PAULA Radcliffe's dreams of Olympic glory imploded on an Athenian street earlier this year but, in their golden strips, Newcastle's hopes of success in the UEFA Cup marathon prospered in the final mile of their opening Group D game in the Greek capital last night.

Alan Shearer's 87th-minute penalty spared the Magpies' blushes against a side currently lying 13th in the Greek league but, for large periods of the game, United wilted in a manner similar to Radcliffe.

The Magpies displayed a general lack of invention in the city where many of the Western world's most important cultural and political discoveries were first made but, with Graeme Souness now unbeaten in eight games, the United boss was at least able to end a wearying week on a positive note.

Shearer's seventh goal of the season ensured that Newcastle's most reliable marksman stole the spotlight from his more errant strike partner.

Craig Bellamy was part of Souness' side despite his multiple indiscretions in the last five days but, after mouthing off rather too much for his manager's liking, the whingeing Welshman was silenced along with the rest of his team-mates before Shearer's late spot-kick.

Souness has been quick to insist that Bellamy still has a future at St James' Park following the pair's training ground bust-up and, true to his word, the Newcastle boss gave the striker a chance to mend his tattered reputation in the Greek capital.

Despite high-profile altercations with David Dunn, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke during his time at Blackburn, Souness maintains that he is ready to forgive and forget if Bellamy does his talking on the pitch.

But many more displays like last night's will do little to convince the Newcastle boss that he should excuse some of his striker's excesses in order to accommodate his footballing skills.

To be fair to Bellamy though, he was no worse than the rest of his team-mates in a game that looked to be heading towards a tedious bore draw before substitute Shola Ameobi was upended in the box by Panionios defender Grigoris Makos.

Souness is adamant that United need to be positive on their European travels and, while the inclusion of the enigmatic Laurent Robert in the starting line-up smacked of attacking intent, the visitors struggled to penetrate a well-drilled Panionios rearguard.

With man-marker Panagiotis Giannopoulos sticking to Shearer like glue, the onus was on Newcastle's midfielders to test sweeper Pietr Vlcek but, for much of the game, the Magpies were restricted to speculative strikes from distance and intricate passing moves that broke down in front of Panionios' massed ranks.

Olivier Bernard's 11th-minute cross-cum-shot almost embarrassed goalkeeper Sorin Colceag following a raking 50-yard pass from Robbie Elliott, and Bellamy was thwarted by a superb saving tackle from Sasa Zimonjic moments later after taking the ball out of Jermaine Jenas' path.

But those incidents were the exception to the rule, with too many passes going astray on probably the worst pitch Newcastle have encountered in Europe, and referee Roberto Rosetti failing to curtail the excesses of Panionios' spoiling tactics.

Whereas Sakhnin had been looking to kick anything that moved in the first round, Panionios' players spent most of the game rolling around on the floor as if they had been clattered by a similarly reckless challenge.

That was a shame because, when they actually concentrated on playing football, the hosts displayed enough ambition and acumen to suggest they could worry their illustrious opponents.

Zimonjic's 23rd-minute cross certainly tested the Newcastle backline, with only goalkeeper Shay Given's alertness preventing Mario Breska's header from creeping in at the back post.

And Giannopoulos, who scored twice against Italian side Udinese in the last round, should have done much better with two free headers that he failed to make the most of after evading both Elliott and Andy O'Brien.

Robert's rebound tested Colceag at the other end after his initial free-kick had been charged down but, with the French winger wandering around with his hands on his hips and Lee Bowyer struggling to play even a five-yard pass to feet, there was neither composure nor cohesion in United's play.

Jenas' mishit in first-half stoppage time summed up Newcastle's lethargy, with the midfielder shanking his strike over the crossbar after Colceag had flapped feebly at Robert's left-wing centre.

Souness spent most of the opening period urging his free-roaming Frenchman to stay on the left flank, and the value of Robert's crossing ability became clear within 60 seconds of the re-start when his cross was met by a Shearer header that rattled into Colceag's hands.

Bowyer was also rattled ten minutes later, clattering into Vaggelis Tziolis just minutes after being booked for a simiarly reckless challenge in the heart of midfield.

What little rhythm the visitors had managed to find was disrupted by one of Athens' 150,000 stray dogs - the other 149,999 had wisely chosen to stay away - and with time ebbing away, Newcastle's approach play became increasingly stretched.

The passes became longer, with Bellamy's pace emerging as the weapon of choice, and the Wales international raced onto Robert's 65th-minute through ball only to drill his shot straight at Colceag's legs.

The Panionios keeper then tipped Shearer's forceful header over the crossbar as the visitors finally upped the tempo, before Ameobi glanced wide with the goal at his mercy following another set-piece from the more focused Robert.

The substitute striker had the last laugh though, outpacing Makos to draw the foul that enabled Shearer to earn a valuable, if somewhat fortuitous away win.

Result: Panionios 0, Newcastle United 1.

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