Newcastle 2, Fulham 0

Mar 23 2008 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

JUST as the cream rises, so too do Newcastle United.

The suspicion – or hope – has always been that the class of Mark Viduka and, particularly, Michael Owen would harvest the goals to separate the Magpies from the Premier League chaff.

And so, belatedly but just in time, it has proved.

Viduka’s first goal for three months and Owen’s second in five days earned Kevin Keegan his first win as Newcastle manager for more than 11 years.

But the figure that really matters is the points gap which now stands between United and the bottom three.

Oh, the joy of six.

Oh, too, to play Fulham every week.

Having been the last team to lose to Newcastle – in mid-December – the Cottagers deserved nothing more than a repeat after a limp-wristed display that belied their recent mini-revival.

True, Owen’s tension-relieving eighth goal of the season only arrived eight minutes from time.

But Fulham rarely threatened to rain on their former manager Keegan’s much-delayed victory parade.

Leading through Viduka’s classy finish bang on six minutes, Newcastle endured a few first-half scares mainly of their own making.

But they should still have gone in at the interval more goals to the good, with Owen fluffing the best of several chances to ease the natives’ nerves much sooner.

And although United’s football flagged somewhat after the break, they dipped nothing like as low as their abject visitors.

A back four gaining in confidence and superbly protected by the authoritative Nicky Butt offered up blissfully few openings.

And such was Newcastle’s sense of comfort – the scoreline apart – that Keegan even got away with again giving fans’ favourite Obafemi Martins an early bath.

Other plusses for the United boss were a much-improved display from the previously bereft Joey Barton and the increasing assurance of Jose Enrique at left-back.

But all those positives stemmed from Viduka’s early shot in the arm.

Set up on the edge of the box by Geremi’s square ball, the Aussie stole half a yard on a hesitant Brede Hangeland in turning onto his left foot, then found the bottom left-hand corner with an exquisite finish.

Though the goal had come early, it was long overdue.

Jimmy Bullard, who had posted an early notice of intent with a fizzing 25-yard shot, quickly made the point that Fulham were down but far from out, shooting from distance again to force Steve Harper into a scrambling save.

But though snow was now falling from slate-grey skies, Newcastle’s football going forward brightened the gloom.

Though some of their defending – particularly against crosses – betrayed their predicament, the home side’s newly rediscovered attacking zest saw them almost double their lead.

First, Martins – racing onto Enrique’s long ball – cut inside Aaron Hughes and Paul Stalteri before whipping a fierce shot towards the bottom right-hand corner that demanded a stunning save from Kasey Keller.

Then, after the American keeper had tipped a 30-yarder from Owen behind, Newcastle lost out in two goalmouth scrambles.

First, Keller scooped the ball off his line after Leon Andreasen had unwittingly deflected it goalbound.

Then Abdoulaye Faye, picked out beyond the far post by Martins’ cross, produced an overhead kick which looped over Keller but bounced agonisingly across the face of goal.

More infuriating still was Owen’s failure to make proper contact with a free header from 10 yards from Geremi’s 36th-minute cross.

And frustration at one end begat panic at the other.

Bullard, maintaining his shoot on sight policy, almost deceived Harper in the flight with another 30-yarder.

And both he and others were guilty of wasting inviting openings offered up by a dangerously deep-lying back four.

Still, no harm done at half-time.

The interval had done little to calm the nerves, judging by how easily Newcastle surrendered possession immediately after the restart.

But Fulham lacked the guile to capitalise, and were relieved themselves to see a Martins shot flash over, then Barton fire inches wide from a half-cleared corner.

Realising the visitors lacked ideas, United gained in confidence, thanks in no small part to Butt’s authority in central midfield.

Martins had the ball in the net at the end of a slick 65th-minute move, but only after an offside flag had long been raised against Viduka as he flicked a deflected Owen shot goalwards.

Inevitably, the Nigerian’s withdrawal 15 minutes from time – as at Birmingham, for N’Zogbia – drew a response from the crowd, if not, this time, Martins himself.

All that would have quickly been forgotten had Stalteri not then made a crucial, knife-edge challenge to deny Owen the chance of a sitter and Newcastle the opportunity to breathe easy earlier.

But all was finally right with the world seven minutes from time.

Owen bought a foul from Stalteri 30 yards out, then underlined his often unsung ability in the air by rising to head home Geremi’s inswinging free kick.

Fulham looked to the linesman, but – cruelly – it was United old boy Hughes who had played Owen onside.

You could have heard the collective sigh of relief at Scotch Corner. Even the sun emerged to mark the Magpies’ return from the gloom.

The horizon may not be cloud-free, but it’s looking brighter.