Speed trap for Newcastle

The adage in football is that it's not how you start but how you finish. Last season its harsh truth was graphically illustrated to Newcastle; this season it will have to serve as consolation after their defensive frailty was ruthlessly exposed by eager Everton at Goodison Park yesterday.

The home side were led by a towering performance from Duncan Ferguson, who looked the best striker on view, though a lone runner up front, thanks to swift support that the wholehearted Alan Shearer was conspicuously denied on his debut. Consequently a debut goal went in instead at the other for Gary Speed to add to David Unsworth's penalty. How Newcastle must detest the name of Ferguson, this one on top of their scourge of last season and last week in the Charity Shield, Manchester United's Alex.

Two-horse race for the Premiership title? Tell it not on Merseyside. Everton's basic attacking options are the aerial ability of Ferguson, the dash on the right of Andrei Kanchelskis and the left foot from set pieces of Andy Hinchcliffe. Such power and pace should see them as a threat near the top of the table.

Newcastle, clearly beset by self-doubt after last season and last Sunday's chastening Charity Shield experience, were defensively disorganised yet again. Kevin Keegan responded to the 4-0 defeat by Manchester United by replacing Pavel Srnicek and Darren Peacock with Shaka Hislop and Steve Howey but it made little difference.

The back four were only loosely connected as Everton players made runs that were not picked up. Philippe Albert's swashbuckling forays became a more likely source of a goal for the opposing rather than his own team. The full-backs, John Beresford especially enduring a dreadful afternoon, were continually left exposed with their wingers Keith Gillespie and David Ginola reluctant to track back.

"When we play like that, I suppose it gives the merchants of doom the right to have a go," Keegan said. Instead of looking to the back, he was worried by events upfield, however. "Where are the crosses, where is the invention, where are the cute one-twos that strikers thrive on?" he wondered. He insisted again that Newcastle can play only one way with the players they had.

If, after spending pounds 15m onShearer, investment in defence is impossible, perhaps Keegan could call on Don Howe, lately Terry Venables's assistant and master of defensive strategy, for help on the training ground to redeploy the existing crop.

Everton began the game breathlessly - for Newcastle at least -sounding their intent in the first 10 seconds. John Ebbrell's fine ball over Beresford found Kanchelskis and although Albert stetched to turn away the cross, Newcastle were immediately on the back foot. It was a surprise they were so long to taking the lead. Hislop almost fumbled Kanchelskis's low drive then had to clutch above his head Ferguson's header from Kanchelskis's free-kick. Graham Stuart then headed Andy Hinchliffe's cross from the left just over.

Many will crumble under such pressure and Newcastle duly did. When Steve Watson headed the ball back towards Hislop, Ferguson was quickly on to it. In seeking to rectify his mistake, Watson brought down the lanky Scot for a clear penalty which David Unsworth stroked home.

Soon it was two, Newcastle in disarray. Hislop came out for Stuart's cross from the right but was beaten to the ball by Ferguson, who nodded it on for Speed to roll into the net for an immediate return on the pounds 3.5m paid to Leeds.

Newcastle could barely get a word in edgeways. In the first half, Shearer did head home but was deemed to have held down his marker. From a cross by Ginola, operating on the right in a failed experiment, he also forced Neville Southall, safe when called upon on in his 700th appearance for the club, into a flying save.

It barely improved in the second half even with Everton decelerating. Les Ferdinand, often too close to Shearer, twice headed wide and Shearer's shot forced Southall into a diving save late in the game. Everton remained in control, however, thanks to Stuart, Ebbrell and Joe Parkinson dominating midfield.

They might even have extended the margin with Hinchcliffe curling a free- kick just wide and Ferguson tapping Kanchelskis's low cross weakly at Hislop and heading Hinchcliffe's cross wide.

Seeking a silver lining, Keegan pointed out that Manchester United lost on opening day last season before taking the title. For Everton, at Old Trafford on Wednesday and likely to be without their captain Dave Watson, who suffered a knee injury, now comes consolidation. Newcastle are left to consider consolation.