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Match Report
 
 

Revenge

               Newcastle United              5 ..
                                 Ferguson '2, '3
                                 Solano '16
                                 Jones OG '31
                                 Dabizas '83

                               Southampton                   0........
                             
 

                                                             (Sorry, no pics again ((get your act together Daily Soccer...))
 

                                                NEWCASTLE blasted Southampton out of the water with
                                               an exhilarating display to climb to their highest league
                                               position of the season. The Magpies flew out of the
                                               blocks to rock the Saints with two goals inside three
                                               minutes as Duncan Ferguson headed home after Alan
                                               Shearer's effort had hit the bar, and then drove a shot
                                               into the bottom corner 77 seconds later.

                                               Nolberto Solano collected a third to cap a magnificent
                                               individual display, and an own goal from Richard Dryden
                                               made it four with barely half an hour gone. Shearer, who
                                               hit the woodwork no fewer than three times, saw a
                                               36th-minute penalty come back off the bar, although
                                               television replays later suggested that the ball had
                                               crossed the line as it ricocheted down.
 
                                               Southampton rallied after the break, and it was not until
                                               seven minutes from time that Nikos Dabizas made it five
                                               with a deflected shot to equal United's biggest home win
                                               against the Saints. But for Jones, United could have won
                                               by an even bigger margin as Kieron Dyer and Solano ran
                                               riot to avenge their side's 4-2 defeat at the Dell on
                                               August 15. More importantly, the win took Newcastle
                                               seven points clear of Dave Jones' side and into 13th
                                               place, their best of the season, as they climbed above
                                               Middlesbrough and next week's opponents Wimbledon.

                                               While Bobby Robson was able to name an unchanged 11
                                               with Rob Lee missing out again because of a hip injury,
                                               Southampton were not so fortunate. Saints boss Jones
                                               was left to pick up the pieces in the wake of an injury
                                               crisis which robbed him of Claus Lundekvam, Matt Le
                                               Tissier, Chris Marsden and Jason Dodd, and with Matthew
                                               Oakley suspended, his resources were stretched to the
                                               limit. Dean Richards returned to action, as did Mark
                                               Hughes, and there were places too for Dryden, James
                                               Beattie, Patrick Colleter and Trond Soltvedt. Long-term
                                               absentee John Beresford, a popular man on Tyneside
                                               after his service in a black and white shirt, won a return
                                               among the substitutes.
 
                                               The Newcastle faithful have witnessed some remarkable
                                               scenes at St James' Park during their Robson-inspired
                                               recovery, but they could scarcely have believed what they
                                               witnessed in an astonishing opening 45 minutes. They
                                               were 2-0 up with 200 seconds of the start, Ferguson
                                               heading past Jones after Shearer's initial effort came
                                               back off the crossbar and then dispatching a right-foot
                                               shot into the bottom corner after fine build-up play
                                               between Solano and Dyer.

                                               Shearer was unfortunate to see an eighth-minute effort
                                               hit the post after Solano made life a misery once again
                                               for Colleter on the right, but the Peruvian got his own
                                               name on the score sheet with 16 minutes gone after
                                               playing a lovely one-two with Shearer and then slotting
                                               past Jones from close-range.

                                               Jones withdrew midfielder Luis Boa Morte with 23 minutes
                                               gone and sent on defender Garry Monk, and United
                                               keeper Steve Harper had to pull off a brilliant save to
                                               keep out Stuart Ripley's volley. But little changed and
                                               opposite number Jones did well to keep out a
                                               30th-minute Ferguson header. However, he was beaten
                                               for the fourth time a minute later when Dyer's mazy run
                                               and cross saw Dryden deflect the ball into his own net.

                                               Warren Barton hit a post with a cross ten minutes from
                                               the break, but it should have been five a minute later
                                               when Shearer blasted a penalty against the bar after
                                               Richards pulled Ferguson's shirt. Solano headed a
                                               Soltvedt shot off his own line as Southampton battled for
                                               some respectability, but the writing was very firmly on the
                                               wall for the men from the south coast.
 
                                               The arrival of Francis Benali in place of Colleter at the
                                               break served to stiffen the Saints defence, but Newcastle
                                               were in uncompromising mood as they went in search of
                                               more goals. A poor Ripley corner allowed Dyer and
                                               Shearer to set Kevin Gallacher in motion on 52 minutes,
                                               and when he played in Solano, Richards had to head
                                               clear from Shearer at the far post.

                                               But the visitors played with more vigour after the break,
                                               and Kevin Davies' turn away from Marcelino presented
                                               him with a shooting chance, although he blasted high
                                               over the bar. It took a flying save from Jones to deny
                                               Solano a second goal on 70 minutes as he sent a
                                               dipping volley towards goal.
 
                                               Beresford received a warm welcome as he entered the
                                               fray for Dryden two minutes later, but he arrived to find
                                               his side under intense pressure once again. However, the
                                               Saints were making a fist of it and Ripley should have
                                               done better when he blazed wide after finding space.

                                               Shearer was gradually coming to the realisation that it
                                               was not his day after Jones again proved equal to the
                                               task as the striker fired in a blistering 78th-minute shot.
                                               But Jones was beaten once more, seven minutes from
                                               time, when Gary Speed found Dabizas inside the box and
                                               his shot deflected off Monk and into the net.