NEWCASTLE United boss Bobby Robson is calling on Kieron Dyer to go for goal as the youngster looks to break a six-month scoring drought.

The 21-year-old England star last hit the target for the Magpies in the 2-0 win at Everton in March.

He missed chances against Third Division Leyton Orient in Wednesday night's Worthington Cup tie and Robson is looking for Dyer to end his bleak run against Charlton in tomorrow's Premiership clash at St James' Park.

"He's got to learn how to put the ball past the keeper," said a frustrated Robson.

"Kieron went past players as if they weren't there against Orient.

"He was trying to walk it in, slide it in and I was saying 'blast it'.

"Very few people would get into the positions he got into.

"He ghosted past people like George Best used to do.

"He was getting in front of goal then trying to put it in with a slide-rule when he should have been using a sledgehammer.

"He knows what he's got to do and I'm sure he will do it."

Robson is also confident Alan Shearer will get back on the goal trail after scoring just once in seven games this season.

Carl Cort scored his second in two home games after his return from a hamstring injury and Robson believes the duo will combine to form a potent partnership.

"Carl didn't get a chance to play with Alan in the summer because Alan was injured," he said.

"But I think they will become a good partnership."

"Alan's chances will come. He will continue to win balls for both Carl Cort and Daniel Cordone and continue to come up with the flicks, the headers and the hold-up play.

"Alan is a good player to play with and as far as I am concerned he looks comfortable playing with either Cordone or Cort."

Newcastle added competition for places to their frontline when they completed the £2.25m signing of talented striker Lomano Lua-Lua from Colchester after a short delay.

The 19-year-old, who is believed to have signed a five-year contract, is in line to make his debut against Charlton, although he may well have to settle for a place on the bench.

Blackburn's £3m-rated Scottish international defender Christian Dailly is also the subject of interest from Robson.

The Newcastle chief has had further talks with Graeme Souness regarding Dailly, who is still available after a swap deal involving Celtic's Eyal Berkovic fell through.

But a move is likely to hinge on whether Trinidad and Tobago triallist Dennis Lawrence does enough to persuade Bobby Robson to ditch his interest in Dailly.

Rovers chief executive John Williams confirmed: "I understand there has been further dialogue between the managers.

"But I suspect there are a number of options open to Newcastle and they are weighing them up."

Robson is definitely in the market for a centre-half with the absence of Greek defender Nikos Dabizas through injury and Lawrence is likely to be available at a fraction of the cost of Dailly if he continues to impress during his two-week spell on Tyneside.

Meanwhile, Orient chairman Barry Hearn is warning Newcastle to expect a battle when they head south looking to cement their place in the Worthington Cup third round next week.

Robson's side will make the trip to Brisbane Road defending a 2-0 lead after Wednesday's second-round first-leg encounter on Tyneside knowing they still have work to do.

While the Londoners clearly enjoyed their night in front of a 37,000-plus crowd at St James' Park, Hearn is promising United just as good an atmosphere as his side attempt to turn the tie around.

''This tie is very much alive, make no mistake about that,'' he said.

''We would have been happier at only losing 1-0 and if we had we would have had a ticker-tape welcome when we got home at 4.30am.

''But we feel we have done half the job and for me this tie has the smell of penalties about it.

''We'll have a 14,000 sell-out and most of those fans will be breathing down the necks of the players.

"In fact the Newcastle players will be able to see the whites of our supporters' eyes next Tuesday night.''

Robson is taking the tie seriously and has already shelved plans to rest key players for the game.

For all that United were, as they should have been, far superior to their lower league opponents, they could not make the pressure count by missing several chances.

While the Newcastle manager may have had a few words to say to his players about their finishing, it was the visitors who almost earned the wrath of their chairman.

After the final whistle some of them were tempted to swap shirts with Shearer and his illustrious team-mates.

''We need those shirts for Saturday!'' said Hearn.

''Our players were w arned that if they swapped them they would be fined.'