Victory spoiled as Magpies end in a flap

Newcastle 2 Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin 0

The Magpies were cruising after two goals by Patrick Kluivert set them on their way but after the break the game deteriorated and Nicky Butt was sent off just two minutes after his arrival as substitute for grabbing Abas Soan by the neck.

Sakhnin skipper Abas Suan, the man with whom Butt clashed to earn his marching orders, was also sent off after being yellow-carded for the second time for his part in the melee.

Portuguese referee Antonio Costa booked another five men - four of them on the Israeli side - as the game threatened to descend into farce.

Souness said: "We fell for the three card trick.

"They came to break the game up at every opportunity and we could not rise above it.

"Nicky Butt fell for the three card trick but you never stop learning in this game."

The Scot, in his first game in charge at Newcastle, acknowledged that the Israelis' game plan had not suited his team but insisted his team had learnt a harsh lesson.

To compound Butt's red card, Kieron Dyer limped off in the second half as the gloss started to fade from what seemed like an easy victory.

Souness said: "It's not great news [about Dyer] but we have some good players in midfield."

Acknowledging the margin of victory was not as comfortable as he had hoped it would be, Souness said: "There are no easy games. We have got a clean sheet and scored two goals and they are going to have to come at us."

It was little surprise that Kluivert opened the scoring with just three minutes gone, firing home left-footed effort from close range after Lee Bowyer and Dyer had both hindered Sakhnin's efforts to clear a Laurent Robert cross after defender Aziz Rabbah gifted the ball to the Frenchman.

There were few raised eyebrows when Kluivert did the trick once again four minutes before half-time, meeting a Robert corner with a powerful header that went in off the underside of the crossbar.

What transpired between the two goals was a little disconcerting as, despite their almost total dominance, Newcastle were unable to kill the tie.

Zimbabwean keeper Energy Mumarbadoro made splendid saves from both Kluivert and Bowyer, but the work-rate and commitment of the Israeli side meant that, for long periods, the Magpies struggled to find the space they needed to open up their opponents.

NEWCASTLE: Given, Carr, Elliott, O'Brien, Hughes (Bernard 15), Dyer (Butt 58), Bowyer, Jenas, Robert, Ameobi (Milner 69), Kluivert.

BNEI SACHNIN: Murambadoro, Kasum (Edri 84), Etchi Oben, Danan, Basem Genaiem (Salameh 80), Elyahu, Soan, Hamud (Cleber 54), Rabbah, Masudi, Agoye.

Ref: Antonio Almeida Costa (Portugal).