JERMAINE JENAS' first goal in Europe preserved Sir Bobby Robson's proud UEFA Cup record with Newcastle on his return to former club PSV Eindhoven.

A precious away goal by 21-year-old England midfielder Jenas, who was back in the United side after a tendon injury, gives Newcastle a vital edge for the second leg of this quarter-final tie at St. James' Park next Wednesday.

Newcastle, unexpectedly without the dynamism of Kieron Dyer in midfield because of a recurrence of hamstring trouble, fell behind to a 14th-minute goal by much-vaunted striker Mateja Kezman.

The Serbia and Montenegro star, who while with Partizan Belgrade faced United in the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1998, had stoked up this clash by claiming the Magpies were "not really a top team".

Newcastle have been linked with Kezman, who put French side Auxerre to the sword with a brace in the last round.

If Robson is an admirer of the 25-yard, it is easy to see why after the way Kezman took his goal.

Right-back Aaron Hughes miskicked and Kezman pounced to curl a glorious finish beyond keeper Shay Given.

Kezman ripped off his shirt and celebrated as the theme from Batman blared out over the public address. If only Robben - Chelsea-bound winger Arjen that is - had been fit to play.

But Newcastle levelled through Jenas in controversial fashion on the stroke of half-time.

It came only a minute after French referee Gilles Veissiere failed to punish Titus Bramble for a blatant elbow which felled Remco van der Schaaf, who had been holding the Magpies' defender back as they jostled for Laurent Robert's right-wing corner.

The referee spoke to both players but took no further action and provoked a near-riot behind the goal among the PSV fans, who clambered on to fencing and hurled missiles on to the pitch.

Their fury intensified when van der Schaaf was penalised for a foul on Olivier Bernard and Jenas' header dropped in from Robert's left-wing free-kick.

It was enough to ensure Robson still has only one defeat against his name after 15 games in this competition as United boss - 1-0 away to Roma in 1999.

Like a Dutch uncle, Robson had sent his side into this game with a reminder of the need to maintain the fight on both fronts as they battle for their first major trophy since winning the Fairs Cup in 1969, and a place in next season's Champions League.

Dutch champions PSV, set to relinquish their title to Ajax, entered this competition in round three following their exit from the Champions League, in which they recorded a coveted 3-2 home win over Deportivo La Coruna, whose remarkable 4-0 eclipse of AC Milan this week ended the Italians' reign as kings of Europe.

But Newcastle knew from first-hand experience that this represented the acid test of their European credentials this season.

At a stadium which bears the name of electronics giants Philips, the lights had dimmed on United's Champions League campaign in 1997 when they lost under Kenny Dalglish by a solitary goal before PSV completed a home-and-away double on Tyneside.

PSV were quickly on the attack last night and there were frenzied appeals among the home faithful inside the first minute when midfielder John de Jong went down in the penalty area under the challenge of Bramble.

The referee was unimpressed, but Newcastle were unnerved and moments later they were grateful to Bernard for a brave last-ditch tackle in the box to deny South Korean Ji-Sung Park a shooting opportunity.

In his capacity as Newcastle skipper, Alan Shearer was then called over by the referee to be warned that the garrulous Craig Bellamy was in danger of talking himself into trouble.

Soon afterwards, midfielder van der Schaaf was booked for a foul on Shearer, but Newcastle were then stunned when Kezman struck.

Gary Speed immediately tried to rally his side with a determined surge climaxed by a strong left-foot drive that keeper Ronald Waterreus did well to tip over.

Darren Ambrose then fired straight at Waterreus, before PSV broke down the right with Park beating Bernard to test Given at his near post.

Hughes made partial amends with a goalmouth block from Mark van Bommel's free-kick, but when the PSV skipper picked out Kezman with a cunning cross, Newcastle were only spared by the headed finish flashing just over.

Bernard, who had been kept busy by Park, turned the tables as he brushed past him on a powerful run before forcing Waterreus to push out a cross-shot.

But Newcastle saw their best chance of the first half go begging when Robert delivered a delightful diagonal ball for Shearer, who couldn't keep his 15-yard volley down with Waterreus at his mercy.

Jenas was stopped in his tracks by a superbly-timed tackle from centre-back Wilfred Bouma before Waterreus had to punch clear Robert's wicked inswinging corner from under the crossbar.

Shearer was frustrated again when his header from Hughes' centre was brilliantly turned over by the overworked Waterreus.

The officious referee, who had approached the Newcastle bench to give coach John Carver a ticking-off, enraged the crowd when he missed the elbowing incident.

More deafening whistles and jeers greeted the referee's reappearance for the second half and PSV were cursing their luck when Bouma's header from de Jong's corner cannoned off the bar four minutes after the restart.

Left-back Young-Pyo Lee, another brought to PSV by coach Guus Hiddink following his spell in charge of South Korea, shot narrowly wide after Newcastle failed to clear from a corner.

Ambrose responded with a drive into the side-netting before Kezman almost pulled off a spectacular strike with an overhead kick on the end of Kasper's Bogelund's cross.

Kezman was unable to get on the end of substitute Dennis Rommedahl's cross and a Shearer shot was turned over by Waterreus in a lively finale.

With Shearer on two yellow cards in Europe and only one from suspension, Robson withdrew his captain in the final minute to remove any risk of him missing the return. Jenas' booking for a foul means he is in the same boat.