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Cisse the hero as Newcastle sink Villa

Papiss Demba Cisse scored on his Newcastle debut © PA Photos

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Papiss Demba Cisse immediately established himself as a crowd favourite at Newcastle, scoring the winner on his debut as the Magpies beat Aston Villa 2-1 at St James' Park.

Cisse came off the bench as a first-half substitute to fire his side up to fifth in the Premier League after Robbie Keane cancelled out Demba Ba's opener.

Former team-mates Ba and Keane, relegated with West Ham last season, both found the net as the teams went into the break on level terms, but Cisse became the first Newcastle player to score on his Premier League debut since Xisco in September 2008, with a booming winner in the 71st minute.

The £10 million January signing was named on the substitutes' bench, but Newcastle fans did not have to wait long to see their man as the striker replaced the injured Leon Best after just 14 minutes. And he nearly scored with his first touch of the ball, but his glancing header from Ryan Taylor's cross was saved by former Newcastle keeper Shay Given.

But it was his Senegalese team-mate Ba who opened the scoring, marking his return to the side with a goal on the half-hour mark. Ba, who has been in prolific form for Newcastle this season, failed to find the net during the African Nations Cup, but he rediscovered his goalscoring form, firing low to Given's right after Ryan Taylor's initial shot was blocked.

There was another injury blow for Newcastle as Taylor was stretchered off with his leg in a splint following a challenge from Stephen Warnock.

Newcastle looked to be heading into the break with the advantage, but Keane popped up in the fifth minute of stoppage time to draw Villa level. Stiliyan Petrov's ball found Keane on the edge of the box, and the LA Galaxy striker fed Charles N'Zogbia on the left, who returned the favour for Keane to slot home from close range.

Cisse squandered a second-half chance to re-establish Newcastle's lead; his header from Danny Guthrie's ball from the left sailing over the bar, but he soon made amends, controlling a Jonas Gutierrez cross before lashing a half-volley past Given into the top corner.

Villa pressed for an equaliser, but Ciaran Clarke's venomous long-range effort was straight at Tim Krul. The Newcastle stopper was then relieved to smother the ball after spilling Gary Gardner's header.

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