Fixture - Newcastle vs Tottenham

Match report

Hatem Ben Arfa stroked home a late penalty as Newcastle United's Barclays Premier League campaign got off to a flying start with a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

The Frenchman sent Brad Friedel the wrong way in the 80th minute having been fouled by Rafael van der Vaart and Aaron Lennon.

The game sprang into life ten minutes into the second half when Demba Ba fired in his first goal since February to put the home side ahead before Jermain Defoe prodded in a 76th-minute equaliser at the second attempt.

Spurs had been unlucky not to take the lead into the half-time break after Defoe and Gareth Bale both hit the woodwork. Defoe fired against the base of Tim Krul’s right post, and three minutes later Bale headed powerfully against the bar.

After the break the home side snatched the lead against the run of play when Danny Simpson's high ball into the box was half headed clear by Kyle Walker, and Ba curled a shot high into the net from the corner of the box.

It took another 15 minutes for Spurs to respond, Defoe hitting a low shot which was parried by Krul. But in the 76th minute Defoe made amends when he scored from close range after seeing Krul save his initial header from Aaron Lennon's cross.

But the score only lasted four minutes before Van der Vaart and Lennon combined to trip Ben Arfa on the left side of the area, and the Frenchman picked himself up to send Friedel the wrong way.