Aston Villa 4 - 1 Newcastle United

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Saturday Feb 09 2008 12:45

John Carew demolished a dismal Newcastle United with his first hat-trick since joining Aston Villa last season.

Newcastle, still without a win in five games under the control of Kevin Keegan, simply disintegrated in the second half after Michael Owen had given them a fourth minute lead.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was in the directors' box and she must have felt that Villa had produced a perfect smash-and-grab raid to give them a comfortable and rewarding win.

It was Carew who led Villa's raiding party as Newcastle were hammered into submission without putting up any sort of resistance.

Villa, however, had to bounce back after Owen had pounced in the opening five minutes to notch his second goal in successive matches.

The goal appeared to put a lot of life into Newcastle as Villa - booed off by their fans at half-time - were never able to get to grips with the opposition in a frustrating 45 minutes.

But the whole picture changed dramatically in the first five minutes of the second half.

Villa, who seemingly missed the pace of Gabby Agbonlahor, took off Olof Mellberg and Stiliyan Petrov and sent on Craig Gardner and the sometimes under-rated Marlon Harewood.

The change was dramatic as Wilfred Bouma netted the equaliser with a 25-yard shot after 48 minutes for his first ever goal for Villa.

A couple of minutes later, Ashley Young's corner was dispatched past Shay Given by Carew who was booked for his celebrations.

Poor Given, who had earlier produced a brilliant save to thwart Carew's header, slumped off the pitch following this goal to be replaced by Steve Harper.

Harper distinguished himself with two saves in quick succession from Gardner.

For the second he pushed away for a corner from which Carew headed home in the 72nd minute.

By this time Newcastle were completely demoralised and in complete disarray with substitute Harewood staking a strong claim for a starting place in Villa's next match.

All the previous hard work put in by James Milner and Joey Barton was wasted in a match which only highlighted the kind of problems Keegan has inherited at Newcastle.

Villa, who had only taken two points from their previous three games, completed their runaway success when the frustrated Stephen Carr handled in the box.

There was only one player who was to take the penalty as Carew stepped up to blast his last minute spot-kick past Harper to become the first Villa man to score a hat-trick for two seasons.

Live Commentary

90
FT:A Villa 4-1 Newcastle: Villa were quite outstanding in the second half - Carew in particular - as they made Newcastle pay the ultimate price for their errors.

90
Emre almost gets a late consolation for Newcastle as he makes Carson make a superb save with a curling shot from the edge of the box.

90
GOAL:A Villa 4-1 Newcastle: (90mins) Carew blasts home the penalty kick to seal his hat-trick and put the icing on the cake for Villa. His first hat-trick in seven years.

90
Penalty for Villa as Carr handles blatantly in the area and Barry is going to allow Carew the chance to seal his hat-trick.

88
FInally Owen manages to get another chance as he superbly beats Laursen but flashes his shot with a lack of composure into the side netting.

86
Villa have settled for the result now and are attacking only when they see fit to - as in right now as Harewood and Carew almost combine superbly on the edge of the box.

83
The visitors are lacking any form of creativity in this second period and are a shadow of the first half side - Villa look very comfortable and content with their afternoon's work.

80
Another corner causes more problems as Laursen loops a header goalwards and Carew almost grabs his hat-trick but Harper does well this time.

78
Reo-Coker picks up a yellow card after sparking a mass brawl after an argument with Steven Taylor - who gets a stern telling off.

76
In the first half Newcastle defended set-pieces brilliantly but in this second period the defending from those situations has been nothing short of awful.

74
Keegan responds by bringing Turkish international Emre on in place of the disappointing Joey Barton.

72
GOAL:A Villa 3-1 Newcastle: (72mins) And eventually the goal does come. Comical defending from Newcastle and John Carew heads instinctively into the back of the net. Game over!

71
And again Harper denies Gardner with another half volley that was rapier like as it headed towards the top corner.

71
Newcastle fail to clear a corner properly and Gardner meets the dropping ball on the edge of the box and he hits a superb left footed half volley that Harper saves well.

69
Owen - who looked lively for long periods in the first half - has barely had a kick after the break and Newcastle have no started trying to lump the ball in his direction which is not going to work.

66
The home side look really comfortable and the changes made by them at half time really look to have changed their dynamic and they look like a completely different side.

63
Newcastle have a free-kick but within seconds Villa are at the other end and but for a poor header from Harewood, Reo-Coker could have been in to make it three.

60
Newcastle can't get hold of the ball in this second period and to be honest Villa look like adding more to their tally.

56
Nicky Butt is booked for a late challenge from behind on Ashley Young as the tricky winger advanced.

55
And Carew goes close again with an almost identical flick as Maloney's curls a superb cross onto the Norweigan's head.

54
More problems for Newcastle as Shay Given is forced off - possibly with a groin strain - and Steve Harper is on.

53
Martin O'Neill is jumping up and down on the touchline rather in disbelief at how this has turned around and his Villa side are rampant now.

51
John Carew was booked in the aftermath of his goal for jumping into the crowd - fair enough it is against the rules but these bookings really are pointless.

50
GOAL:A Villa 2-1 Newcastle: (50mins) Carew flicks Young's corner in off the far post and the game has been turned on its head now. What a start to the half for Villa.

48
GOAL:A Villa 1-1 Newcastle: (48mins) Bouma's cuts onto his right foot and his effort deflects past Given to get Villa back on terms. That is his first ever goal for Aston Villa.

46
The second half is underway as Villa look to fight their way back into the game and deny Newcastle a first win under Keegan.

46
Villa are making a double change at the break as Petrov and Mellberg are replaced by Gardner and Marlon Harewood.

45
HT:A Villa 0-1 Newcastle: The Villa Park faithful are a little frustrated as their side have lacked their usual fluency as Owen's header separates the sides.

43
Barton from Newcastle and Petrov of Villa might find themselves under pressure at the break because both players have been guilty of wasting possession quite regularly throughout this half.

41
Just as I say that Villa do scare Newcastle from a set-piece as Young bends one onto the six yard box and Carew is completely unmarked and should have scored but only headed staright at Given.

39
The visitors are defending Villa's best threat - set pieces - pretty well so far and have not had a real scare from such situations as yet.

37
Newcastle's best move of the match almost provides them with one of the best team goals of all time - keeping the ball around the edge fo the box for a good two minutes before Duff's cross is just inches too far for Milner at the back post.

33
Olof Mellberg finds himself in the box to half volley a Young cross at goal and his shot is deflected over by Milner.

31
Good play from Smith who holds off Laursen and turns one round the corner for Owen - but he is still possibly a bit short of his best pace and Davies is able to recover and slide clear.

27
Young is really starting to have a say in the last few minutes - despite the doubling up on him - as he squeezes the ball away to Bouma who crosses for Barry on the edge of the box but his shot is scuffed wide.

26
And the Scotland international bends and dips it onto the roof of the net - they are starting to get closer and Newcaste are sitting back a lot more now.

25
Young went off after that challenge but he is now in the mix to take a free-kick in a dangerous position - although Maloney looks favourite.

22
Ashley Young has not really been able to get into the game but he does so here and skips superbly inside two defenders and if Barton wasn't there to cover then that could have spelt danger for Newcastle.

20
Villa's confidence mught well have been affected by the poor recent run of results that has seen them fall slightly off the European pace.

17
Joey Barton now at the other end drives towards the penalty area and with the defenders standing off, has a shot at goal that forces a save from Given.

15
Villa want a penalty as Barry fires in a half volley that is soaring into the top corner and it strikes Barton - replays suggest that could well have been given.

13
Things have slowed down slightly in the last few minutes as Villa look to form a platform from which to build as they look to get back into the game.

10
After their inauspicious start to the game Newcastle have settled into a nice rhythm now and are starting to look like a decent side again.

7
Owen will have enjoyed that goal having been left out by Capello in midweek but VIlla are regular goal scorers and are always likely to nick a goal.

4
GOAL:A Villa 0-1 Newcastle: (4mins) Michael Owen has his second in as many games with another header from a delightful Milner cross. What a start that is for Newcastle.

3
Stiliyan Petrov has a great chance to open the scoring as Maloney outmuscles Cacapa to bring down a looping ball and passes it across goal to the Bulgarian who slices it wildly passed the post.

2
The home side look lively very early on and are snapping in at every loose ball, Carr looks particularly shaky at the moment.

0
The game is underway as Villa go in search of three vital points in their European push while Newcastle aim for their first win under Keegan.

0
Newcastle: Given, Carr, Taylor, Cacapa, Beye, Milner, Barton, Butt, Duff, Smith, Owen

0
Aston Villa: Carson, Mellberg, Laursen, Davies, Bouma, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Carew, Maloney

0
Newcastle meanwhile are without Charles N'Zogbia who has been superb at left back this season so Habib Beye moves across from the other side to plug the gap and Michael Owen starts up front alongside Alan Smith.

0
Aston Villa are without striker Gabriel Agbonlahor who is still sidelined by the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the England game in midweek so Shaun Maloney deputises.

0
Welcome to Villa Park in the Second City as high flying Aston Villa play host to Kevin Keegan's struggling Newcastle United.

Statistics

Aston Villa

Shots on target	9
Shots off target	5
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	19
Offsides	3
Corners	7

Newcastle United

Shots on target	3
Shots off target	2
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	11
Offsides	0
Corners	5

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