Shaky Magpies pushed hard

NEWCASTLE held off an Aston Villa rally to pick up three Premiership points at St James’ Park.

Glenn Roeder’s men looked to have victory all but wrapped up inside the opening seven minutes when James Milner, who spent last season on loan at Villa Park, and Kieron Dyer fired them into a 2-0 lead.

But the visitors, who started with a new-look strike force of £8m man Ashley Young and John Carew, pulled a goal back when former Watford star Young opened his account on 25 minutes — and the Magpies crumbled.

Had it not been for the brilliance of stand-in goalkeeper Steve Harper and the help of the woodwork, Martin O’Neill’s side could not only have been back on terms, but comfortably ahead by the time referee Howard Webb signalled the end of an agonising game for the home fans among a crowd of 49,201.

O’Neill, heavily linked with the vacant job at St James’ before Roeder was appointed, headed back to the Midlands scarcely able to believe he was doing so empty-handed after substitute Antoine Sibierski made sure of the win at the end.

But with good fortune having been in short supply on Tyneside this season, Roeder, who welcomed back Damien Duff and Titus Bramble from long-term injuries, may feel his luck is starting to turn.

The Magpies exploded out of the blocks and could really have had the points safely banked long before the break. But their confidence ebbed away and the situation wasn’t helped by the growing tension in the stands. However, they made sure in injury time with Sibierski’s stylish finish.

NEWCASTLE: Harper, Carr, Taylor, Bramble, Huntington, Milner, Butt (Sibierski 33), Parker, Duff, Dyer, Martins.

ASTON VILLA: Sorensen, Bardsley, Mellberg, Cahill, Bouma (Angel 85), McCann, Petrov, Barry, Agbonlahor, Carew (Berger 69), Young.

Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire).