NEWCASTLE secured their safe passage to the third round of the UEFA Cup, but needed an own goal to complete a home-and-away double over plucky Basel at St. James' Park last night.

Sir Bobby Robson's men were a pale shadow of the side who came from behind twice in the first leg in Switzerland to win 3-2.

This was a thoroughly unconvincing performance, which raises doubts about how far the Magpies can go in this competition with the third-placed sides from the first group stage of the Champions League destined for the next round, the draw for which takes place two weeks today.

Newcastle at least grabbed the early goal they wanted last night in the 13th minute when substitute Boris Smiljanic, who had been on the field only eight minutes, diverted Laurent Robert's inswinging right-wing corner into his own goal.

Australian international Scott Chipperfield, scorer of Basel's second goal in the first leg three weeks ago, made a despairing attempt to hack the ball away but it had already crossed the line.

Newcastle feared Basel would be presented with the chance to claw the aggregate back in the 26th minute when Mario Cantaluppi, who struck a stunning opener for Basel in the first encounter, burst clear on goal before going down under the challenge of Newcastle keeper Shay Given.

For a moment, it looked as though Given was facing the long walk, but Danish referee Knud Erik Fisker instead raised the yellow card at Cantaluppi for diving.

It was a let-off for Robson's side, but the hard work had been done first time around.

Nevertheless, in their 50th game in the competition's guises as the Fairs Cup and UEFA Cup, there was no doubting their anxiety to bury the memory of the Champions League exit here this season to Partizan Belgrade, when they likewise held a single-goal advantage from the away leg but still went out.

Skipper Alan Shearer's eagerness was there for all to see straightaway when he launched into a full-blooded challenge with defender Marco Zwyssig.

But it wasn't to the liking of the referee, who booked Shearer with little more than 15 seconds on the clock.

Zwyssig returned after treatment but found he couldn't continue and was replaced in the fifth minute by Smiljanic.

Robson had taken the precaution of resting Jonathan Woodgate, who made his comeback in last Saturday's 3-0 home win over Manchester City after two months out following a double hernia.

Andy O'Brien came in at centre-back in the only change from the line-up which started against Kevin Keegan's side.

Basel boss Christian Gross was already without influential skipper Murat Yakin along with striker Christian Gimenez and midfielder Benjamin Huggel, who all featured in the first leg.

The visitors, though, were fresh from their 5-2 home weekend victory over Swiss champions Grasshopper Zurich, a result which left Gross's men with a 12-point lead in the title race.

And the danger they posed to Newcastle in the first leg soon resurfaced when Cantaluppi fired narrowly wide from the edge of the area in only the sixth minute.

He also swung over the left-wing corner four minutes later which eluded everyone in the middle and was headed just over by Hakan Yakin lurking at the back post.

But Newcastle's early nerves were settled when they were gifted a goal.

It came at a price, though, with Shearer needing attention for a head wound which was pouring blood.

Robert was feted after his virtuoso display at St. Jakob Park, where he scored the Magpies' opener and supplied the corner from which Titus Bramble grabbed their second goal.

The Frenchman was initially more subdued last night, but sparked to life in the 25th minute when he threaded a ball through to Gary Speed

The Wales skipper, making his 250th appearance for Newcastle, was unmarked deep inside the Basel box, but he shot straight at keeper Pascal Zuberbuhler, who gathered at the second attempt.

After the spot-kick scare, Newcastle responded when Shearer made room for a fierce shot which Zuberbuhler was happy to push away.

But they were grateful to Given three minutes before the interval when his outstretched leg denied Marco Streller at point-blank range after Yakin had delivered an adroit through-ball.

And as half-time approached, Given pulled off a near-post save from Chipperfield, who was free on the left.

The Swiss pressed after the restart and Given was powerless when Yakin cleverly curled a left-footed free-kick over the wall and against the near post.

Newcastle were sitting deep and inviting pressure and Basel worried them again when Julio Hernan Rossi headed home but saw an offside flag raised.

Midfielder Jermaine Jenas tried to lift the Magpies in the 70th minute with a surging run, but he pushed his finish comfortably wide.

Amazingly, it was their first effort of the half and summed up their complete lack of creativity and punch.

Robson decided to act in the 79th minute when he introduced Nol Solano and Darren Ambrose at the expense of Kieron Dyer and Robert.

Solano's impact was immediate when he centred from the right. The Basel defence failed to clear, and Zuberbuhler brought off a magnificent save to foil Shearer from close range.

Result: Newcastle United 1 FC Basel 0.

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