SCRAPS in European competition are not something new to Craig Bellamy - so perhaps it shouldn't be too surprising that the Welshman last night proved adept at feeding off them.

Bellamy spent much of last season's Champions League crusade sat in the stands after earning two separate three-match bans.

Those enforced absences have made him even more desperate to fire Newcastle to European glory this season and, against Real Mallorca, he duly provided the turning point that leaves Sir Bobby Robson's side favourites to reach the last eight of the UEFA Cup.

For more than an hour he had been a virtual spectator as an obdurate Mallorca outfit looked like frustrating Newcastle in the first leg of their fourth round match.

But then, in a whirlwind finishing spell, Bellamy was at the vanguard of a black and white surge as good as any seen on Tyneside this season.

Bellamy's stock in trade is the bursting run from deep that allows him a clear route to goal beyond the opposition backline but, in a chance-free first half, he was starved of any service whatsoever.

He got himself positioned to make such a surge on more than one occasion but the right ball never arrived and, no matter how good the run, it's difficult to score without the football at your feet.

Kieron Dyer and Jermaine Jenas knew as much but, for all their honest endeavour in the middle of the park, United's twin England internationals were unable to find the killer pass for Bellamy's pace to exploit.

Alan Shearer's lay-offs are another prime feeding ground for the Welshman and suddenly, in the 55th minute, Newcastle's captain offered him his first sight of goal.

Shearer's spin and pass sent Bellamy careering goalwards but, from an acute angle, he could only drill his angled drive against the legs of goalkeeper Leo Franco.

Sixty seconds later and that looked a costly miss when Fernando Correa headed home to break the deadlock.

But, while any striker can let one chance go begging, the good ones don't make the same mistake for a second time.

With 67 minutes on the clock, Shearer's headed flick-on sent Bellamy clear through on goal. He raced onto the ball, steadied himself, and calmly slotted past Leo Franco to score a priceless leveller.

Suddenly the game had changed and, within the blink of an eye, further goals from Alan Shearer, Laurent Robert and Titus Bramble gave Newcastle an emphatic 4-1 win.

Bellamy didn't trouble the scoresheet again, but he had already done his job by getting United back into the game in the first place.

Two chances, one goal - not a bad return for a player who is now Newcastle's sixth most successful European goalscorer of all time alongside Nolberto Solano.

It was touch and go whether he would start at all given the hamstring injury that saw him fail to reappear for the second half of last week's 3-1 win over Valerenga.

But, despite Shola Ameobi's goalscoring exploits in that game, Sir Bobby Robson is all too aware of Bellamy's propensity to come good when the situation demands it most.

No Newcastle fan will forget the dramatic injury-time winner against Feyenoord that saw the Magpies progress to the second group stage of the Champions League last season.

Last night's winner might not have had the same theatrical effect but, as long as United do not slip up in spectacular fashion in two weeks' time, it could prove equally as significant.

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