"I am really pleased for Oba that he has got off the mark at home, especially down at the Gallowgate End.

"I have been saying for a few weeks now he scores goals like that every day in training and he has proved me right tonight.

"The header was tremendous. I have just seen how high he actually jumps - he gets amazing height for someone who is so small, and he is going to be a real danger in the air.

"The second finish was special. Everyone enjoyed that one.

"He is a different number nine to several other number nines we have had in the past. There are never two players the same.

"But as long as he scores the goals, that is the most important thing. Some people have already started to show a little bit of impatience, which is very typical of us in this country.

"I was listening to Arsene Wenger just recently saying you bring players in from other countries and it can take up to 12 months to fully settle in.

"I do not think it will with Oba, but to be judging him so soon after a couple of months is absolutely ridiculous.

"Andrei Shevchenko is not scoring that many goals, Craig Bellamy is not scoring that many goals.

"It was only a question of time before Oba would do that, and I am sure the other two players I have just mentioned will also do that.

"That was the whole reason the boys came back on June 28. Now it has been proved all worthwhile because the group stage is where people sit up and start to take notice of the Uefa Cup.

"We are excited about finding out on Tuesday who will be in our group. It has been very worthwhile and we are all extremely satisfied with the outcome. 

Speaking about Steve Harper:

"He is being very hard on himself in the dressing room, which again is a sign of his quality as a person because he is self-critical.

"It was a slippy surface out there, it was a good downward header. If anything, I was disappointed Zelinski was allowed to climb above our defenders and get the header away.

"Steve is disappointed that he did not get down quicker to get a hand to it, but it was right down by the side of his legs in a position which often beats a goalkeeper.

"With a greasy top, it slid very quickly past him." 

After having failed to beat both Lillestrom and Ventspils here this season, it proved to be third time lucky against the Estonians.

On a night when the result was of paramount importance, those who dragged themselves away from the telly were rewarded with the sight of Newcastle's new number nine getting off the mark on home soil - and very little else.

Mild booing had greeted the Icelandic referee's half time whistle, after a 45 minutes that even by our moderate standards was uninspiring.

With Martins and Sibierski playing as individuals, we looked to the midfield for inspiration and a breakthrough. And with Butt in the anchorman role and variable contributions from Zog and Milner, it was left to Emre to show some genuine quality and emphasise the gulf in class between the sides.

The Turk didn't disappoint, with one imaginative free kick from wide on the right shaving the crossbar and being our closest attempt of the first half. 

Inevitably there were times when he looked to carry the ball too long and his dribbles became aimless, but a lack of general movement and running in front front of him was doubtless a source of frustration - whatever understanding he had with Emre at Inter apparently left behind in the San Siro.

Of Martins we only have two words to say. Goalscorer scores.

There are all sorts of fancy coaching theories and strategies about tracking back and being a team player but for us, nothing else matters other than scoring goals if you're a striker. 

On that basis Martins did exactly what it said on the tin tonight - and not a great deal else. That was enough though for a measure of satisfaction/relief for the manager that the number nine isn't the £10m duck egg that some were starting to fear. 

The next step has to be do more work on our sub-standard delivery and link-up play, to give the bloke more sight of the goal with the ball at his feet or on his napper (great jump for the first goal by the way) and see where that takes us. Anything else is a bonus.

Quite frankly he could put another 17 goals in this season with his backside and we'd be cheering his name. Nothing else matters than the stats.   

At left back, Ramage had a night to forget as his wrong-footedness was exposed, even against this level of opposition. Quite what Manchester United will do to him doesn't bear thinking about.

And in a game when little went right for him, a moment of indecision may even have cost him a first-ever senior goal, as he went for an extra touch too many when the ball broke to him in the Levadia box - and saw his effort smothered by a retreating defender.

Levadia were doubtless delighted to have kept the score down at the break and had even managed the occasional foray upfield, failing to trouble Harper but giving our defence one or two jitters - especially when we started passing the back straight to them....

And although they got one goal back in the second half and showed admirable stamina levels, the Estonians lacked the belief and talent to give us a bloody nose, with Roeder even given the luxury of allowing Duff and Luque an evening stroll across the park.

The centre of world now becomes Nyon, Switzerland next Tuesday as our group fates are decided and the competition starts to become slightly more interesting. There are some familiar sides lying in wait, some long hoped-for destinations up for grabs and a couple to make the blood run cold.

But as the old saying goes, you've got to be in it to win it. And despite three hours of football that can be neatly condensed into 30 seconds of highlights, it's ultimately job done.

PS - one moment of this game remains in the mind, despite being fairly minor. We're attacking the Gallowgate End in the closing stages and the ball squirts across from the left wing. Sibierski tried to get there but finds defenders in his path and doesn't quite force his way through to make contact. The chance is gone.

Doubtless somewhere in the skies between Tyneside and Australia a club class passenger was rudely awaken by a hoof to the back of his seat, as a certain former number nine did what number nines are meant to do.

It's an instinctive thing - you've either got it or your haven't. For Roeder's sake let's hope Martins has - and against better sides.  

Biffa

Reports