PATRICK KLUIVERT keeps Suey on track

PATRICK KLUIVERT showed his nifty moves as Graeme Souness' honeymoon as Newcastle boss continued.

The Dutch superstar — who was photographed coming out of a London nightclub at 2am this week — swapped his dancing shoes for scoring boots.

And second-half goals from Kluivert, James Milner and Alan Shearer handed Souness his third win on the trot since taking over earlier this month.

But the game turned after West Brom defender Darren Purse was sent off for two cautions in the 63rd minute with the score at 0-0.

Souness said: "I started off playing Patrick behind the front two but we weren't getting the best out of him in that position. So I moved him alongside Alan.

Softer

"Pat is a top-quality player and if he is given half a chance he will score. I always felt we looked like scoring and when we got the first I knew more would follow.

"I have to give credit to West Brom for the way they came here and tried to stop us. But more clubs will do that and we have to live with it."

West Brom boss Gary Megson fumed: "The sending off was a turning point. I thought the first booking was soft and the second one was even softer."

Megs also shrugged off rumours his job is on the line.

He added: "I'm not under pressure any more than anyone else. We will just keep going."

Newcastle looked disjointed up front in the first 45 minutes as they struggled to break down a resilient Baggies defence.

Souness restored Craig Bellamy in attack alongside Shearer, with Kluivert playing just behind. Kluivert headed over the bar from a Bellamy cross in the opening minutes but West Brom came to battle and would not lie down easily.

Goalkeeper Russell Hoult had to pull off a save from a Lee Bowyer piledriver early in the first half before Newcastle were denied two penalty appeals.

The first came when Shearer latched on to a Bellamy knock-down before Purse seemed to block the shot with his hand. But referee Mike Riley waved away Newcastle's yells.

Seconds later, the Toon army were baying for a penalty again when Bowyer was bundled over in the box by Thomas Gaardsoe — only for Riley to again ignore the shouts.

But it was not all one-way traffic. West Brom striker Robert Earnshaw was put in the clear by Kanu only to trip over the ball.

Newcastle created their best chance of the half in stoppage time.

Bowyer was found unmarked at the back post by Olivier Bernard only to hit the side-netting.

Newcastle had to survive a scare in the second half when a Neil Clement free-kick beat the wall only to go just past a post.

But the Toon were still the dominant team with man-of-the-match Bowyer involved in nearly everything his side did.

Chipped

After 55 minutes Souness switched to 4-4-2 with Bellamy making way for Laurent Robert and Kluivert partnering Shearer.

The switch almost paid immediate dividends as Bowyer found more space in midfield.

And the former Leeds man cleverly chipped Hoult only for the ball to came back off the crossbar.

Purse was then dismissed for two bookings in the 63rd minute.

The West Brom defender's trip on Kluivert outside the box came after he had entered Riley's book in the first half for a foul on Bellamy.

Newcastle finally broke the deadlock in the 70th minute.

Robert sent over a teasing left-foot cross and Hoult bundled the ball to Kluivert, who volleyed in.

Sub James Milner added a second 60 seconds after coming on for Kluivert by blasting home following good work from Jermaine Jenas in the 78th minute.

And Jenas also created Toon's third when he teed up Alan Shearer in the 86th minute.

Not even a consolation header from Geoff Horsfield seconds later could spoil Newcastle's day.