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An early Martin Laursen header that bounced clear off Steve Harper was the closest the visitors came to finding the back of the net, while a Mark Viduka header was the best Newcastle could muster as they game petered out towards the end of the second half.

Villa started brightly, and were unlucky not go ahead on ten minutes when Martin Laursen saw a bullet header saved by Kevin Harper. The centre-back met Gareth Barry's cross on the edge of the six-yard box, and Newcastle 'keeper Kevin Harper was fortunate to see the ball cannon back off his chest, having known little about it beforehand.

The visitors were unable to make their early pressure tell though, and Newcastle came back into the game with James Milner providing a stern test for makeshift right-back Craig Gardner. He latched onto a superb through ball on the turn from Viduka before finding Alan Smith with his cut-back, though the England man scuffed his shot, and Gareth Barry was able to make the block.

Viduka then looked set to break the deadlock on 35 minutes after rising above Laursen to meet Geremi's free-kick, but the Dane managed to get a faint touch on the ball to deflect Viduka's header out for a corner. Geremi duly stepped up again and picked out the unmarked Rozehnal at the far post, who drew a superb save from Scott Carson with a fierce volley.

A forgettable start to the second half was briefly lifted when Nigel Reo-Coker burst through from the left and saw a curling shot tipped round the post by Harper, one of the few moments either side managed to put an end product onto a move in the second period.

Spirits around St. James' Park were briefly lifted when Michael Owen made his return from injury, though he too was unable to provide the spark the game needed.

A long-range shot blazed into the stands by Gareth Barry summed up the game's closing stages, and though Newcastle were roared on by their frustrated home support, they failed to go attack with any conviction.

Eurosport