By Matthew Jones
September 22 2002

Craig Bellamy is looking more and more back on form now, after his goal inside the first two minutes and a typical Alan Shearer strike gave Newcastle a comfortable 2-0 derby win over Sunderland. The Magpies got back to winning ways thanks to two goals in the first-half at St James' Park. Craig Bellamy is looking more and more back on form now, after his goal inside the first two minutes and a typical Alan Shearer strike gave Newcastle a comfortable 2-0 derby win over Sunderland.

The Magpies got back to winning ways thanks to two goals in the first-half at St James' Park that moves them out of the bottom three.
They made a dream start when Shearer found Keiron Dyer, who in turn released Bellamy before he raced towards goal and slotted the ball coolly under the advancing Thomas Sorensen to make it 1-0 after just 93 seconds.

However, despite that frenetic opening, chances were generally at a premium in the first half.
Tore Andre Flo saw two headers fly over as Sunderland responded well to the shock of falling behind early on and the Norway striker almost brought the Black Cats level in bizarre fashion when Shay Given's clearance cannoned off his back forcing the Newcastle keeper to race back and retrieve the ball from virtually the goal-line.

Then, just as Sunderland seemed capable of finding an equaliser, Shearer struck a typical second when Nolberto Solano touched his free-kick to him and the former England striker fired home from the edge of the area to give the hosts a two-goal advantage at the break.

The second period followed a similar pattern to the first with a number of misplaced passes from both sides making for a rather untidy game at times.

Claudio Reyna tested Given with a 20-yard strike and Flo fired over as Sunderland looked for a way back into the game while at the other end Bellamy was somewhat harshly booked for trying to win a penalty when he fell under the challenge of Matthew Piper in the area.

Sunderland never really looked like finding the goal that would have given them a chance of rescuing something from the game and indeed Newcastle could have added to their lead as the second half wore on as Bellamy first headed wide and then fired straight at Sorensen while Shearer saw an effort blocked in injury time.

In the end the damage was done in the first period and a sorry Sunderland side slumped off knowing the defeat moves Newcaslte above them in the Premiership and heaps more pressure on the already under-fire Peter Reid.