MATCH REPORT

NEWCASTLE United made it three wins on the spin for the first time this season as the front three of Oba Martins, Michael Owen and Mark Viduka all got their name on the scoresheet.

It was the ligthening-quick Nigerian who got the ball rolling with a well-taken effort after 18 minutes, capitalising upon a slip by Liam Rosenior before darting into the area and firing low past Marcus Hahnemann.

Toon skipper Owen should have made it two not long after but shot wide from Martins' centre.

But the United No.10 was not to be denied and netted his fourth in as many games just before the break with a clever finish from Habib Beye's chipped throughball.

And the scoring was complete when Viduka got his seventh of the season with a close range shot after exchanging passes with the impressive Beye.

The win takes Kevin Keegan's men 12 points clear of the drop zone and all but guarantees the Magpies Premier League status.

SECOND HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest)

There will be four minutes added time.

90min - And again, another corner as Duff cleverly plays the ball off Shorey's shins. The Irish star takes and Edgar can't get enough power on his header to trouble Hahnemann.

87min - Another flag-kick for United as Duff's cross is charged behind by Rosenior. Geremi's delivery is only half-cleared and Barton is unlucky to see his first-time volley evade the frame by a matter of inches.

86min - Comic defending from Bikey and Hahnemann sees the American stopper slice behind for a corner. The ball is eventually worked to Enrique 25 yards out and with the crowd willing him to shoot the Spaniard slices high and wide and into the Gallowgate End.

85min - Barton drives United forward and covers all of 40 yards before seeing a low shot kept out by Hanhenmann to his right.

82min - Lamine Diatta is handed his Magpie debut as he replaces Senegal team-mate Abdoulaye Faye.

79min - Nicky Butt is next to receive a standing ovation as he comes off for Alan Smith.

78min - The break is on with Michael Owen on the right, he has Oba Martins ahead of him and finds the Nigerian 40 yards from goal with a sharp ball to feet, the Toon No.9 has just Bikey to beat and works a yard to the right of the Cameroon defender before seeing a vicious strike deflect off his outstretched leg and away for a corner. Geremi takes but nothing comes of the delivery and Reading clear.

76min - David Edgar takes no chances and stoops to head behind at the near post from Hunt's low cross. Bobby Convey takes but the delivery has far too much weight and runs away to safety.

74min - Damien Duff replaces Mark Viduka who deservedly receives a standing ovation from the Toon Army.

73min - Double substitution for the Royals as Shane Long and Emerse Fae replaces Dave Kitson and Kalifa Cisse.

70min - Edgar mis-cued clearance falls kindly for Hunt but the Irish winger scuffs his volley from just 12 yards out and Harper gathers with ease.

66min - Enrique is sloppy in possession on the left and his robbed by Kitson, the Royals frontman advances into the area and drills low across goal, Nicky Butt is backtracking and recovers to hack behind for a corner. Hunt crosses and Lee Probert blows for a free-kick as Harper is impeded by Doyle.

60min - Bobby Convey replaces John Oster for the Royals.

58min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (3-0): MARK VIDUKA gets in on the act with a close range finish after working a clever one-two with Habib Beye inside the area - it's the Aussie's seventh of the seasonm and means that all three of United's forwards have got their name on the scoresheet today.

55min - Doyle is just inches away from connecting with Oster's floated centre and Habib Beye is forced to concede a flag-kick at the far post not knowing what was behind him. Oster swings over but a combination Faye and Viduka head clear.

52min - Rosenior tries to sweep up Enrique's forward ball but miscontrols at the expense of a corner. Geremi takes but Hahnemann claims underneath his crossbar.

50min - It's a positive start from the Geordies and Hahnemann's blushes are spared as he spills Barton's left-wing centre only for Ingimarsson to clear from inside the six-yard area.

48min - Owen goes looking for a second and checks inside the challenge of Rosenior on the right, he takes aim for Hahnemann's far corner but sees his shot blocked by Bikey.

The Magpies get the second period underway with neither side having made any changes.

FIRST HALF ACTION

That's it, half-time at St.James' with United leading by two goals to nil thanks to Oba Martins' opener and Michael Owen's fourth in as many matches just before the break.

There will be two minutes added time.

43min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-0): MICHAEL OWEN nets his fourth in as many games as he turns home from the angle of the six-yard area after latching on to a delightful chipped pass from Habib Beye. It's the first time a United player has scored in four consecutive league matches since Alan Shearer in the 2003/04 season.

41min - Andre Bikey comes through the back of Mark Viduka 30 yards from goal and rightly enters the referee's notebook.

37min - Its should be two! Butt again switches play and this time finds Barton in space on the left, the midfielder crosses first-time for the near post where Viduka dummies for Owen arriving late in the area, the skipper connects but can only divert his eight-yard effort inches wide of the Reading target.

33min - Referee Lee Probert fails to spot Hunt's handball on the left and he picks out Oster unmarked at the far post, the Welsh forward controls before floating the ball back across the penalty area and only the fingertips of Harper denies Doyle a header on target. Reading have a corner which Hunt delivers but United are able to clear at the near post.

31min - Reading build on the right and Barton is forced to concede a corner as he blocks Hunt's attempted cross. It is the Irish winger who takes and Faye's headed clearance loops high in the air, the ball eventually drops for Cisse 20 yards out who volleys back into a crowded penalty area, there are too many bodies in the way and United manage to hack to safety.

26min - The visitors break at pace on the right with Kitson, he looks for Doyle with a drilled ball across the penalty area which Harper does well to snatch and hold.

22min - Cisse drags a 20-yard shot wide after being teed-up by Oster.

18min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-0): Nicky Butt looks for OBA MARTINS on the left with a searching, crossfield ball, the Nigerian takes full advantage of a slip by Liam Rosenior and bursts into the penalty before checking inside the challenge of Andre Bikey and finishing low past Hahnemann with a sweet, right-footed strike from 12 yards for his ninth of the season - cue somersault celebration!

17min - Hunt's clever reverse pass almost sets Doyle clear and it's only a well-timed, sliding challenge from the recovering Beye which denies the Irish striker a run on goal.

15min - Beye skips by the challenge of Shorey high on the right-flank and attacks the by-line, the Senegal star decides to cross low at pace but it's Bikey who reads the ball and makes a vital clearance from just two yards out with both Viduka and Owen lurking.

10min - Faye tries to control Harper's right-wing cross with his chest but his touch is heavy and bounces behind for a corner. Hunt crosses and it's Faye who clears from inside the six-yard area.

6min - Geremi's deft chip almost sets Martins clear but the backpedalling Rosenior manages to get the feintest of touches to divert behind for a corner. Again Geremi takes but it's a Reading head which climbs highest to clear.

5min - It's been a lively start from the visitors and they again have a free-kick on the left which Shorey takes, it's a dangerous ball but Faye is on hand to power clear for the Magpies.

2min - But United are soon on the offensive themselves as have a corner as Geremi's free-kick is headed behind at the near post by Bikey. Geremi takes and it's Edgar who gets there first, his header skims clear of the target and is retrieved by Barton who wins a corner off the shins of Shorey. Geremi switches flanks to take but nothing comes of the flag-kick.

1min - An early scare for the Geordies as skipper Ingimarsson heads just inches over from Harper's whipped, left-wing free-kick.

Reading get the game started attacking the Gallowgate End but not after Michael Owen had gathered his black and white team-mates for a pre-match huddle.