Newcastle 3 (Martins 18, Owen 43, Viduka 57)
Reading 0
The Royals suffered a 3-0 defeat at St James' Park today, and Kevin Keegan's men proved to be simply too strong.
We actually started well, and it was against the run of play when Obafemi Martins opened the scoring. There was also a large slice of luck to the goal, with Liam Rosenior slipping at just the wrong time to let him in on goal.
We tried to rally, but when Michael Owen scored not long before half time it was pretty much game over.
The second half was all Newcastle, and Mark Viduka put the result out of sight just before the hour.
The defeat was tough on the 1,800 fans who made the long trip north, and while we worked hard, we were deservedly beaten and it could have been more in the end.
But with Bolton losing heavily, we are in a better position now to avoid the drop than when we started the game. We are six points above the relegation zone, and with five games to go, time is running out for us to slip back down to the bottom three of the Barclays Premier League.
Newcastle (4-3-3): Harper; Beye, Enrique, Edgar, Faye (Diatta 82); Butt (Smith 79), Barton, Geremi; Martins, Owen (c), Viduka (Duff 74)
Subs: Forster, Carroll
Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Rosenior, Shorey, Bikey, Ingimarsson (c); Cisse (Fae 72), Harper, Oster (Convey 60), Hunt; Kitson (Long 72), Doyle
Subs: Federici, Duberry
Booked: Bikey (foul 41)
Ref: L Probert
Attendance: 52,179
First half
Reading started the game very brightly, and had some exceptionally good possession inside the final third. As early as the first minute, John Oster's free kick was nodded over the crossbar.
Not long after that, Oster went on a good run from halfway, but the finish was poor as he miscued badly.
The home side were allowing us time and space outside the box, and Kevin Doyle went on a decent run into the area, only to get crowded out at the last.
We were often close to creating that real chance, but somehow just seemed to not get a break or find the pass.
Then, against the run of play, Newcastle went ahead. A ball in midfield was played in the direction of Obafemi Martins, and Liam Rosenior slipped at just the wrong time. Martins capitalised on the stroke of good fortune and finished well, cutting inside to beat his man and slip it in.
We tried to rally soon after, and Kalifa Cisse dragged one wide. Then Dave Kitson did very well in the box, and with no support he had to shoot from a tight angle, forcing Steve Harper to save down low.
Then another Oster cross almost dropped in, but Steve Harper got back well to tip over the bar.
Newcastle then seemed to find another gear, and Michael Owen should have scored after Mark Viduka dummied Joey Barton's cross superbly.
With two minutes left before the break, Newcastle put the game pretty much out of sight. Reading couldn't clear after a spell of pressure, and Habib Beye chipped a pass in for Owen, who finished like the top-class striker he is.
Second half
If the game was fairly even in the first half, Newcastle found it all too easy in the second.
After dominating possession, Kevin Keegan's made made it 3-0 just before the hour. Viduka played a simple ball out to Beye, who got inside Oster easily and rolled a pass infield. Viduka pounced, and scored via Rosenior's chest.
Kitson almost pulled one back with a header just wide, and Stephen Hunt should have done better in the box but miscued an attempted volley as the ball dropped.
Steve Coppell used all three subs in quick succession, and Emerse Fae went on a good run into the area but Doyle wasted the chance to get a cross in.
The last 20 minutes were one-way traffic, with Martins, Joey Barton and sub Damien Duff all coming close to making it 4-0 as the home crowd bayed for more goals.
In the end we were happy to leave it at 3-0, and we were well beaten. But with more incisiveness in the opening 20 minutes, we could have taken advantage of our dominance.
Once Newcastle got going we never really tested them, but with Bolton losing we still remain better off now than before the game began.
