Someone should tell Newcastle that capital punishment is supposed to be inflicted just once. For to force it upon their fans for a 27th consecutive time has gone beyond ridiculous . . . Here, it was close to pathetic. Bobby Robson strode into the club which sacked him 33 years ago as proudly as a peacock. He left ashen-faced after a pitiful performance the memory of which should shame him far more than his harsh dismissal as Fulham manager in 1968. It is tempting to hark on about hoodoos and curses, to bemoan the fickle hand of fate and a lack of luck. But this was capitulation, plain and simple. On a day when far more people than just Robson were catching up with former friends, Fulham won the old boys' reunion with embarrassing ease. At one end, former Newcastle loan star Louis Saha - almost inevitably - ended a three-month Premiership goal drought to give Fulham a 20th-minute lead. At the other, a less fondly remembered ex-Magpie, Alain Goma, enjoyed a relatively trouble-free afternoon in contributing to his side's first clean sheet at The Cottage since August. And Fulham bossed every area of the pitch in between. When Sylvain Legwinski added to their lead in the 28th minute, it was the least they deserved. That they failed to turn a win into a rout was down solely to Shay Given, whose excellence in goal reflected all the more harshly on United's harassed defending and outmanouvered midfield. Gary Speed's 65th-minute header provided consolation for Newcastle but little realistic hope on a day when Given's opposite number Edwin van der Sar had only one meaningful save to make. And Barry Hayles' 70th-minute strike - giftwrapped by the Magpies' back four - confirmed as much. Even the act of charity with which referee Eddie Wolstenholme awarded Newcastle a 79th-minute penalty was rejected, with van der Sar saving Alan Shearer's spot kick. Robson has created a side which prides itself on its pace, passing and movement. But those strengths were placed into unflattering perspective by a Fulham display based on the same principles. The warm welcome mat laid out to Bobby Robson on a ground he once vowed never to revisit was whipped away within the first few seconds. That was all the time it took Legwinski to greet Laurent Robert with a crunching foul which hinted to his fellow Frenchman that this was not to be his day. But at least United matched Fulham in the passing stakes in those early stages. Indeed, they almost took the lead just moments before Saha's opening strike. Goma's weak defensive header was headed straight back past him by Speed for Craig Bellamy, who raced into the box. But although the Welsh striker looked likely to capitalise on a slip by van der Sar, the Dutchman regained his footing to charge down his attempted shot. That save proved vital, as Fulham went straight up the other end and Legwinski teed up Saha 25 yards out. The former Newcastle loan star promptly unleashed a ferocious, dipping left-foot drive which was destined for the top left-hand corner from the moment it left his boot. Their tails duly up, Fulham tore into the visitors - and the pressure told on Newcastle even before Legwinski doubled the lead. The midfielder was felled in full flight by Nikos Dabizas in the 27th minute - a challenge which saw him follow Robbie Elliott into the book. And Legwinski exacted sweet revenge when he ghosted behind Elliott to meet Saha's astute pass behind the fullback with a neat finish low to Given's right. It would have been even worse for United had Given not produced a defiant double save with legs and fingertips from Steed Malbranque and Barry Hayles moments later. Aaron Hughes was then forced to clear a Legwinski cross off his own goalline as the visitors threatened to cave in completely. The lively Legwinski proved himself as much a devil as a saint, leaving his foot in unnecessarily in several challenges - and needlessly flattening Andy O'Brien in one spiteful episode. A desperately wayward long-range effort from the subdued Robert was all a beleaguered Newcastle could offer by way of reply before the break. Fulham boss Jean Tigana clearly knows all about what havoc his compatriot Robert and the equally pacy Bellamy can wreak against attack-minded opponents away from home. For the home side never lost their shape defensively, denying Robert space to work and all but forcing him out of the game completely. A sly foul on Legwinski and a booking for dissent were all the former Paris St Germain man had to show for his efforts after the break. And the game itself would have been over as a contest just four minutes into the second half had Given not spread himself superbly to deny Saha in a one-on-one set up by John Collins. The Irish hero of Tehran excelled himself again soon afterwards in swooping to keep out headers from Saha and Hayles. And it was only as Fulham - with just two home wins to their name this season - stepped off the gas a little nervously that Newcastle gained a foothold in the game. Even so, their goal came out of nothing, with Aaron Hughes released by Nol Solano down the right and crossing for Gary Speed to ghost between Goma and Andy Melville to head home. And it took Fulham just five minutes to reassert their superiority. Malbranque's left-wing corner was nodded on by the hapless Dabizas straight to Hayles at the far post, who nodded home with ease. Dabizas was promptly replaced by Sylvain Distin and Shearer picked up a booking for dissent as Magpie tempers wore dangerously thin. But Shearer's frustration was about to increase tenfold as referee Wolstenholme awarded a penalty for what seemed a clean challenge by Goma on Robert on the left edge of the Fulham area. Although Shearer's spotkick was well struck, van der Sar touched it onto his right-hand post - and saw Goma escape punishment for fouling Shearer as he threatened to tuck away the rebound. But the fact Saha had already sent a chance to extend Fulham's lead inches wide underlined the gulf between the sides. All for the Toon Army to treasure from the afternoon was the late appearance of local hero Lee Clark from the Fulham bench and an elusive run by a male streaker who emerged from the away end. Oh, and their own unstinting display of vocal loyalty. But then that, like Newcastle's performances in London, never changes. Newcastle's day was fully and finally summed up when Edwin van der Sar saved brilliantly from Alan Shearer's late penalty. Fulham striker Louis Saha made just 11 senior appearances for Newcastle on loan three seasons ago - and never produced as composed and inventive a display as this. There were too many in black and white to mention, but referee Eddie Wolstenholme was perhaps an even worse performer on a day of harsh bookings and a plain wrong penalty decision. Newcastle's woe in the capital continues - and will continue to do so on this evidence. "I am happy because we played very well against a very strong team today. We had a plan to deal with Robert and Bellamy but it was up to my players to make it work. "We now have three wins in a row and the only difference is that we have cut out the mistakes which cost us points earlier in the season." JEAN TIGANA "I thought we would have got it right today because we had good games going into this one. "We just need more consistency and then it won't matter where we play." Ian Richardson "I can't put my finger on it at all. It's a real mystery. "We seem to go through a good spell and then hit a bad spell - and for some reason it's always a bad spell down here." Bernie Turton "I think at some London grounds the referee will back the home side. "You could see that in the bookings today, but we can't keep making excuses." Chris Mitchell "It's partly because there are a lot of good teams in London. "There's no disgrace being held to a draw at Chelsea but it was disappointing to lose today." Ashley Durban "I don't know why people make such a big thing about all this. "The Mackems can't win anywhere but we never hear so much about that. We will get it Mike Carter A four-man back four drew its confidence from imposing keeper van der Sar and were only occasionally tested by Bellamy's pace and Shearer's physical presence. Both fullbacks were particularly tight on United wingers Robert and Solano, ensuring Fulham's narrow midfield could provide support for link man Malbranque and their strikers. Their intuitive service for the front two of Saha and Hayles was well rewarded, with a goal apiece scant reward for a dual display of tireless and intelligent frontrunning. Given and O'Brien were included despite their trip to Iran in midweek but O'Brien, along with the rest of an uncohesive back four, will have wished he was somewhere else. They were tormented by the tricky Saha and hard-working Hayles and received little protection from a midfield too busy coping with the invention of Collins, Malbranque and Legwinski. Solano and Robert were rarely seen as an attacking force, leaving Shearer and Bellamy bereft of service. | 
