Yorke's hat-trick in vain for ten-man Villa

KEVIN KEEGAN'S Magpies came out on top in a seven-goal screen classic at St James's Park last night but only after 10-man Aston Villa had given them the fight of their lives.

Dwight Yorke's brilliant hat-trick counted for nothing as the Geordies moved into second spot in the Premiership thanks to two goals from Les Ferdinand and further strikes by Alan Shearer and Steve Howey.

But how the Newcastle fans in a 36,400 full-house suffered as Villa shook off last week's European exit at the hands of Swedish part-timers Helsingborgs and the first-half sending-off of Mark Draper with a bristling never-say-die display that almost won them a share of the spoils.

Villa gave as good as they got for long periods in an incident-packed first half, but they simply had no answer to Newcastle's superior strike power.

England boss Glenn Hoddle must be rubbing his hands with as much glee as Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan as the Shearer-Ferdinand partnership clicked into free-scoring mode.

Yet Newcastle, losers in their last television thriller in last season's memorable Anfield clash with Liverpool, had to bounce back from the shock of falling behind to Yorke's early strike.

Villa's plight worsened two minutes before the break when Draper's late, knee-high challenge on John Beresford prompted referee David Elleray to brandish first the yellow and then the red card.

Savo Milosevic fired a warning that Villa weren't finished with a drive that Srnicek did well to beat away.

Then, Yorke dragged them back in contention on the hour with an expertly executed goal. His solo raid saw him cut inside Darren Peacock before beating Srnicek with a dipping volley as the ball sat up invitingly.

The Magpies restored their two-goal advantage on 67 minutes when Howey beat Oakes with a perfectly placed header from Gillespie's cross the England defender's first goal of the season.

But the game swung again two minutes later when Yorke completed his hat-trick with another clinical finish when Sasa Curcic's incisive pass opened up the Newcastle rearguard.

Yorke had the ball in the net again eight minutes from time, only to be this time pulled up by an offside flag.

Then, moments later. Newcastle substitute Faustino Asprilla saw his delicate chip headed off the line by Staunton. who had a great game, as Villa refused to surrender. It was Newcastle who were hanging on.