Newcastle's Last Two Visits To Villa Park!

The Randy Lerner era at Aston Villa got off to a successful start as goals from Luke Moore and Juan Pablo Angel lifted Martin O'Neill's side into second spot in the Premiership.

Billionaire and new club owner Lerner was given a rousing reception when he took his seat in the directors' box after flying in from America to watch the game - and within two minutes Moore had broken the deadlock.

Villa made sure of victory with Angel's second goal of the campaign before half-time to move within two points of leaders Manchester United and ahead of Everton on alphabetical order.

To add to Villa's joy, new skipper Gareth Barry signed a four-year contract before kick-off which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2010.

But Newcastle's misery in losing their 12-game unbeaten run was compounded when new signing Obafemi Martins was carried off on a stretcher after the interval with what looked like a knee injury.

Moore gave Villa the ideal start after Barry was brought down by Newcastle midfielder Scott Parker.

The Magpies failed to deal with his floated free-kick from midway in the Newcastle half.

The ball eventually broke to Moore on the edge of the box and he steadied himself before planting a low drive past Shay Given into the corner of the net.

It was the first goal of the campaign for Moore, who is playing with a shoulder problem.

Former Villa player Nolberto Solano was booed every time he touched the ball but he nearly set up a equaliser for James Milner who had spent last season on loan at Villa Park.

Solano's corner found its way to Milner at the far post but after turning sharply he was unable to keep down his shot, which flew over Thomas Sorensen's crossbar.

Barry became the first player to be yellow-carded for a challenge on Damien Duff and Emre followed him into the book for shoving Gavin McCann.

Newcastle enjoyed more than their share of possession and Damien Duff was not far off target with a 20-yard drive from the left of the Villa area.

But after 38 minutes a clinical piece of finishing by Angel - his second goal of the campaign - doubled Villa's lead.

The Colombian international timed his run perfectly to seize onto a pass from Gabriel Agbonlahor and get in behind Titus Bramble before slotting the ball into the corner of the net.

Newcastle had a rare effort on target from Duff but his 20-yard drive was comfortably dealt with by Sorensen.

Magpies boss Glenn Roeder opted for a double half-time substitution, bringing on Albert Luque and Charles N'Zogbia replacing Solano and Celestine Babayaro respectively.

Sorensen went down to cling onto a low drive from Duff after Martins had found him in plenty of space to the left of the Villa area.

But the home side retaliated and a floated pass from Barry picked out the run of Angel only for his touch to let him down and enable Titus Bramble to make a vital interception.

Roeder made his third substitution after 56 minutes, Nicky Butt taking over from Emre in midfield, but the visitors found themselves having to play the final half hour with 10 men.

Martins, signed for £10million in midweek from Inter Milan, landed awkwardly after an aerial challenge with Liam Ridgewell and he was clutching his knee before being carried off.

That effectively signalled the end of Newcastle's challenge and in injury-time Moore came close to grabbing a second goal when his cross-shot hit the bar.

Shay Given saved a second-half penalty from Milan Baros as 10-man Newcastle maintained their mini-revival under Glenn Roeder and took advantage of Aston Villa's dreadful home form.

Substitute Baros had a golden chance to bring Villa on level terms for a second time after he was brought down by Celestine Babayaro, who was deemed to be the last defender by referee Mike Riley.

But Baros opted to shoot straight down the middle of the goal and was outfoxed by Given, who kept his eye on the ball and saved with his feet.

Villa, lacking three of their first-choice midfield in Steven Davis, Gavin McCann and James Milner, camped in the Magpies half for the second period as they tried to make their numerical advantage count.

Baros looked lively and a threat apart from his spot-kick blunder and Gareth Barry did his best to drive Villa forward but Newcastle, for whom Given and defender Titus Bramble had solid games, stood firm.

A second win under academy director Roeder will buy chairman Freddy Shepherd more time as he searches for Graeme Souness' successor.

Villa will reflect on a home record of just three victories during the current campaign which has blighted their hopes of climbing into the top half of the table.

The damage was done for the home side in the first half when Newcastle were a constant threat with Emre causing plenty of problems and they also dominated the aerial exchanges.

Alan Shearer had become United's record goalscorer the previous week but he became creator in setting up the decisive strikes for Shola Ameobi and Charles N'Zogbia.

The game got off to a dramatic start with Newcastle taking the lead after only 80 seconds via Ameobi.

Former Villa player Nolberto Solano was booed by the home fans every time he touched the ball but the winger gave a perfect riposte by having a hand in the build-up to the goal.

Solano played the ball into Shearer whose delightful first-time flick allowed Ameobi a free run at goal from the right. He kept his cool before drilling a low shot cross Thomas Sorensen into the corner of the net.

Ameobi had a chance to double Newcastle's lead after he found himself in a good position 15 yards out but his shot struck Villa skipper Olof Mellberg.

Villa drew level in the 17th minute with Moore continuing his hot streak by scoring his fifth goal in the last three matches.

Moore was fouled by Bramble but got off the ground to meet the resulting free-kick by Craig Gardner at the near post and send a glancing header past Given.

Villa defender Mark Delaney became the first player to be booked for chopping down Ameobi with a mistimed challenge.

Barry cut inside to try his luck with a dipping 25 yarder which flew only a yard wide before Newcastle regained the lead after half an hour through N'Zogbia's fifth goal of the campaign.

Shearer was again the creator with another inch-perfect ball into the path of Solano whose powerful shot was beaten out by Sorensen.

The Villa defence seemed slow to react to the rebound and N'Zogbia needed no second invitation to turn the ball into the corner of the net.

Newcastle were dominating in the air and the home were grateful to Delaney for clearing off the line from Shearer's powerful shot on the turn after Ameobi had headed an Emre corner into his path.

Jean-Alain Boumsong should have done better when he met a corner from Emre but his downward header bounced over Sorensen's crossbar. Lee Hendrie could have equalised in first half injury-time but scuffed his attempted volley past the post from Barry's cross.

Gardner was booked for a foul on Scott Parker as Newcastle dominated the opening exchanges of the second period.

Parker also went into Riley's notebook for a challenge on Hendrie who was injured in the process and replaced as part of a double substitution in the 56th minute.

Hendrie and Kevin Phillips made way for Juan Pablo Angel and Baros as Villa switched to a 4-3-3 formation.

David O'Leary was forced into another change when Gardner limped off to be replaced by Liam Ridgewell.

Angel had an early chance to make an impact but failed to connect properly with his left-footed drive which Given saved comfortably.

Newcastle were reduced to 10 men when Babayaro was deemed to be the last man when he brought down Baros in the box.

Baros stepped up to take the penalty but his low shot straight down the middle of the goal was kept out by Given.

Liam Ridgewell hit the bar with a thumping header from Peter Whittingham's corner and Given tipped over Angel's volley as Newcastle held out.