Premiership: Newcastle hit Everton for six

Nolberto Solano scored twice as Newcastle swept aside Everton with a brilliant second-half display to put their drive for a Champions League place back on course.

But it was Everton who had the better start as Duncan Ferguson took a mere six minutes to make his point to his former club, scoring a goal out of virtually nothing.

The tall Scot took possession of David Unsworth’s throw on the edge of the area, used his strength to hold off Nikos Dabizas then turned and looped a shot over Shay Given, with the Newcastle keeper managing to get a hand to the ball but unable to stop it dropping into the net.

Everton had earlier provided a warning of their cutting edge when Thomas Gravesen turned away from trouble in midfield and floated a ball over the defence for Thomasz Radzinski to chase.

The Pole outpaced Sylvain Distin - who is no slouch - and fired in a shot from a narrow angle that Newcastle were relieved to see go the wrong side of the post.

A minute after scoring, Ferguson held up play well and set up Gravesen for an shot which curled just over the crossbar.

For Newcastle, both Nolberto Solano and Laurent Robert produced hopeless crosses from promising positions, drawing howls of frustration from the home fans.

Fortunately for the Magpies, Alan Shearer was more dependable.

Again a throw-in created the chance, Robert spotting Shearer in space and unmarked on the left, and the striker strode forward before placing a firm low shot into the far corner.

Two minutes later, with a quarter of an hour gone, Newcastle were in front.

Robert was again the provider, bursting down the left and producing a great ball into the centre.

Carl Cort still had a lot to do but he met the cross first time with the outside of the foot to give Steve Simonsen no chance.

Newcastle continued to exert pressure but Everton rode the storm and equalised 20 minutes later when Niclas Alexandersson beat the home defence and stroked an opportunist goal past the helpless Shay Given.

Newcastle were on the offensive after the break.

Jenas drove in powerful shot after 58 minutes which curved wickedly towards goal and forced Simonsen to concede a corner.

Robert’s flag-kick was right into the mixer, a crowd of players jumped for the header but it dropped into the six-yard box and O’Brien reacted quickest to stab it goalwards, the ball just trickling over the line.

The goal may have been far from a classic, but Newcastle were not complaining, and another corner routine saw Dabizas head wide.

The move of the match then saw Jenas roll a delightful through-ball into Solano’s path but the Peruvian waited too long and was shouldered off the ball by Alan Stubbs.

Everton were still in it but Solano’s double strike on 71 and 73 minutes ended the game as a contest.

The last 20 minutes were merely a formality for the home side as the Toffees never threatened to launch a comeback.

Olivier Bernard put the icing on the cake for Newcastle when he added their sixth on 88 minutes.

The win leaves Newcastle in fourth position, six points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.