We must be jinxed - 08/09/2003

Northern..but not National Champions

Links:  Clubs:    Chelsea    Manchester City

We must be jinxed, I really thought we could go all the way in this one - but yet again we simply weren't quite good enough. Hats off to Rangers, they played very well and although we 'scored' with Kevin Scott to make it 4-4, it was quite obvious that the ball hit the back of the net after the final whistle had gone.

My old mate Gavin Peacock didn't have the best of times, going out at the first stage when he missed sudden death penalty. He actually took it ok, but the keeper pulled off a save. All told, I thought if we weren't going to win it, then Rangers would take the title. But City played well in the final and ran out quiet comfortable winners. Never mind, there's always next year...but Geordies everywhere will be sick of hearing that particular cliche!

Tournament report from the Journal's Simon Rushworth...

Newcastle failed to clinch the 2003 Masters Football crown in front of a partizan home crowd last night after a controversial semi-final exit at the hands of eventual runners-up Rangers.

Peter Beardsley's squad of United veterans reached the last four with a 3-0 win against Midlands Masters winners Leicester. But the meanest defence in the tournament found Rangers, led by ex-Sunderland favourite Ally McCoist, too hot despite a second-half comeback. The Scots went 3-1 up two minutes after the break as Mark Walters added his second but Beardsley pulled a goal back with a long-range strike. Rangers extended their lead before John Beresford cut the deficit. Former Magpies' centre-half Kevin Scott appeared to level the scores in the final second. As match officials turned to the Sky TV team for confirmation, it emerged that Scott had got his first of the tournament a fraction of a second late. It booked Rangers their final berth but left the home fans fuming.

"It was just like old times, coming second best again," mused Beresford, a member of the Newcastle squads which finished runners-up in the Premiership twice in the 1990s. "It was disappointing but I thought our semi-final livened things up a bit. It would have been nice to take the match to penalties but it wasn't to be. We were in this competition to win it but it's been a great event for the Newcastle public."

Manchester City, who beat Sheffield United and Charlton on their way to the final, beat Rangers 3-1 in the final with Beardsley claiming the Philishave Golden Boot award with a 12-goal haul.

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