Newcastle revived their hopes of Champions League football next season with a glorious victory inspired by the brilliant running of Kieron Dyer.

The England midfielder was not on international duty in midweek due to his recent stress fracture, but he did enough running for two matches as Everton suffered their first defeat under David Moyes.

Dyer's speed and energy was exceptional, and bodes well for England in the World Cup, but there were other positives for Newcastle manager Bobby Robson.

After Alan Shearer had wiped out Duncan Ferguson's early strike, Carl Cort scored his first goal since his own return from serious injury, and immediately saw his confidence surge.

And though Niclas Alexandersson punished some slack Newcastle defending, a scrappy goal by Andy O'Brien was followed by Nolberto Solano's two strikes in two minutes, the Peruvian another player who had a superb all-round game.

Olivier Bernard, the man said by Robson to have been tapped up by another Premiership club this week, put the shine on the Magpies' win.

It had all looked so different in the first half when Ferguson, on his first return to St James' Park since his departure from Newcastle two seasons ago, took a mere six minutes to make his point by scoring a goal out of virtually nothing.

David Unsworth's throw bounced off O'Brien and Ferguson swung his foot at the loose ball.

Shay Given was caught a couple of yards off his line and though he managed to get a hand to the ball he was unable to stop it dropping over the line.

Everton had earlier provided a warning of their cutting edge when Thomas Gravesen turned away from trouble in midfield and floated a ball over the defence for Tomasz Radzinski to chase.

The striker outpaced Sylvain Distin - who is no slouch - and fired in a shot from a narrow angle which Newcastle were relieved to see go the wrong side of the post.

For Newcastle, both Solano and Laurent Robert produced hopeless crosses from promising positions, drawing howls of frustration from the home fans.

Fortunately for the Magpies, Shearer was more dependable. Again a throw-in created the chance, Robert spotting Shearer's run in space on the left, and the striker strode forward before placing a firm low shot into the far corner.

Two minutes later, with a quarter of an hour gone, Newcastle were in front. Robert was again the provider, bursting down the left and producing a great ball into the centre.

Cort still had a lot to do but he met the cross first time with the outside of the foot to give Steve Simonsen no chance.

An appalling defensive mix-up in the 34th minute then allowed Everton back into the game.

Ferguson caused havoc in the air, Scot Gemmill headed the ball into the danger zone and while Given and Distin dithered Alexandersson nipped in to toe-poke the ball home from six yards.

Cort at one end and Ferguson at the other came close to making an already enthralling match even more exciting, and then Dabizas somehow contrived to head straight at Simonsen from seven yards.

Cort, having scored his first goal since his return from a long injury, suddenly looked brimming with confidence and showed some nice touches as Newcastle dominated possession in the opening minutes of the second half.

But Everton still looked dangerous going forward and, when Ferguson's shot was blocked by Dabizas, Gravesen followed up to rifle in a low drive that was straight at Given.

Radzinski's pace looked a particular threat and if Ferguson's through-ball in the 55th minute had been weighted better then Everton could well have been in front.

Newcastle took the lead again though when Jenas drove in powerful shot which curved wickedly towards goal and forced Simonsen to concede a corner.

Robert's flag-kick was right into the mixer, a crowd of players jumped for the header but it dropped into the six-yard box and O'Brien reacted quickest to stab it goalwards, the ball just trickling over the line.

The move of the match then saw Jenas roll a delightful through-ball into Solano's path but the Peruvian waited too long and was shouldered off the ball by Alan Stubbs.

Dyer's brilliance created Newcastle's fourth in the 71st minute. Shearer spun away from his marker and sent Dyer speeding down the right, leaving Alessandro Pistone in his dust.

He kept his head too as he bore down on goal and cut the ball back neatly instead of shooting to leave Solano with a simple finish.

Jenas, who had complemented Dyer so well in central midfield, then produced a carbon copy of his previous through-ball to Solano and this time the Peruvian made no mistake for his second goal in two minutes.

Dyer was substituted to a standing ovation with 12 minutes left, a protective measure by Robson.

With two minutes left, Lomana Lua Lua embarked on a superb run down the left and dinked the ball inside for fellow substitute Bernard to make it six.

Teams:

Newcastle: Given, Hughes, O'Brien, Dabizas, Distin, Solano, Jenas, Dyer (Acuna 78), Robert (Bernard 74), Shearer, Cort (Lua-Lua 74).

Subs Not Used: Elliott, Harper.

Goals: Shearer 13, Cort 15, O'Brien 59, Solano 71, 73, Bernard 88.

Everton: Simonsen, Pistone (Blomqvist 74), Stubbs, Weir, Unsworth, Alexandersson, Gemmill, Gravesen, Hibbert (Watson 30), Radzinski (Chadwick 74), Ferguson.

Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Moore.

Booked: Watson, Pistone, Unsworth.

Goals: Ferguson 6, Alexandersson 34.

Att: 51,921

Ref: G Poll (Tring).