Shola Ameobi gave Newcastle a welcome boost on Saturday as he bagged a hat-trick to see off Reading.
Hat-trick hero hands Newcastle priceless three points
Shola Ameobi gave Newcastle a welcome boost on Saturday as he bagged a hat-trick to see off Reading.
The languid frontman was at his unplayable best against the Royals as he helped to hand the Magpies all three points and raise spirits around St James' Park.
The opening goal came after 38 minutes, with Chris Hughton's side good value for their lead.
Newcastle had been the brighter throughout, although skipper Alan Smith was slightly fortunate to avoid a red card after two full-blooded challenges.
The deadlock was broken when the buccaneering Jose Enrique whipped over an inviting cross and Ameobi threw himself at the ball to divert a downward header past the flailing arms of Adam Federici.
The Magpies continued to provide the greater threat after the break, with Reading seemingly bereft of ideas.
With it quickly becoming only a matter of time before Newcastle doubled their lead, the second duly arrived on 61 minutes.
Almost a carbon copy of the first, Ameobi once again nodded home a precise cross at the back post, with Ryan Taylor delivering on this occasion.
Full of confidence, the former England U21 international almost completed his hat-trick as he rose highest to meet a Joey Barton corner moments later.
He did not have to wait long, though, before claiming the match ball as he calmly converted from the penalty spot on 75 minutes after Shane Long had handled in the box.
Frosty
Wantaway owner Mike Ashley made an appearance in the stands as he continues to search for a buyer for Newcastle, and he received a frosty reception from the home support.
Fortunately for him, there was enough going on on the pitch to keep the fans interested as, after a low-key start in which defender Alexander Pearce powered a free header straight at keeper Steve Harper, the Magpies began to dominate.
They should have been in front with 13 minutes gone when Jonas Gutierrez ran on to Kevin Nolan's through-ball to home in on Federici, but the Argentinian inexplicably failed to shoot and the attack ebbed away.
Andy Carroll looped a header on to the roof of the net seconds later, and Gutierrez forced the first real save of the game eight minutes before the break when he collected Jose Enrique's return pass and shot.
But the opening goal arrived a minute later when Ameobi got his head to an Enrique cross and guided the ball past Federici.
Ameobi came close to a second five minutes after the restart when he beat the offside trap to run on to Carroll's intelligent pass, but his shot flew agonisingly wide of the far post.
Only Jem Karacan's last-ditch challenge prevented Joey Barton making it 2-0 on the hour after Ameobi had headed down another Enrique cross, but the second goal was only seconds away.
Kevin Nolan found Ryan Taylor wide on the right and his cross was expertly headed home by Ameobi at the far post.
The striker was denied a headed hat-trick by Federici's fine 69th-minute save, but he completed his treble 15 minutes from time when, after Shane Long had handled in the area, he converted the resulting penalty.
