Andy Carroll hit a hat-trick as Newcastle thrashed Aston Villa 6-0 to register their first win back in the top-flight.
Carroll hits hat-trick in 6-0 rout of Villa
Andy Carroll hit a hat-trick as Newcastle thrashed managerless Aston Villa 6-0 to register their first win back in the top-flight.
The visitors could have taken a 10th minute lead when Ashley Young was felled by Steve Harper in the box, but John Carew blasted the resulting penalty miles over the bar.
Just two minutes later and Newcastle were on their way when Joey Barton - who had vowed to shave off his much-ridiculed moustache with a victory - struck a sublime 25 yard effort into the top left-hand corner.
Kevin Nolan then hit a brace (31, 87) but it was Carroll who stole the headlines with a fine hat-trick (34, 67, 90) to send a delighted crowd of 43,546 at St James' Park into raptures.
It was the perfect response for Chris Hughton's men after the Magpies' Premier League return began in sobering fashion with a 3-0 defeat at Manchester United six days ago.
The Magpies were handed a further boost at half-time when they announced the signing, subject to a work permit, of Ivory Coast international Cheick Tiote from Dutch club FC Twente.
But for managerless Villa, who ultimately sent the Magpies down in May last year, their trip to the North East was little short of disastrous.
Newcastle boss Hughton spent much of the summer acknowledging that this season would present far tougher challenges than last season's Championship romp, and his caveats were echoed by managing director Derek Llambias in his programme notes for the game.
Lone striker
Hughton, perhaps wary of the pace within the Villa ranks, once again fielded 21-year-old Carroll as a lone striker and charged skipper Nolan with the task of getting forward to support him.
With Stephen Ireland among the Villa ranks for the first time on his 24th birthday, the visitors arrived having been installed once again as one of the candidates to push the big boys all the way, and their afternoon might have turned out differently had they taken the glorious opportunity which came their way with just 10 minutes gone.
Keeper Harper was stunned to see referee Martin Atkinson pointing to the spot after Young had gone down as he attempted to round him.
Few inside St James' Park expected anything other than Carew to ram the resulting spot-kick into the back of the net, but the striker blasted his effort high over the bar.
Just how costly the miss would prove became abundantly clear before half-time as the Magpies made the most of their great escape.
There were just two more minutes on the clock when Barton picked up the ball 30 yards out, made a little ground and steadied himself before smashing a dipping right-foot shot over Brad Friedel's despairing dive.
Villa then looked unlucky not to be back on level terms on 24 minutes when Ashley Young had the ball in the net but was adjudged to be offside.
The Magpies again took full advantage of the let-off and just after the hour mark Jose Enrique got forward down the left and delivered an inviting cross to the back post for Carroll to head back towards Nolan.
Responded swiftly
The midfielder's initial effort was parried by Friedel, but Nolan responded swiftly to head the rebound home from four yards.
Carroll - watched by Alan Shearer, the man who wore the number nine shirt he has now inherited - did not have to wait long for his chance and when it arrived three minutes later, he was not found wanting.
Richard Dunne failed to clear Mike Williamson's header back across goal from a Barton corner and the ball dropped perfectly for the striker to thump a left-foot drive home.
Villa left the field reflecting on a half during which they had enjoyed plenty of possession, but done too little with it, and on a defensive display which verged on the criminally negligent.
Newcastle returned in confident mood, but all the while aware that the visitors still represented a threat, although there was little evidence of that as the game approached the hour mark, prompting Emile Heskey's arrival in place of Marc Albrighton.
Indeed, the Magpies would have been further ahead with 62 minutes gone had Friedel not made a vital save from Wayne Routledge after Carroll and Nolan had combined superbly on halfway to play him in.
The respite was only temporary, however, and when Williamson helped the ball over the top into the penalty area five minutes later, Carroll lashed his second home from close range.
The whistle could not come soon enough for the visitors, but it did so only after Nolan had toe-poked home a fifth and Carroll had completed his hat-trick after a one-two with substitute Xisco to make it a memorable afternoon on Tyneside and ensure that Barton's moustache is a thing of the past.
| Newcastle United |
Team Statistics |
Aston Villa |
| 6 |
Goals |
0 |
| 3 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 11 |
Shots on Target |
0 |
| 2 |
Shots off Target |
4 |
| 4 |
Blocked Shots |
2 |
| 10 |
Corners |
2 |
| 15 |
Fouls |
13 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
5 |
| 3 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 76.2 |
Passing Success |
80 |
| 19 |
Tackles |
26 |
| 73.7 |
Tackles Success |
61.5 |
| 50.1 |
Possession |
49.9 |
| 60 |
Territorial Advantage |
40 |
|
