Shearer wonder strike sparks Toon revival

Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy put their Champions League misery behind them today by grabbing a goal each in the last five minutes…

Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy put their Champions League misery behind them today by grabbing a goal each in the last five minutes as Newcastle denied Everton the chance to go second in the Premiership, at St James' Park.

Forced to play for over an hour with 10 men after Joseph Yobo was ordered off, Everton looked set to hang on for their sixth successive 1-0 victory after Kevin Campbell's 17th-minute strike had put them ahead.

When Andy O'Brien headed inches wide in the 80th minute, it really did not seem as if it was going to be the Magpies' day.

But Shearer and Bellamy, both banned in Europe as a result of their conduct during the 4-1 thrashing by Inter Milan on Wednesday, had other ideas.

READ MORE

First Shearer latched on to Shola Ameobi's header to send a stunning 25-yard-volley beyond the helpless Richard Wright.

Three minutes later, Bellamy wriggled past two challenges on the left of the Everton goal and poked in a shot-cum-cross that took a cruel deflection of Chinese midfielder Li Tie to squeeze between Wright's flailing hand and the near post.

As against Inter, the frailty of Newcastle's central defence had been exposed by Campbell's 17-minute opener.

Latching on to Dave Unsworth's hopeful punt out of defence, the former Arsenal man was able to find his way through three defenders before squeezing a shot through the legs of Shay Given.

Yobo was given his marching orders in the 21st minute when he pulled down Bellamy from behind with the Welsh striker clean through on goal.