WITH Graeme Souness opting for a strikeforce of Michael Owen and Shola Ameobi at the Hawthorns yesterday, the Newcastle United fans were given an insight into the shape of things to come for the Magpies.

The countdown to Alan Shearer's retirement has begun in earnest.

But it was only after the appearance of the old warhorse in the 67th minute that Newcastle really turned the screw with two late goals to add to Owen's opener in the 21st second of the second half.

The plaudits, however, will rightly go to Owen, whose two goals were superbly taken, and came with the stamp of an international finisher of the highest quality.

Owen's last visit to Albion saw him score four two seasons ago, and he helped himself to two second half strikes which capped an excellent performance.

Shearer replaced Ameobi and hit his second of the week to give Souness the selection problems he has craved all season.

With Shearer bearing the brunt of £28m of talent on the bench, Souness had options with the skipper and the returning Kieron Dyer, and Dyer set up Owen's second with a precision cross.

Chairman Freddy Shepherd told Souness the club must be "in the top six" come May, and yesterday's win at least has the Magpies now breathing down the necks of the clubs currently occupying the European spots.

Owen, Ameobi, Emre, and Jean-Alain Boumsong returned to the starting XI, with Albion forced into replacing goalkeeper Chris Kirkland with Polish international Tomasz Kuszczack - the Liverpool loan signing suffering with a bruised kidney.

A few bruising challenges aside, the opening quarter of the game was a non-event with a swirling wind far from helpful.

Early efforts from Ameobi and Owen were blocked and Kanu had a shout for a penalty emphatically turned down by referee Howard Webb.

The attacking double act of the future were finding the going tough and Owen showed signs of rustiness in the 25th minute when a clever ball from Nolberto Solano found the England man free on the right side of the box.

His first touch, however, was far from assured with the ball dribbling away off his studs to safety.

The only talking point appeared to be when Mr Webb would make his first booking with Junichi Inamoto guilty of a crude challenge on Scott Parker and Ameobi then showing his team-mates there is a nasty side by clattering Kuszczak in the home goal. The fact it was the 23-year-old's fifth first half foul had no effect on the referee.

With ten minutes of the opening half remaining the Magpies suddenly discovered a semblance of sustained attacking football which should have produced an opener.

Owen and Charles N'Zogbia exchanged passes on the edge of the box with the Frenchman's return ball beautifully weighted into the striker's path.

With Owen bearing down on goal Kuszczak was out to smother his effort from eight yards.

Ameobi made one last effort to attract the referee's attention with a challenge on Neil Clement that was clumsy at best, but he just couldn't get himself in Mr Webb's book.

"There's only one Michael Owen" wasn't a popular chant before the break but 24 seconds after the restart the striker was again the darling of the travelling fans.

Ameobi fed N'Zogbia down the left and his cross to the six-yard box was met on the volley by the £16m man, who superbly directed his effort into the roof of the net.

It should have been the cue for Newcastle to stamp their authority, instead it merely woke up an otherwise dozing Baggies side.

Robert Earnshaw showed his profligacy in front of goal in the 52nd minute. Jonathan Greening's cross from the right was perfect for the former Cardiff City man, who was unmarked in front of goal. But, despite getting to the ball, he contrived to miss it and the danger was cleared.

Not for long, however, and after Inamoto had an effort from the edge of the box blocked by Steven Taylor, Earnshaw again fluffed his lines.

This time, however, it was largely due to Shay Given's brilliance, the Irishman blocking at point blank range.

The second half was as good as the first was bad. Taylor had a header cleared off the line, Earnshaw missed again and produced a another save from Given - this time with his fingertips - and Ameobi finally got his booking with a foul on Curtis Davies.

Just after the hour mark his strike partner should have made it two but was thwarted by what appeared to be a clear hand ball outside the box by Kuszczak. The referee thought otherwise and waved play on

After a frenetic 20 minutes the game returned to a more mundane pace, but that was before the Magpies' late storm.

Shearer replaced Ameobi then Dyer came on for N'Zogbia and, with Albion looking to grab an equaliser, they both exploited the space they were given.

In the 78th minute Dyer beat Moore for pace down the right and crossed to the near post for Owen to finish from a tight angle.

Shearer then beat the lumbering Moore to another low near post cross from the right, and fired home low to Kuszczak's left.

Result: West Bromwich Albion 0, Newcastle United 3.

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