IT was the perfect postscript to a faultless evening for Alan Shearer and the St. James' Park congregation.

An unerring swing of the right boot sent the ball fizzing into the back of the West Ham United net and Shearer raced away, arm aloft, to take the acclaim of his adoring public. Two minutes later, Shearer was being booked for what could politely be termed a "striker's tackle" on Trevor Sinclair.

That vignette summed up the tireless Newcastle captain's evening as he laid down a challenge to the pretenders to his crown as the greatest striker in Premiership history.

Thierry Henry, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Michael Owen et al might lay claim to the title of English football's most deadly marksman.

But as he began his 16th season as a professional yesterday, Shearer underlined the threat he will pose to the game's stingiest defences as he defies his advancing years.

Shearer went into last night's match having never scored in Newcastle's opening game of a league campaign - a run that began with an inauspicious 2-0 defeat at Everton in August 1996.

Remarkably, he had picked up more red cards on day one than goal bonuses, having been sent off against Aston Villa three years ago in the dying embers of Ruud Gullit's reign.

But he lay that record to waste, and while Lomano LuaLua was the real hero, it was Shearer who built the foundations for Newcastle's convincing victory.

He linked play with a series of neat flicks and lay-offs that enabled the Magpies to establish an early grip on the game, even though they struggled to trouble David James in the first half.

One ball over the top that Shearer struggled to chase down reminded everyone at St James' Park that he lacks the pace that marked him out as one of the world's most feared strikers for much of the last decade.

But the 32-year-old retains his trademark strength, and he bumped and barged Christian Dailly and Tomas Repka to distraction as he looked to further the Newcastle cause.

One 25-yard free-kick was arrowing into the back of James's goal until Repka, the West Ham bulwark who had a fascinating arm wrestle with Shearer throughout, deflected the shot to safety.

Shearer revels in his joint role of goalmaker as well as taker and he almost fashioned the first goal shortly after half time.

It was his low cross that Nobby Solano might have turned home, but when LuaLua did pierce the West Ham rearguard it was just reward for Shearer's efforts as much as anyone else in a black and white shirt. His goal set the seal on another uncompromising display, and Shearer was the creator when Solano finally did score in the dying stages.

His powers may be on the wane, yet he continues to be the scourge of Premiership defences.

Just ask Repka and Dailly.

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