Newcastle again caught with their defences down

BELIEVE it or not but Kevin Keegan advocated a "sensible approach" to this UEFA Cup second-round first-leg tie. What he had not considered before making that remark is the madness that runs through the Newcastle defence like writing in a stick of rock.

Having miraculously come back from a two-goal deficit before the interval Newcastle, all too predictably, managed to give away another goal. The Geordies do at least have the comfort of knowing that when Ferencvaros arrive at St James' Park in a fortnight Europe's best defenders will not be among the party.

But for their vulnerability at the back the Hungarians would have handed English football its most humiliating result since Barcelona thrashed Manchester United two seasons ago.

Newcastle went into the match in impressive form with six Premiership wins in a row under their belt. That has taken Keegan's team to a top place in the league but sandwiched in the midst of that sequence of victories was their defeat in Halmstad in the previous round of this competition.

After only 30 seconds it was that Scandinavian hiccup which came to mind when first Robert Lee and then Steve Watson surrendered possession needlessly. Lee's error was particularly culpable as he gave the ball to Ferencvaros's talented playmaker Lisztes. He soon had Horvath scampering down the right and forced Pave Srnicek into a smothering dive.

That was much sharper than the Czech's next involvement in play. Collecting the ball in his half of the centre circle the bulky, bald-headed figure of Miriuta sent a raking pass over the top of the back-pedalling Newcastle defence.

It was again aimed for the speedy Horvath but John Beresford seemed in control of the situation. However, whether he got a shout from his goalkeeper or just assumed Srnicek would be there. Beresford Jeft the ball alone, Srnicek was caught outside his area and in nipped Horvath. He went by Srnicek and stroked the ball into the empty net. It was a calamitous misunderstanding and only seven minutes had gone.

And yet it was to get much worse for Newcastle before it got any better. Nine minutes later another mistake, this time by Watson, allowed Nagy to get a foot in near the byline on the left wing. From the resulting cross Horvath threw himself in ahead of Beresford but his cute header hit the far post. The move was not over for the Hungarians though, as Lisztes followed up and put the rebound away stylishly.

Newcastle were shell-shocked. All they had to offer in between was a 20-yard Keith Gillespie shot. It was down the Irishman's flank that Newcastle were to find solace although it was not Gillespie's doing. Shearer, showing a passionate pride in his jersey, was the man who assumed responsibility.

twenty-four minutes nab gone when he rushed past Kuznyecov and clipped in a fast cross that was met with corresponding velocity by Les Ferdinand's forehead. That was one back and Ferdinand let Gavin Peacock know in no uncertain manner that he did not want to be chasing another two-goal lead. Peacock obliged and in 10 more minutes Newcastle were level.

Once again it was Shearer at the centre of the action when he delivered the most emphatic of finishes to David Batty's right-wing cross. The ball hit the roof of the net in the blink of an eye and £15 million began to look reasonable value.

In a breathless first half the Geordies then almost went ahead. This time, however, Szeiler managed to get enough of a touch on to Lee's side-foot shot to divert the ball on to a post and then agonisingly along the goalline but not over it.

It was clear defending is not top of either club's agenda, a point reinforced 11 minutes after half-time when Peter Beardsley gifted the ball to Nicsenko in the Newcastle area. The blond forward quickly found Lisztes and his shot immediately swept past Srnicek Anain.

With David Ginola coming on for the ineffective Gillespie Newcastle were hardly shoring it up but despite further clumsiness from Beardsley and Beresford managed to keep the scoreline retrievable for the return led.