Date:23/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/23/stories/2008032360371700.htm

Sport - Football

Viduka, Owen star for Newcastle

LONDON: Goals from Mark Viduka and Michael Owen ended Newcastle United’s wretched run of 13 Premier League games without a win as it beat struggling Fulham 2-0 at the St. James’ Park on Saturday.

The result, Newcastle’s first win in Kevin Keegan’s second spell as its manager after nine games without a victory since the former England coach’s return, eased the Magpies’ fears of being drawn into the relegation battle.

But defeat left Fulham second-bottom and facing a fight to maintain its top-flight status.

Elsewhere Newcastle’s arch-rival Sunderland moved further away from the drop zone with a 1-0 win away to Aston Villa, its first away win this season, thanks to Michael Chopra’s 83rd-minute goal.

Middlesbrough completed a good day for the north-east with a 1-0 victory over doomed basement club Derby County.

The results: Aston Villa 0 lost to Sunderland 1 (Chopra 83); Blackburn 3 (Santa Cruz 12, 63, Roberts 45) bt Wigan 1 (King 17-pen); Bolton 0 drew with Manchester City 0; Middlesbrough 1 (Sanli 32) bt Derby 0; Newcastle 2 (Viduka 6, Owen 83) bt Fulham 0; Reading 2 (Bikey 31, 79) bt Birmingham 1 (Zarate 64); Tottenham 2 (Bent 80, O’Hara 82) Portsmouth 0. — Agencies