Shearer accuses his team-mates of not trying

ALAN SHEARER accused his team-mates of lack of effort as Newcastle tumbled out of the FA Cup yesterday at the hands of First Division Wolves.

The Magpies had been lucky to recover from 2-0 down to 2-2 at half-time, but Wolves' determination and energy saw them claim the winning goal to see off the Premiership side.

Shearer said: "Not enough of us were putting the effort in today. I've lost count of how many times we have got ourselves back in the game this season and then committed suicide again. It is very disappointing but I have to say they deserved it. They played very well and we presented them with some great opportunities and they took them."

The winning goal came from George Ndah after Newcastle had come back from 2-0 down. Excellent strikes by Paul Ince and Mark Kennedy had put Wolves in control but they were pegged back at the break by Jermaine Jenas and Shearer's penalty. Goal-line clearances aplenty followed and, one thing was for sure, defences were certainly not on top.

The victory should also provide some relief for Wolves manager Dave Jones, whose future at the club has been clouded by some scathing criticism from his chairman Sir Jack Hayward during the week.

Jones had only six minutes to wait before Wolves showed their teeth, going ahead through skipper Ince. A short corner routine saw Kennedy plant a deep cross on to Paul Butler's head who knocked the ball back for Ince, 15 yards out, to rifle a half-volley low and straight past Shay Given.

In the 28th minute Wolves struck again to make it 2-0 with a brilliant goal all started by Murray's long throw to Shaun Newton. The winger played a delightful ball inside to Cameron who cut it back behind Kenny Miller, who looked furious until he saw Kennedy arrive to match Ince's finish with a superb shot inside the far post.

Kennedy had an excellent chance to finish the Magpies off with a free header from just six yards out but he only found the side-netting.

Newcastle desperately needed something and Bellamy provided it, finding Shearer who was denied by Butler's block but the loose ball bounced up just right for Jenas to head home.

Three minutes before the break referee Rob Styles infuriated Wolves by awarding a penalty against Joleon Lescott for pulling Bellamy back, though television replays proved the decision perfectly justified, and Shearer hammered in a ferocious spot-kick.

Bobby Robson attempted to bolster Newcastle's shaky defence for the second half by bringing on Nikos Dabizas for Andy O'Brien at centre-back.

Lescott atoned soon after the break with two amazing goal-line clearances to block first Shearer and then Bellamy. Wolves made Newcastle pay when Kennedy's probing ball from the left was headed back across goal by Newton for Ndah to finish from a couple of yards.

Newcastle did their best to hand Wolves another goal, first allowing Ince to win another header in the box. It was directed straight at Given but he managed to drop the ball and Ndah was only denied by some frantic defending.

Newcastle manager Robson accepted: "You have to give Wolves credit they ran their hearts out and played better than they have done for a number of matches. They were up for it and they got a mammoth victory. I am not just disappointed I am sick." The victory provided some relief for Wolves manager Dave Jones, saying: "I'm just focusing on my job, keeping my head down and doing the job to the best of my ability. Today I'm a good coach and manager, the next time we lose I'll be a bad coach. This is the pressure in management and some people don't believe me but I enjoy every minute of it I just enjoy it more when we are winning."

Jones added: "It was a big disappointment for us to concede the two goals but at half-time the players still believed they could get something from the game.

"What we haven't got is the level of consistency and we have not been taking our chances. What we have done is shown what we are capable of. If we had not been at our best today they would have turned us over.

"Everybody was fully committed and it showed in the goal-line clearances we made." Wolves' Irish winger Mark Kennedy, who scored Wanderers' second goal, claimed: "It was a big result for us because we haven't been playing well. It was good to play a big team like Newcastle so a lot of the players can show what they are capable of. We have a point to prove to ourselves more than anyone else. First and foremost you have got to prove it to yourself. And it's nice to give the fans something to cheer about."

The Republic of Ireland wide man admitted it had been one of his best games since joining the club, adding: "I had one of my worst last Saturday so Ì'm just pleased with the result."

Kennedy also had words of praise for manager Dave Jones: "He's a great guy and we have got a massive amount of respect for him. It's us who go out on the pitch." Jones called on his players to take their cup form into the league and push for promotion to the Premiership. "The big one for us now is next Saturday at Walsall away. We have got to reproduce that."

Wolves: Murray, Irwin, Lescott, Butler (Clyde 50), Naylor, Newton (Cooper 83), Ince, Cameron, Kennedy, Miller, Ndah.

Newcastle: Given, Griffin, O'Brien (Dabizas 45), Hughes, Bernard, Solano (LuaLua 76), Acuna (Ameobi 84), Jenas, Robert, Shearer, Bellamy.

Ref: R Styles (Hampshire).