Michael Owen again showed his liking for The Hawthorns with a two-goal salvo as Newcastle continued their revival by climbing into the Premiership top-ten after a 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.
Owen scored four goals on his last appearance on the ground in a Liverpool shirt in April 2003 in a 6-0 win.
The England striker had a similar number of opportunities on this occasion, twice being denied by Baggies keeper Tomasz Kuszczak and having a header cleared off the line by Junichi Inamoto.
But this was a lot closer affair until the closing stages than that mauling of Albion two and a half years ago and the home side also had several good opportunities in a game which opened up after a scrappy first 45 minutes.
Scott Parker was impressive in the centre of midfield for the Magpies, who further reduced the pressure on manager Graeme Souness after the wins over Sunderland and Grimsby in the Carling Cup.
But it was Owen who again showed why Souness was persuaded to splash out £17 million for his services and if he continues this form Newcastle will soon be challenging for a European spot.
Newcastle were probably flattered by the final scoreline but it was a lesson in deadly finishing for Albion to digest and learn from with a defeat which keeps them too close to the relegation zone for comfort.
Inamoto was given a rapturous round of applause when his name was announced before kick-off in what was his first home Premiership start for West Brom.
Newcastle had the first opportunity after three minutes with Shola Ameobi bursting into the box but his left-footed effort was blocked by Albion central defender Darren Moore at the expense of a corner.
Owen had his first attempt at goal after 14 minutes after midfielder Parker had cut the ball back from the byline but Moore was able to block his first-time attempt.
Newcastle, their confidence lifted by those two successive wins, started to come into the game more. Riccardo Scimeca brought down Charles N'Zogbia just outside the Albion box and Nolberto Solano's floated free-kick was glanced wide by Peter Ramage.
Solano almost played in Owen with a chip over the top of the Baggies defence but it ran away from the England striker and, when the ball came back into the danger area a shot from Emre was deflected through to Kuszczak.
It was 37 minutes before either keeper made a worthwhile save and it Kuszczak who did well to deny Owen and keep his side on level terms.
N'Zogbia played in the former Real Madrid star but Kuszczak came out to smother his shot. Owen was quick to react to the rebound but no-one was able to apply a touch to his ball back across goal.
Jean-Alain Boumsong had a good opportunity for the Magpies as he moved into the Albion area to meet a cross from Parker but he directed his header wide when he should have at least tested Kuszczak.
West Brom's best chance of the half fell to central defender Curtis Davies four minutes before the interval but although the former Luton player timed his run well to meet an inswinging centre from Earnshaw he powered his header just past the post.
The second half got off to an explosive start with Owen scoring his third goal in five matches for Newcastle in superb fashion after just 20 seconds.
Emre supplied the cross from left flank and Owen reacted first at the near post to send an unstoppable volley past Kuszczak from eight yards.
Albion were stung into life and Earnshaw failed to make any contact with a low cross from Greening at the near post.
Given then produced an excellent save to deny Earnshaw at point-blank range after Inamoto's pile-driver had been blocked and deflected into his path.
But Newcastle nearly doubled their lead when a header from Owen at the back post was headed off the line by Inamoto.
Ameobi became the first player to be yellow-carded after 59 minutes for persistent fouling with his latest offence against Davies.
Albion were now looking a lot more dangerous and Earnshaw sent a low swerving
drive just past the post after good play by Darren Carter and Kanu.
The game was a much more livelier affair and Kuszczak came out of his area to block an Owen shot with his chest and at the other end Given finger-tipped Earnshaw's curling effort around the post.
Ameobi was replaced after 66 minutes by Alan Shearer and he had a hand in the goal which wrapped up the points with 13 minutes left.
Shearer found fellow substitute Kieron Dyer on the right flank and his low cross was converted by the alert Owen.
It was a similar move which led to Newcastle striking again three minutes later. Owen fed the overlapping Ramage and this time Shearer slid in at the near post to make no mistake.
