Newcastle 2-0 Everton

Nolberto Solano is congratulated by his Newcastle team-mates

Nolberto Solano condemned Everton to their first defeat since 28 December with two goals at St James' Park.

The Magpies had to clear two efforts off the line in the first half but managed to grab the crucial first goal in the 64th minute.

Solano was on hand to knock home a cross from Charles N'Zogbia from close range but his second was more special.

The midfielder finished off a flowing move by curling the ball into the net from the edge of the box.

With both sides patching themselves up just to get a team out, it was always going to be a question of who would miss their influential players the most.

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Not surprisingly, the absence of Alan Shearer in the Newcastle forward line, meant crosses into the Everton box went unpunished in the opening half.

The Toffees, on the other hand, created the better chances in a match that took 30 minutes to simmer let alone come to the boil.

The Magpies seemed incapable of dealing with crosses from either flank and twice Emre, who had been one of their most impressive players when they did venture forward, was forced to clear David Weir headers off the line.

The home side struggled to cope with Everton's aerial power at set-pieces.

Peter Ramage was also called upon to make a good clearance when Kevin Kilbane looked like to make a telling touch at the far post when James Beattie floated a cross over from the right.

Solano had his shot blocked by emergency loanee Sander Westerveld just before the break and there was an anticipation that there would be plenty of goalmouth action after the break.

That did not really materialise until the Peruvian Solano eventually put Newcastle into the lead in the 64th minute.

Emre slipped the ball through to N'Zogbia and the visitors may question how the striker was allowed to beat Weir so easily on his way into the Everton area.

He slipped the ball across the face of the goal and Solano managed to race in and bundle it into the net.

Everton were unable to muster much of a response and fell further behind 16 minutes from time.

A quick succession of passes found Solano on the edge of the area and he was afforded enough space to curl the ball with the outside of his right foot past Westerveld's grasping clutches.

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Newcastle caretaker manager Glenn Roeder:
"It is a little disrespectful for people to say we cannot win without Shearer and Owen.

"We put out a team we thought was good enough to beat Everton and they went out and proved it.

"Nobby's second goal was out of this world but he scored an even better one in training on Friday."

Everton manager David Moyes:
"I was very pleased with the way we played in the first half and I thought we were well in the game.

"The first goal is always important in Premiership games and perhaps we were a bit unlucky.

"But that is our first defeat for nearly two months so I'm not going to concentrate too much on the last 20 or 30 minutes."

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Newcastle: Given, Ramage, Boumsong, Elliott, Babayaro, Solano, Parker, Emre (Clark 79), N'Zogbia (Pattison 90), Bowyer, Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Faye, Chopra.

Booked: Parker.

Goals: Solano 64, 76.

Everton: Westerveld, Yobo, Stubbs, Weir, Nuno Valente, Osman, Arteta, Cahill (Carsley 74), Davies, Kilbane (McFadden 68), Beattie.
Subs Not Used: Ruddy, Naysmith, Vidarsson.

Booked: Cahill.

Att: 51,916

Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).