14/09/2002  Chelsea 3 Newcastle Utd 0
 
Sir Bobby Robson, his snowy hair seemingly turning a whiter shade of pale by the minute, saw his Newcastle dis-United take their familiar beating at Stamford Bridge.

And if West Ham can glean a result at Tottenham on Sunday afternoon the team that stormed to a Champions League place under the old master last season, will find themselves bottom of the Premiership pile by Sunday tea-time.

It is 14 years since they have won at Stamford Bridge and 11 meetings with Chelsea since they've beaten the Blues anywhere. So it was probably no surprise they came unstuck again in West London.

But the Toon Army was in black mood as it retreated from the capital - en route to Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday - after Eidur Gudjohnsen bagged his first two goals of the season and Gianfranco Zola pocketed a fifth, albeit with a wicked deflection from a dubious free-kick he earned by falling at the feet of Gary Speed just outside the area.

The Geordie hordes were furious with the little Italian and referee Barry Knight over that. Speed's challenge hardly looked a foul let alone a yellow card.

But Zola was to extract even more punishment when his set-piece curler richoted away from a static Shay Given to land in the top corner.

Thus it was 2-0 with just 25 minutes on the clock, Gudjohnsen - making only his second start after pre-season injury and in place of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink who has had a similar struggle - having headed the first 11 minutes earlier when climbing to direct Boudewijn Zenden's cross in off a post with a deft header.

It was all wrapped up 13 minutes after the break when Shay Given was caught in a shambles of hesitation when Zola closed him down over a back-pass. The Ireland keeper panicked and played Aaron Hughes into trouble and when he was tackled by Zenden the ball ran loose for Zola to set up Gudjohnsen with a tap-in.

Robson, 69, had gambled after the debilitating defeat by Leeds in midweek by giving striker Craig Bellamy his first start since summer surgery. The sprightly youngster ran his legs off for 75 minutes but had no luck - especially with the borderline decisions of referee Knight.

Kieron Dyer hardly looked fully fit either and did not have the pace to go on from a Speed pass with the goal beckoning at 2-0 down. Mario Melchiot easily robbed him.

With Marcel Desailly an imperious defender for Chelsea it was an afternoon of sheer frustration for Alan Shearer. Booked early on for a foul on the Frenchman, he headed one chance just over and shot another one just wide.

But Newcastle looked a well beaten side long before the give-away third goal even though Chelsea had luck to survive an opening burst at the start of the second half.

They were so hit by injuries themselves that Chelsea had to play midfielder Mario Stanic at left back and had two youngsters in Robert Huth and Joe Keenan on the bench.

But they were up for a fight right from the off and in a contest full of tough challenges they often had the benefit of ref Knight's decisions.

That was certainly the case when Dyer crashed down over goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini's rush from the line and when Bellamy went down holding his head after a challenge by William Gallas who might have been lucky to pick up just a booking.

Newcastle finished with four yellow cards and a lot of headaches but Chelsea, cheering their first home win after a couple away, will begin to believe they are on the march again. We have heard that before of course, but there is a spirit about the Blues play that promises much.