Barton return Spurs on Geordies in Toon victory
NEWCASTLE UNITED continued their superb hot streak at St James' Park by taking care of Tottenham Hotspur.
The Magpies had started the night slowly but an Oba Martins goal lit the black and white touch paper before strikes from Cacapa and James Milner cancelled out Robbie Keane's strike.
United began the game with Emre in the middle of the park alongside Nicky Butt but returning star Joey Barton had to be content with a place on the bench.
The reshuffle meant that Charles N'Zogbia began wide on the left and Geremi wide right with James Milner dropped to the bench.
But there was a boost for Shola Ameobi who appeared in the first team pool for the first time since the Carling Cup tie at Arsenal.
For the visitors Jermaine Jenas was roundly booed on his return to his old club and he left the so called goldfish bowl a dejected figure.
And it was his former employers who came closest to open the scoring when on 12 minutes a corner from N'Zogbia on the right was headed off the post by in-form Abdoulaye Faye - who could only watched as the ball came crashing off the upright.
With Michael Owen back in the starting line-up for the first time since September 23 against West Ham, it was all eyes on the England striker.
And he should have opened the scores on 27 minutes when after Emre had played him through his one on one with Radek Cerny resulted in the Spurs goalie tipping it round the post.
United's next chance came nine minutes later when Pascal Chimbonda chopped down N'Zogbia 25 yards from goal to earn a great chance from a set piece.
Geremi curled the ball low right footed but his low chance went wide of the goal frame.
Three minutes before the interval Jose Enrique picked out Martins but the Nigerian's shot was saved by Cerny before Owen's follow up shot was cleared frantically by the Spurs defence.
Yet just moments later it was the combination of the Spaniard and the African that paid off when the full-back's long ball was latched on to by Martins before he rifled it left footed through
Cerny's legs to make it 1-0 to United.
Newcastle changed things a little bit at the start of the second period when James Milner replaced N'Zogbia but it was the Turk Emre who provided he inspiration for goal number two.
A second goal came just five minutes in when Emre's corner was flicked on by Faye and Cacapa's bullet header gave Cerny no chance as the Brazilian scored his first goal for United.
Yet Spurs clawed their way back into the game before the hour mark.
A clipped ball from the right wing from Didier Zokora found Darren Bent but the England international's header hit the post before Robbie Keane applied the finish past his Eire team-mate Shay Given.
With 20 minutes left Barton made his debut bow when he replaced to the delight of the home crowd with his sheer presence lifting the home crowd.
However, it was the other replacement Milner who gave United breathing space when after a poor clearance from Younes Kaboul the Yorkshireman let fly with a left foot scorcher from 18 yards out.
Milner had vowed to get his first Toon goal of term before the game with his last strike coming nine months ago and he took his chance in excellent fashion after scoring his first of the campaign for the England Under-21s last week.
UNITED: Given, Beye, Cacapa, Faye, Enrique, N'Zogbia (Milner 46), Geremi, Butt, Emre (Barton 70) Martins, Owen (Rozehnal 79).
Subs not used: Harper, Ameobi.
SPURS: Cerny, Chimbonda, Pyo-Lee, Zokora, Kaboul, Jenas, Keane, Malbranque (Berbatov 58), Bale (Tainio 20), Dawson, Bent (Lennon 78)
Subs not used : Gardner, Forecast.
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