NEWCASTLE returned to second place in the Premiership last night after beating Aston Villa in an eventful and entertaining game of catch as catch can at St James' Park.

Leading 3-1 at half time, with Ferdinand and Shearer in rampant form and Villa reduced to 10 men by Draper's dismissal, Newcastle then drove their supporters to distraction by easing off. Yorke completed a hat trick for Villa and in the end the teams were separated only by Howey's second half header.

Without Beardsley, absent because of a calf injury, Newcastle were likely to find it that much harder to break down one of the Premiership's more thoughtful defensive systems. In the event they had scored by the fifth minute, having already fallen behind in the third.

If you have not found the net for 933 minutes, then St James' Park is as good a place as any to recover the knack. So it was with Yorke, who gave Villa the lead with a gentle header after Peacock had got in Srnicek's way as Draper's corner swung into the goalmouth.

Newcastle's swift response said everything about the all round footballing qualities of Shearer. The England striker gathered a pass from Ginola and promptly directed the ball to the far post for Ferdinand to thump it into the roof of the net.

Shortly before the quarter hour a sweet movement ended with Staunton switching a low ball across and back from the left to give Yorke the chance of a second goal but his shot hit the post.

Newcastle continued to threaten Villa when the ball was worked forward quickly to Shearer or Ferdinand. Otherwise Lee and Batty were finding it difficult to get a grip of the play in midfield as Draper, Curcic, Taylor and the wing backs gave Villa a heavy numerical advantage.

The fact that Ginola was suffering the Frenchman's usual discomfort against Nelson, even one born in Lisbon, did nothing to ease Newcastle's angst. But with Ferdinand in his present mood they need not have worried.

Midway through the first half Gillespie swung the ball over from the right and Ferdinand launched himself headlong to nod Newcastle in front.

Nor did it end there. With Lee and Batty now starting to assert themselves, there was even more likelihood of Villa being peppered with accurate crosses. Seven minutes before half time Ginola's corner produced another goal for Newcastle.

Again the combination of Ferdinand and Shearer proved too much for the Villa defence. Ferdinand nodded the ball down, Shearer laid it back to him and, after Ferdinand's shot had been blocked on the line by Yorke, Shearer scored from the rebound.

By half time Villa's discomfort was complete. In the 37th minute Draper had been cautioned by David Elleray for a foul on Gillespie. Five minutes later he committed an even more blatant foul on Beresford and his dismissal was inevitable. It was Elleray's fourth red card in as many matches. Who said referees were inconsistent?

A shot from Milosevic, that Srnicek did well to block, reminded Newcastle that Villa still had an attack. Yorke did better on the hour. Sent clear by Staunton's long pass, he raced half the length of the field before side stepping Peacock and driving his second goal past Srnicek.

Newcastle were sitting back at their peril but after 67 minutes Gillespie collected a short free kick from Batty and, from the winger's cross, Howey's header restored their two goal lead.

Not that Villa were done for, Yorke completing his hat trick three minutes later with a superbly taken goal set up by Curcic.