A FLUKE first-half strike from Patrick Vieira was enough to give the Gunners all three points in an absorbing encounter at St James Park last night, but the Magpies were left cursing their luck and referee Steve Bennett.

Arsenal skipper Vieira's speculative effort was half blocked by Jermaine Jenas but the ball looped off his outstretched leg and over the helpless Shay Given.

But a battling performance restored some much-needed pride among the Newcastle players and fans, who were left to rue what might have been after a clear first-half hand ball in the box by Ashley Cole went unpunished.

Orpington official Bennett and his assistant both ignored impassioned pleas from Craig Bellamy after the 41st-minute incident, despite TV replays clearly showing the England defender was guilty of deliberate hand ball.

The only goal of the game five minutes later merely added to the injustice but, in truth, Newcastle lacked a cutting edge in attack in the absence of Alan Shearer and Patrick Kluivert.

Late efforts from Laurent Robert and Jermaine Jenas aside, they couldn't break down a resolute Arsenal rearguard under the expert guidance of Sol Campbell.

Newcastle boss Graeme Souness labelled his defenders dopes following the two goals they gave away at Ewood Park on Boxing Day, but the verbal tongue-lashing appeared to have some effect as his back-four proved themselves a match for the Gunners' firepower.

One player Arsene Wenger's men won't forget in a hurry is 18-year-old full back Steven Taylor, who was a constant menace to Robin van Persie and Thierry Henry.

The result leaves Newcastle rooted in the bottom half but Arsenal are now back to within five points of Premier League leaders Chelsea.

The Magpies' manager displayed a ruthless streak, with centre-back pairing Robbie Elliott and Andy O'Brien jettisoned and Titus Bramble and Oliver Bernard coming in, Hughes switching to centre-back alongside Bramble.

Lee Bowyer was back after suspension in place of James Milner and Shola Ameobi was in for hamstring victim Kluivert.

The current dearth of options open to Souness was in evidence on the Newcastle bench - the average age of his outfield substitutes was a youthful 19.

Arsenal were forced to bring in van Persie to replace thigh injury victim Dennis Bergkamp - some relief to the Magpies' beleaguered back four with the Dutchman's fondness for making mugs of Newcastle defenders. Also in for the Gunners was Mathieu Flamini and Cole

Souness decided to try a 4-5-1 formation with Kieron Dyer supporting Ameobi from midfield and Bellamy left to plough his less-favoured furrow up the right.

Souness dispensed with his usual starting seat next to Freddy Shepherd in the directors' box, believing a hands-on approach was far more appropriate from the dugout.

Bramble was caught flat-footed in the fourth minute. A quick ball from Cole to van Persie left the centre-back chasing shadows, only for Shay Given to save his blushes by blocking with his face.

It took the Magpies' new-look back four a short time to get their bearings and the first real error of the half came from the usually reliable Campbell.

A long ball forward in the ninth minute was missed by the England star and Ameobi's effort from the edge of the box was just wide of Almunia's post, the goalkeeper's touch on the ball missed by referee Bennett.

As the game opened up so Arsenal's pace on the break began to open up holes in the home side's defence.

Campbell showed how much a threat he is in the oposition box, rising highest to a Freddie Ljungberg corner on the quarter hour, only to see Ameobi clear of the line - and the referee miss an apparent hand ball from Bernard when the ball came back in.

As if to reiterate their aerial threat, Ljungberg picked out Henry at the back post two minutes later but his header came back off the outside of the post.

Newcastle, however, were causing problems of their own, with Ameobi a constant threat. Just after the half hour he broke into the Arsenal box and turned Vieira Cruyff-like, only to find his support lacking when he needed it most.

Referee Bennett then earned himself no popularity marks with the home crowd, booking Taylor for his second foul on Robert Pires in the space of a minute.

Given showed just how good his reflexes were in the 38th minute, saving well at full stretch from van Persie's 25-yard effort that was curling inside his right-hand post.

The action moved swiftly to the other end with the referee's assistant joining Bennett in the fans' bad books. Firstly he failed to flag for a clear foul by Cole on Bellamy on the byline, and when the same two challenged again in the box seconds later, a clear hand ball from the Arsenal defender was waved away.

Newcastle players were incandescent with rage and their half-time mood wasn't helped when Vieira cracked home the opener in injury time.

The Magpies failed to clear their lines from a throw in near the left side of their penalty box, Jenas lost possession and, when he tried to block Vieira's shot from the edge of the area, the ball looped over the head of Given.

The fans vented their half-time fury on the Orpington official who was booed all the way down the tunnel.

There was no panic from Souness during the interval and he persevered with his belief that a five-man midfield was the best way through Arsenal's rearguard.

In the 53rd minute one of the five had the chance to prove him right. A Robert cross was superbly retrieved by Bellamy but Bowyer fired horribly over when the ball was cut back to him on the right angle of the box 12 yards out.

Newcastle started to get some reward through the middle and twice in two minutes Bowyer almost unlocked the Gunners' door.

He firstly set up Taylor down the right, only for the youngster to blaze his cross over, and then his effort from 20 yards just didn't have the pace to trouble Almunia.

Van Persie was then booked for a late lunge at Taylor as the 18-year-old proceeded to annoy the majority of the Arsenal team. Next to complain about the teenager's strong-arm tactics was Henry but Bennett ignored the Frenchman's protestations.

The heated encounter had its temperature turned up a notch in the 71st minute when Lauren - lucky not to be in the referee's notebook already - was booked while being stretchered off for a crude lunge at Bernard.

While he was off Newcastle were given a free kick for a questionable foul on Bowyer by van Persie which was moved to the edge of the box after Ljungberg failed to retreat.

Robert's effort, however, failed to clear the defensive wall.

Result: Newcastle United 0 Arsenal 1.

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