unmarked Kevin Nolan.  After chesting the ball down and stroking the ball past Simon Mignolet, the crowd erupted in ecstasy whilst watching their current favourite scouser trot away doing a chicken impression (for some reason).  

Roll on another ten minutes and the enthusiasm of Gutiérrez paid more dividends.  At first he tried to release Nolan with a through ball which was cut out.  Nolan did manage to latch onto the rebound however, took on three defenders and was then mercilessly hacked to the floor inside the box by Nedum Onuoha.  Despite Nolan being on a hat-trick, designated penalty taker Shola Ameobi stepped up confidently and placed a perfect penalty inside the left-hand post.  Half time, three nil, game over.

Time for some comedy in the interlude between goals; enter the master of footballing mishaps, Titus Bramble.  Gutierrez knocked a ball on towards the Sunderland penalty area for Andy Carroll to run after. Over came Bramble to wipe Carroll out then get to his feet not only to see the referee waving a red card at him but all of the Newcastle fans waving their hands at him too.  

Twenty minutes to go and Danny Simpson whipped a cross to the back post which Carroll thumped against the bar with a header.  The ball then rebounded out to Ameobi on the penalty spot and he smashed it into the top corner for four – nil.  If that wasn’t enough to send the fans into dreamland, Joey Barton swung a corner in, onto the head of Ameobi whose flick-on found Nolan a yard from goal and he couldn’t do anything else but direct it into the net.  Another chicken dance accompanied the aftermath of the first hat-trick against Sunderland since 1985.  

Sunderland did nick one near the end but it didn’t dampen the spirits (remember, it was Halloween) of the fans.  On the day the clocks went back, this result gave rise to the inevitable punch line to the joke, ‘What time is it?’, ‘It’s five past Sunderland’.

Read more of 'Newcastle United's Greatest Ever Games' here.