Chelsea held by Watford, Everton sink Newcastle and other top stories.

• Chelsea held by Watford, Everton sink Newcastle

  

  If Newcastle had hoped to buy their way out of trouble, they were handed a reality check at Goodison Park as a first-half goal from Aaron Lennon and two late penalties from Ross Barkley kept January's big spenders in the relegation zone. While Chelsea have spent much of the season dwelling just above the drop zone, their fortunes had improved since Guus Hiddink took temporary charge in December. Watford, however, were the better side for the majority of the game, even if they had keeper Heurelh..

  >> view original



• Costa antics fail to fire Chelsea past Watford

  

  CHELSEA striker Diego Costa escaped a red card from referee Mike Dean for the second time this season in a tetchy 0-0 Premier League draw at Watford on Wednesday. Costa had avoided being sent off by Dean against Arsenal despite later being given a retrospective three-match ban for clashing with Gunners defenders Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel.The notoriously temperamental Costa, who reportedly punched a hole in the tunnel wall after scuffles with West Bromwich Albion players recently, was at it a..

  >> view original



• Sydney FC homecoming complete for David Carney after Newcastle ...

  

  Back home: David Carney training with Sydney FC on Wednesday. Photo: Nick Moir Sydney FC winger David Carney believes his return "home" to the Sky Blues will bring out the best in him, saying the quality of the Newcastle Jets' squad didn't match his aspirations.Carney, 32, was a notable standout for the Jets during his two years at the club, but frequent clashes with coaches and management led to something of an inevitable end, with the ex-Socceroo agreeing ..

  >> view original



• Mamo's plan to end on-field brain snaps

  

  YOUNG Newcastle back Jake Mamo is working to control his game day emotions in a bid to avoid any more on-field brain snaps.The 21-year-old was infamously concussed by Ipswich player Billy McConnachie in the State Championship game on NRL grand final day last year.Mamo became involved in a fight with a Jets opponent before McConnachie ran in and punched the Knights youngster in the side of the head, severely concussing him.It wasn’t the first time Mamo had created headlines for being involved in ..

  >> view original



• Covers off city's clock | photos

  

  PHOTOS: Newcastle City Hall's clock tower has been cleared of concrete cancer and given four new faces. Covers off city’s clock | photos HIGH TIME: A worker removing the covers of the City Hall clock tower on Wednesday. Picture: Simone De PeakON TIME: Kevin Moriarty and Rick Timperi at the northern face of the newly-restored Newcastle City Hall clock tower. Picture: Jonathan Carroll.Stone masons Tyron and Rick Timperi admire the near-complete City Hall clock..

  >> view original



• Wodonga hoons taunt police to chase them

  

  WODONGA, VIC: Youths in car urging a police pursuit ‘a recipe for disaster'. DANGEROUS: Police have slammed the actions of those responsible for this driving, who are pictured travelling through a school zone.YOUTHS driving in an overloaded convertible with graffiti urging police to chase them was a disaster waiting to happen, say police.The unregistered silver vehicle, which had spray paint saying “f--- pigs”, “cop hunter” and “chase?” came to the attention of other drivers in Wo..

  >> view original



• Herald Breakfast – February 4

  

  PORT Stephens' pitch to stand alone, how Hunter primary school students are using pencils to take on bullying and how phone tracking helped catch a thief. Morning Shot: Instagram’s @jesssikhaleesi shared this shot at Redhead before the rain arrived.Weather: Showers in Scone (24 degrees), rain and developing wind in Newcastle (24 degrees) more showers at Maitland (25 degrees). A marine wind warning is in place for the Hunter coast on Thursday and Friday. Beachwatch: It will be clou..

  >> view original



• Accountant by day, cheerleading queen by night

  Alex Tsambos, of Umina Beach, is an accountant by day and has taken on the role as director of the Newcastle Knights’ cheerleading team. Picture: Mark ScottALEX Tsambos is a superhero of sorts.By day she is a mild-mannered accountant. But by night the Umina Beach product trades her business suit and calculator for tights and pom poms as she spreads her wings in charge of an NRL cheerleading team.“Cheerleading lets me get my creative side out after being at a desk and immersed in numbers during t..

  >> view original



• Banner raises hopes for possibility of peace

  

  A Port Stephens man who has hung a banner from the former Newcastle Post office today aims to raise hopes in passers-by that peace is possible, Norman Ainsworth from Anna Bay told ABC Radio the banner, which bears an image of a Turkish soldier carrying the body of an Australian soldier across the battle lines during World War I, was gifted to him by the Governor of Turkey's Canakkale Province. The banners have been hung all over Turkey as part of the Anzac Centenary, including Canakkale, a cit..

  >> view original



• Ship crew stand-off lands in federal court

  

  Five Maritime Union of Australian crew members are refusing to disembark from the ship CSL Melbourne in Newcastle. THE fate of five crew who are refusing to disembark from a bulk carrier ship in the Port of Newcastle may be decided in the Federal Court in Sydney on Thursday afternoon. The crew members have refused to leave the ship CSL Melbourne since mooring in Newcastle last week, with the Maritime Union of Australia saying their action stemmed from being told they would lose th..

  >> view original

Sydney FC's David Carney targets silverware after making switch ... .	Transfer deadline day: Kruse back to Leverkusen, Doumbia at ... .
Newcastle offer $44 million for West Brom's Berahino .	David Carney's potential move from Newcastle Jets to Sydney FC ... .