IT was billed as the sorcerer versus the apprentice. And, with his 250th league goal and his sixth already this season, Alan Shearer proved he can still cast a spell over even the meanest of Premiership defences.

As for James Beattie and his Saints' team-mates - well, they look in need of a sprinkling of magic dust in the final third of the pitch.

Despite such a successful past 12 months, in many respects there was a feeling of dj-vu about much of this performance.

Indeed, the pattern of the match brought back memories of the FA Cup final defeat against Arsenal.

In the similarly imposing surroundings of St James' Park, Saints competed well against one of the most incisive footballing teams in the country, but somehow lacked the surgical precision of their opponents' final pass.

Against Newcastle, they didn't have the possession of their defeat against Middlesbrough, but still saw enough of the ball to expect better than a solitary 30-yard Paul Telfer shot as their best effort on goal.

Kevin Phillips and Beattie largely found themselves reliant on the sometimes effective, but now over-used, tactic of playing the ball out wide for Fabrice Fernandes to cross, while the pace and quick passing of Sir Bobby Robson's team always threatened to provide talisman Shearer with a clear sight of goal.

The last two weeks may have been disappointing, yet it would be churlish to allow Saints' current lack of goals to distort the overall picture.

Away to Newcastle is one of the toughest matches of the season.

Saints had lost six of their past seven trips to the North East in the corresponding fixture and they do still sit in the top half after what has been a good start.

Expectations, though, are currently sky-high and manager Gordon Strachan has talked of his hope to change the history of Saints.

Finding a way to ignite a greater creative spark is clearly the over-riding obstacle to that ambition, although prior to Saturday's match, Strachan's main dilemma came in his choice of goalkeeper.

He correctly opted for Antti Niemi, but it was a desperately difficult decision, given Paul Jones's form this season, as well as the fantastically professional way he has conducted himself during what must have been a tough past year.

Niemi's inclusion should in no way detract from Jones's top-class performances, but simply be seen as recognising the calming effect the Finn's presence seems to have on the players in front of him, as well as his status as perhaps the Premiership's best 'keeper last season.

After a scrappy opening, Niemi was called upon to produce a brilliant stop from Shearer on 38 minutes when the former England captain was set free by Craig Bellamy.

It was the sort of chance you would have put the remains of your pension on Shearer to finish - although it wasn't long before Shearer showed how rarely he deals in missed opportunities.

Just one minute before the break he was set free by Jermaine Jenas and this time flashed an early and powerful shot past the helpless Niemi.

Saints battled hard to get back into the game with Anders Svensson and Kevin Phillips linking up well at times, but a Beattie header which sailed over and Telfer's long-range shot midway through the second-half were the most memorable end products.

For Newcastle, Saturday's performance proved there is a rainbow at the end of the gloomy clouds which have been hovering above their poor start to the season.

They remain a side packed with quality and they still have Shearer. He looks as good as ever and it was somehow fitting that he reach the landmark of 250 goals against the club for whom he scored his first 23.

The hosts always looked more likely to score and it was only a desperate challenge from Danny Higginbotham, starting his first match of the season in place of the injured Graeme Le Saux, and another good save from Niemi which denied Bellamy twice in the closing minutes.

But it's creating goals at the other end of the pitch which is the obvious deficiency for Strachan's men.

Neil McCann could miss Scotland's crunch Euro 2004 qualifier at home to Lithuania next Saturday.

The Saints winger, who has scored in his last two internationals, limped out of the 1-0 defeat at Newcastle with an ankle injury.

McCann should join up with his international team-mates and then be examined by the Scottish FA medics.