Dutch mastered

Some poor misguided fool recently stumbled across Silent Words Speak Loudest having entered into Google the search request "people with the name Ben are cursed". Now, just at this very moment, I'm more inclined to say that I'm a lucky talisman. Allow me to explain...

I've just returned from St James's Park - where Newcastle had scored only once and failed to win in their previous four matches of the season - having witnessed a thoroughly splendid 5-0 UEFA Cup demolition of Dutch side NAC Breda. It was, I'm sorry to confess it, my first visit in nearly three years.

Despite being talked up by the players and in the press, on the day Breda looked overawed, and showed very little of any quality - but to dwell on their failings would be to detract unjustly from the Newcastle performance. Quite simply, from front to back, to a man, we were outstanding, full of energy, drive and commitment - and completely unrecognisable from the woefully lacklustre side of the opening few weeks of the season. Singling out one or two individuals, it was great to see Bellamy back on the scoresheet instead of just in the referee's notebook; Ambrose grabbed a first senior goal which should do his confidence a power of good; and Robert played with pace and passion, terrifying the opposition every time he received the ball on the left. But the plaudits must finally rest upon Titus Bramble, who capped a fabulous defensive display (colossal in the air, fierce in the tackle, composed and accurate in his distribution) with a first goal for the club. His last few performances have given genuine cause for believing that the roughest of Bobby's young diamonds is on the way to being the polished finished gem.

So, a five star five goal performance - but it just wouldn't be Newcastle if there weren't a couple of clouds on the horizon. One is the news that Woodgate is out for six to eight weeks, though Bramble and O'Brien did enough tonight to suggest that they can minimise the impact of his absence. The other is the visit to Highbury on Friday - a much sterner test awaits, to be sure, but after tonight's all-round display there's at least cause for cautious optimism and renewed hope that we might escape from the capital with some reward.

I'll have my fingers crossed.