Souness' honeymoon comes to bitter end

Newcastle United 1 - Fulham 4

"Freak result" was the verdict among home supporters clutching at straws in the aftermath of this defeat yesterday. Yet it was no such thing because the Newcastle defence has been just waiting to succumb to this kind of beating.

"Freak result" was the verdict among home supporters clutching at straws in the aftermath of this defeat yesterday. Yet it was no such thing because the Newcastle defence has been just waiting to succumb to this kind of beating.

Add in Graeme Souness' first-half banishment to the stands - after he rivalled Sir Alex Ferguson's launching of a water bottle here a couple of years ago - in protest at Howard Webb's correct and brave decision to ignore Alan Shearer's first-half penalty appeals in front of a baying Gallowgate End, and afternoons don't come much more chastening. The honeymoon is well and truly over.

"It was a foul on Alan Shearer," insisted Souness. "The referee didn't explain anything to me. Do you think we have conversations with them?"

For a team humbled at home, Newcastle created the vast bulk of chances but were again let down by old defensive frailties. It didn't help that they just happened to find the veteran goalkeeping skills of Fulham's Mark Crossley enjoying a quite remarkable renaissance, as at least half-a-dozen world-class saves will testify.

Souness added: "I've been in games where you batter teams and lose by a single goal, but never anything like that. I think Crossley's played the finest game of his career. He rode his luck and made some amazing saves.

"Going forward we've been fantastic, but lady luck wasn't with us. I'm extremely frustrated. You can criticise me for chasing it at 2-0, but it's great with the benefit of hindsight."

Fulham's first Premiership away win of the season took shape through Collins John's 28th-minute opener, the forward capitalising on hesitancy from Aaron Hughes to fire past Steve Harper - the goalkeeper making his first Premiership start in almost four years in place of Shay Given, whose wife is about to give birth to the couple's first child.

Three goals in the space of 11 second-half minutes followed. The first two came from Steed Malbranque, slotting home an Andy Cole pass on 65 minutes as Andy O'Brien dithered, before sending Harper the wrong way from the penalty spot after Robbie Elliott floored Tomasz Radzinski to highlight the major defensive rebuilding task facing Souness in the January transfer window.

Craig Bellamy headed a consolation goal past his Wales team-mate and close friend Crossley 13 minutes from the end - but only after Luis Boa Morte had been allowed to run unmolested from the halfway line to chip a fourth moments earlier.

Chris Coleman, the Fulham manager, sympathised with Souness, adding: "Graeme was getting frustrated, and when Alan went down in the box maybe that's a penalty because he's not the type of guy to con the referee. I've been there myself it can be frustrating.

"I'm proud of my players," Coleman added. "It's a difficult place to come at the best of times, but the ball bounced for us and our keeper was fantastic. It's our biggest result of the season because we've broken our duck. Not many teams will come here and get a win."

Goals: John (28) 0-1; Malbranque (65) 0-2; Malbranque pen (71) 0-3; Boa Morte (76) 0-4; Bellamy (77) 1-4.

Newcastle United (4-4-2): Harper; Hughes (Robert, 52), Elliott, O'Brien, Bernard (Ameobi, 69); Bellamy, Butt, Bowyer, Jenas; Shearer, Kluivert. Substitutes not used: Caig (gk), Johnsen, Bramble.

Fulham (4-3-1-2): Crossley; Volz, Knight, Rehman, Bocanegra; Diop, Pembridge, Boa Morte; Malbranque; John (Radzinski, 57), Cole. Substitutes not used: Van der Sar (gk), Legwinski, McBride, Rosenior.

Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).

Booked: Newcastle: O'Brien. Fulham: Volz.

Man of the match: Malbranque.

Attendance: 51,118.