NEWCASTLE dashed Craig Bellamy's hopes of a winning return to St James' Park as they fought back to snatch victory. It all started so well for Liverpool after Bellamy made the most of an error by goalkeeper Steve Harper - the man whose slip at Anfield allowed Xabi Alonso to score from his own half back in September - to give them a sixth-minute lead.

Bellamy tormented the home defence on a pitch drenched by torrential rain before the break as Liverpool threatened to run riot.

However, a mistake from Harper's opposite number Jose Reina handed Obafemi Martins the chance to level with his 12th goal of the season after 26 minutes, and Nolberto Solano snatched the points with a 69th-minute penalty.

Reds boss Rafael Benitez was left to rue missed opportunities as the home side rode their luck, but Glenn Roeder will have been delighted with the way his side scrapped their way back into the game and then defended for dear life in front of a crowd of 52,305, their biggest of the season.

Referee Mark Halsey inspected the pitch at 1.15pm and was quick to declare the surface playable, although by half-time, several of the 22 men who started the game might have questioned his decision.

One way or another, it was inevitable that Bellamy's return to St James' Park for the first time since he was unceremoniously dispatched by then manager Graeme Souness, would not pass without incident.

He did not even need to touch the ball for fans who had once cheered his efforts to boo him roundly, but he answered them in the best possible style within six minutes, with the help of former team-mate Harper.

The goalkeeper never looked comfortable as he prepared to clear a back-pass on the rain-soaked pitch, and he duly shanked the ball straight to Jermaine Pennant, who slipped past Celestine Babayaro and squared for the Welshman to sidefoot home.

But ultimately, thanks to the greater desire of Newcastle, it was another unhappy return for the Welsh striker.