BOBBY Robson is too wily and too wise to panic, but he knows he has problems at the moment.

Not only are his side going through a bad patch with two successive league defeats against teams they should beat, Southampton and now Charlton.

But then there's the form of his star striker and captain invincible Alan Shearer.

The former England frontman's scoring drought continued as newly-promoted Charlton carried out a decisive snatch and grab for the three points at St James' Park.

Shearer said in his programme notes before Saturday's game against Charlton that he wasn't worried about his lack of goals - just one from the penalty spot so far this season.

"I'd be far more worried if we weren't getting decent results," he added.

"I'm confident that when the next goal does go in, there'll be a lot to follow quickly, and the name of Alan Shearer will have a good few goals alongside it in the statistics chart by the time the season's over."

Few would bet against that, but Newcastle are not getting the "decent results" they seek and have to rectify that quickly.

Shearer only really had one chance against Charlton and that came in injury time at the end, thanks to a moment of ingenuity from new £2.25m signing Lomana Lualua.

The teen dream oozed class and confidence when he came on as a 63rd-minute substitute for the ineffective Daniel Cordone.

He sent over an inch-perfect cross for Shearer and you would have expected him to bury the chance, but he headed straight at Dean Kiely and the Charlton keeper flipped the ball up and gathered at the second attempt with a sigh of relief.

Shearer's sigh was one of frustration and summed up his current fortunes.

Robson is also confident his goals will come, but the service has to be better and he's not wrong about that.

It was only really Lualua's arrival - along with Robert Lee and Didier Domi - that added some invention to the Magpies' attacking armoury, which was otherwise shooting blanks.

"Alan will turn the corner, but we have got to play better for him," said Robson.

"We have to get more balls in and he will score. We just did not get the balls in from the flanks and that's something that has to improve.

"Nol Solano did clever things, but did not get the ball in. It was pretty, pretty but not effective. We have to make chances for Alan.

"He only had that one real chance at the end and it is not falling for him at the moment.

"On another day he would have headed that late chance past the keeper."

There's nothing more dangerous than a wounded tiger though and Shearer himself will be even more determined to get back on the goal trail with a little help from his friends.

Robson admitted 19-year-old Lualua's performance was welcome on a day when he could not really get excited about too much.

"He was a bright spot on a poor afternoon," he said. "He was not shy when he came on. He wanted the ball and wanted to do things with it.

"He will be disappointed though that he's come to Newcastle and lost 1-0. He's going to learn that you have got to have a lot of courage for this game."

Courage was something Charlton had in abundance and what guided them to their first win at St James' since a 4-3 win back in 1992.

They took a deserved lead in the eighth minute when the lively John Robinson swung over a dangerous cross from the left and when Finnish frontman Jonatan Johansson missed the ball, Graham Stuart stole in at the back post and bundled it into the net.

It was poor defending from the home side and they were almost made to pay ten minutes later when a Claus Jensen corner dropped invitingly on the edge of the box for Mark Kinsella and his rasping half-volley smashed against the bar with Shay Given helpless.

The Londoners made several rapier-like attacks which should have been rewarded with more goals in the first half.

Newcastle were lethargic and languid with little pattern in their play and a distinct lack of inventiveness.

After the break they dominated possession and penned Charlton back in their own half, but never really threatened to breach Kiely's goal.

Carl Cort, still looking short of match fitness after his injury lay-off, blasted the ball into the net in the 68th minute, but it was disallowed with Gary Speed also contesting a penalty before the strike after Steve Brown tangled with Shearer.

Brown and defensive partners Richard Rufus, Paul Konchesky and Chris Powell were outstanding as they continually repelled Newcastle, especially in the last 15 minutes.

Newcastle will just have to accept what's done is done and pick themselves up for their Worthington Cup clash at Leyton Orient tomorrow.

The perfect time for Shearer to strike back?