Newcastle win five goal thriller

Michael Owen came off the bench to score and help Newcastle to victory in this five goal thriller with Everton at St James' Park.

Owen inspires Newcastle to impressive win

Michael Owen came off the bench to score and help Newcastle to victory in this five goal thriller with Everton at St James' Park. Newcastle created a whole host of chances in the first half and took a deserved lead through Nicky Butt just before half-time. But Everton began the second half in more determined fashion and the excellent Andrew Johnson equalised. But then goals from substitutes Emre and Michael Owen - who has just returned from surgery - looked to have sealed the win for the Magpies. But a Shay Given own goal in injury time created a nervous ending for Newcastle, who held on to take three valuable points. Allardyce's lack of options up front meant Alan Smith was afforded a rare chance to reprise his striking role, and his partnership with Obafemi Martins caused the Everton defence all kinds of problems during the opening 45 minutes.

Missed chances

The Nigerian's pace and movement proved a real headache for Joseph Yobo and Joleon Lescott, and but for some wayward finishing, the game could have been over before the break. Martins' best chance was his first, which arrived with just four minutes gone when Smith played him in with an intelligent pass. The striker took his time but with Lescott bearing down on him in a desperate attempt to recover lost ground, dragged his left-foot shot wide of the far post. Chances came and went for the former Internazionale man, who did not trouble keeper Tim Howard as much as he should have done, although the American was fully extended to keep out Charles N'Zogbia's 15th-minute drive. Smith saw a 39th-minute shot deflected just wide by Lescott and then scuffed another straight at the keeper seconds later, and it was left to Butt to show his team-mates how to do it three minutes before half-time. N'Zogbia and Smith had carved the Toffees open once again down the right and although Lescott managed to clear the ball to the edge of the box, Butt muscled himself into position and then curled an inch-perfect shot into the top corner to leave Howard grasping at thin air. Everton created little going forward although Victor Anichebe, who was a handful throughout for central defenders Claudio Cacapa and Abdoulaye Faye, saw a 12th-minute header cleared off the line after embarrassing Shay Given from Tony Hibbert's cross.

Johnson bright

Moyes made his move at the break when he withdrew James McFadden and sent on the fit-again Johnson in an effort to give his side grater impetus in attack. Johnson had an immediate impact as he twice drifted into space wide on the left, but he was well marshalled by the home defence as they got back in numbers. But they were powerless to prevent him from equalising on 53 minutes when Leighton Baines got in on the left to cross for him to fire home from close range. Newcastle's cause was not helped by a series of poor set-pieces from which they failed to put any pressure on the Everton goal. Owen finally arrived with 16 minutes remaining when he and Emre replaced Martins and James Milner as Allardyce attempted to breathe new life into his side. Had Cacapa and Faye not thrown themselves into the path of Anichebe shots 10 minutes from time, Owen and his team-mates might have finished the game empty-handed.

Owen's back

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid frontman forced an 85th-minute save from Howard with a smart shot and Butt headed the resulting corner over the bar, but it was Emre who changed the game. Owen's cross was cleared to the Turkey international, who unleashed a fierce 25-yard drive into the bottom corner. The points were assured on the stroke of full-time when Owen headed home Emre's free-kick off the underside of the crossbar, but the home side endured an anxious finish after Arteta's cross clipped Smith and was palmed into his own net by Given.

Newcastle United	Team Statistics	Everton
3	Goals	2
1	1st Half Goals	0
8	Shots on Target	1
5	Shots off Target	5
5	Blocked Shots	5
8	Corners	2
13	Fouls	20
0	Offsides	1
2	Yellow Cards	1
0	Red Cards	0
72.9	Passing Success	71.5
26	Tackles	23
92.3	Tackles Success	78.3
53.6	Possession	46.4
60.2	Territorial Advantage	39.8