Newcastle moved to within three matches of a place in the Uefa Cup as Alan Shearer made it a century of goals for United in a first-half destruction of Ipswich Town. Shearer scored Newcastle's third and fourth goals as Laurent Robert and Nolberto Solano showed just why they are among the most fearsome attacking wide men in the Premiership. Robert scored one and Solano created three, while Shearer again took the chance to prove there are plenty of goals still left in him as he approaches the twilight of his career. The Worthington Cup may be regarded by England's so-called elite as little more than a chance to have a look at a few reserve players, but for both clubs last night it was a piece of silverware they would be glad to have in their empty trophy cabinets. Ipswich, though, rooted to the bottom of the Premiership table, were never given a look-in and were outclassed from the start. Fortunately there were only a handful of Ipswich fans in the stadium, the majority of the Suffolk public obviously preferring to take the option of a Uefa Cup tie at the San Siro against Inter Milan next week rather than a fourth round Worthington Cup tie on Tyneside. Of course the Toon Army do not have such a choice and they were again out in force to urge their team to a victory which would take them another step closer to an overdue return to European travels themselves. The home fans started the game in good voice, a far cry from the rather more agitated atmosphere of United's last home game, against Derby. Suitably inspired, Newcastle did much of the early pressing, but Robert was unable to find his range with two early corners, although his skilful cut-in from the right did create a chance for Shola Ameobi - playing instead of the bed-ridden Craig Bellamy - but his shot ballooned over the bar after 12 minutes. Maybe the Frenchman had been stung by some of the flak he had taken after a disappointing performance in the Derby game, but he looked a different player from the one who laboured ineffectively at the weekend. And it was the £10m winger who gave United the lead after 18 minutes. A sloppy ball out of defence by Ipswich was siezed upon by Solano. He perfectly weighted a ball for the run of Robert, who skipped into the area before driving a low shot in off Matteo Sereni's legs. After a brief flurry of danger when former Newcastle and Middlesbrough striker Alun Armstrong almost got in behind the home defence, United doubled their lead with a classy move on 26 minutes. Gary Speed got things moving when he burst past a static Town midfield before passing the ball to Solano. The Peruvian again found the perfect pass - this time for Shearer, who beat the offside trap to cut the ball back for the predatory Ameobi to knock in from six yards. With Robert Lee and Speed teaching former Hartlepool star Tommy Miller a lesson in Premiership quality midfield play, United almost made it three after half an hour. Nikos Dabizas knocked the ball down to Ameobi from a deflected Solano corner, but Ipswich skipper Matt Holland was on hand to block his shot on the line. Ipswich were being torn to shreds and their fans had already begun to turn their minds to the Inter game when Alan Shearer made it 3-0 after 37 minutes. Again the move began in midfield, Lee intercepting an Ipswich pass and then freeing Solano down the right. Solano has long been regarded as one of the best crossers in the English game and he swept in an inch-perfect ball for Shearer to take his season's tally to six. Five minutes before half-time it was the Solano-Shearer show again when the former picked up on an Aaron Hughes throw-in, dashed to the by-line and sent a low cross for Shearer to slide in to make it a century of goals in the shirt of his home-town club. It was difficult not to feel sorry for Ipswich and you can imagine that Bobby Robson cast a sympathetic glance to his former player and managerial friend, George Burley, at the break. You would hope that Burley's players do rather more for him and their fans in Italy or an even bigger hiding could be on the cards. They did at least improve slightly in the second period and a Solano header from a cross by substitute Andy O'Brien apart, United created little for the first 30 minutes after the break. But the hard work had already been done and the home side were able to move down a gear and save themselves for the weekend. As well as O'Brien, Robson was also able to send on Clarence Acuna for Lee and Lomana Lua Lua for Robert as the fizz understandably went out of the tie. The visitors were even afforded the opportunity to grab a consolation with 12 minutes left when some woeful defending allowed teenage substitute Darren Bent to slot under Steve Harper from the edge of the area. Shearer almost made it a hat-trick in the closing stages when his 20-yard free-kick was almost deflected inside the post. | 
