Typical! You play one of your best games in a black-and-white shirt and then your strike partner goes and robs you of all the headlines.

But it takes something very special to keep former England skipper Alan Shearer off the back page - especially when talk is of international returns.

Very special is an accurate description of Craig Bellamy's performance at the Valley, and the Welsh wizard won't be too bothered about losing out in the column inch stakes.

Bellamy started well and just got better and better.

He was a constant menace both physically and verbally, and in 90 plus minutes he just about managed to annoy every single member of the Charlton side.

He is a genuine defender's nightmare. After missing a glorious opportunity just after the half hour when he drove wide from Solano's pass, he set about making amends. A minute later he was off - running that is.

Three defenders were left trailing in his wake as he steamed into the box, only to be upended by a mixture of Mark Fish and Jason Euell.

Euell believed he went to ground a little too quickly and was happy to explain that to him.

Bellamy disagreed. "There is no way I dived for the penalty and the replays clearly show that, from what I've been told," he said.

Shearer converted to make it 144 goals for Newcastle taking him into third spot in the all-time Newcastle goalscoring charts.

His typical hand in the air celebration appeared to upset some Charlton fans. Shearer would have remembered their cheers when he was sent off at the Valley last season for elbowing - a card that was later rescinded.

Cue then 60 minutes of abuse for both Bellamy and Shearer from the normally mild-mannered Addicks' fans. But according to teammate Jermaine Jenas, it probably wasn't their best move of the afternoon.

"I'm sure they enjoy it, I'm sure they do," said Jenas.

"Bellers is that kind of lad. I know Bellers enjoys it, he probably thrives on it. He's one of those people that, if he's getting stick, he'll show 'em.

"He'll just stick it in the net and say there you go.

"Alan's got the experience and it doesn't bother him."

Shearer's normal riposte to boos and jeers is to point out that 'they don't boo bad players'.

Bellamy's is to get up the noses of the fans and players a little more, and his manager knows it.

"I love Bellamy," said Sir Bobby. "I know he's an irritant but he's lovely player. He's a matchwinner and the crowd would love him in their team - everyone would.

"He wants the ball over the top, he wants it in-between centre-halves, he's looking for the ball in behind the defence.

"He's good on the ball as well, he's not just a runner off the ball, like Owen is or Lineker was, he can beat people he's a dribbler."

For Newcastle's second a Shearer flick put Bellamy clear just after half time.

He crossed straight into the path of the unmarked Nolberto Solano and it was game over - Newcastle's 21st game unbeaten after European encounters.

Charlton did respond but Jonathan Woodgate and Titus Bramble held firm at the back - and when called upon Shay Given turned away Euell's snapshot on 77 minutes and then tipped over Jonatan Johansson's header.

Newcastle should have had a third when Shearer went clear, and then Solano got on the end of another super Bellamy run only to hit the post from a tight angle.

But it was Bellamy's pace that undid a Charlton side who, before Saturday, still had hopes of chasing fourth spot in the league.

Has Robson seen a player as quick?

"Yes Ronaldo," was the 70-year-old's instant reply.

"He had pace and could dribble, so can Bellamy.

"He has incredible speed. He's a player that defenders just can't handle."

The goalkeepers have trouble with Bellamy too, with Dean Kiely and the Welshman involved in a war of words which apparently dated back to when the Republic of Ireland international was at Bury, and the Welshman at Norwich.

"I've been hammered by the crowd at the Valley, but I didn't dive and I didn't respond to the rough treatment I got on and off the pitch," was the striker's response.

"I'm delighted with the Charlton victory, but I would have liked a goal and I think I deserved a goal. I had a lot of shots on goal and they didn't go in.

"Of course I'd like to have got more goals recently because nothing beats getting a goal, but I'm not worrying about it too much.

"I'm contributing to the game and that's the most important thing.

"The most important thing is that the Newcastle United fans appreciate me and it meant a lot to me that when the Charlton fans were booing me they were singing my name."

The key appears to be for fans of opposing teams to chant Bellamy's name -that sort of thing un-nerves him.

* Gary Speed is likely to be out for three weeks after suffering a groin strain at Charlton. Sir Bobby Robson said: "Gary's hurt his groin. He had a reaction to the other injury (hernia).

"It's a little bit lower on his right-hand side but he is distressed and could be a doubt for Barcelona. He will be a miss."

Result: Charlton Athletic 0 Newcastle United 2.

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