CarlingNet - No 1 for Match Reports

Newcastle v Middlesbrough 03/11/96 4.00

Newcastle               (1) 3 Middlesbrough           (0) 1 FT
Beardsley 40 (pen),69         Beck 88
Lee 74

Peter Beardsley proved he is not yet a past master, crowning his 700th league and cup appearance with a two goal blast and hauled Newcastle back on top of the Premiership out of the bluster of a full-blooded Tyne-Tees derby.

Middlesbrough hotly disputed his first from the penalty spot after Neil Cox tripped David Ginola, claiming the Frenchman conned referee Gary Willard.

But the little 35-year-old magician turned back the clocks with his second, a typical piece of opportunism to dance through in the 69th minute that took his domestic tally to a monumental 236 goals.

The evergreen forward, who added a further nine goals in 59 caps for England before this summer's international retirement, won two championships for Liverpool and now has a great chance of making it a hat-trick with his hometown club.

It was just what Kevin Keegan's men needed in the absence of Alan Shearer and Robert Lee's late deflection put the stamp on ther seventh straight win at St James' Park, taking them two points clear of morning leaders Arsenal.

Boro, who hit the bar and then gained an 88th minute consolation through Mikkel Beck, fought hard, no one braving the thick of the action more than the Brazilian Emerson.

But Bryan Robson's men now appear in another autumn free-fall, having taken just two points from 18.

Local pride and passion hard helped blunt another attack-minded Newcastle line-up for 40 minutes, Keegan and new defensive co-ordinator Mark Lawrenson translating the three-at-the-back that worked in Europe to the Premiership.

Coated by Keegan in his programme notes for losing at Leicester after humiliating Manchester United 5-0, the sort of inconsistency which cost them the title last season, Newcastle were in no mood to slip up again.

But Boro might have taken a shock lead in the 13th minute, the German Beck breaking swiftly and laying the pass invitingly for Robbie Mustoe to blaze wide.

Cox, booked in just the third minute for a foul on Robbie Elliott, was ever nervous against Ginola, and television replays suggested Boro's protests over the trip on the left flank of the box were unjustified, goalkeeper Gary walsh eyeballing the Frenchman.

Mr Willard pointed straight to the spot and Beardsley, who missed from the spot in midweek against Ferencvaros, showed no nerves in beating the former Manchester United man.

There was plenty of tribal fireworks, Robson protesting to the linesman when Emerson was floored by david Batty, demostrating how he thought a flying fist had caught his Brazilian star.

Batty was booked for a foul on Stamp, Emerson should have been for a trip on Ferdinand, Elliott went into the book for cutting down Beck on the touchline.

Emerson's nine lives ran out when he became the fourth player booked for another clash with Batty early in the second half, and was perhaps lucky not to walk when he fouled Ginola five minutes later, the referee simply telling the south American to cool down.

But Middlesbrough had come out for the second half with fresh resolve and some sweet football, Newcastle struggling to match the rise in tempo, continuing to make scrappy mistakes.

Keegan came to pitchside to urge his side to push out and they began to make clas count, Ferdinand shooting wide from Asprilla's pass and Rob Lee's volley spinning away off a blocking defender for a corner.

But the home side gained a solid grasp on the victory with Beardsley's second goal, the little forward, running onto Ferdinand's header and those dancing feet of memory slipping the ball past the advancing Walsh.

He was only a foot away from his hat-trick minutes later, bursting through when a grounded Ferdinand held the ball up and his shot taking a delection over the bar.

But the reprieve was hort lived as Boro only half-cleared the corner and Robert Lee drove in a shot that took an unstoppable deflection off Steve Vickers, his first goal of the season.

Newcastle, though, showed that Lawrenson still has work to do, almost letting Boro in when Juninho's shot was parried by Srnicek, only for Beck put the loose ball against the bar when it was easier to score.

But two minutes from time, Philippe Albert and the Czech goalkeeper got in a terrible tangle and Beck nipped in for a late goal that cannot hide their mounting problems.