It was billed as a nostalgic reunion between the protege and his mentor.

In reality, it culminated in heated debate and a war of words.

o much was said and written in the build-up to this fixture about the history between George Burley and his former manager Bobby Robson.

The ex-England boss, himself, bowed to sentiment when he declared in his programme notes: "It's as big a game as I've ever wanted to win.

"This is what I call an 'inside derby' for me. Newcastle United and Ipswich Town are the two teams that mean most to me and are closest to my heart."

Yet, after contemplating 90 minutes of gripping end-to-end football, the pair found themselves at loggerheads about an incident which ultimately decided the contest.

Mark Venus was shoulder-to-shoulder with Alan Shearer as the Magpies skipper latched onto a neat through-ball.

But in his desperation to halt the striker's assault on goal, Venus was adjudged to have brought down the former England star just as he prepared to shoot.

Referee Alan Wiley -- at least 50 yards behind the incident -- showed no doubt Shearer had been fouled and raced to the penalty spot.

But countless video replays of the incident have failed to confirm what Venus nicked first -- the ball or Shearer's standing leg.

Certainly the markedly contrasting verdicts of both managers did little to ease the confusion. An obviously irate Burley accused the official of bowing to pressure from the crowd.

Robson, on the other hand, delivered the verdict that Venus was lucky to stay on the pitch.

Whether it was a spot-kick or not, the truth is Newcastle marginally deserved the points.

More than any other opponents this season, they closed Ipswich down at every opportunity and succeeded totally in stifling their trademark passing game.

Town have developed a fruitful knack of playing teams at the perfect time this season.

Injuries and Champions League commitments certainly worked to their advantage against Leeds United, Everton and Arsenal.

But, at St James' Park on Saturday, their timing could not have been more unfortunate.

Because in facing the revitalised Shearer, they found themselves pitted against a striker enjoying an extraordinarily rich vein of form.

The former England hit-man punctured Town's resolve as early as the 22nd minute, chesting down a flighted pass from Alain Goma before drilling a left-footed shot beyond Richard Wright.

It was a sickening blow for the visitors after Marcus Stewart had blasted them into an early lead.

Stewart sprayed the ball out to Hermann Hreidarsson down the left and his lofted cross was met by Jermaine Wright at the far post.

The midfielder enjoyed two bites of the cherry -- his first effort was blocked by Gary Speed and the second saved by Shay Given -- before the ball fell to Stewart to guide home.

Town looked good value for a share of the spoils at the break. Hreidarsson headed a corner inches over the bar while Matt Holland also connected with a flag-kick by Wright, only to see his diving header shovelled off the line by Keiron Dyer.

At the other end, Goma buried a header wide of the near post and Didier Domi let fly with a 25-yard shot which was acrobatically turned over the bar by Wright.

In the second-half, however, the Geordies upped the tempo with Shearer and Robert Lee looking increasingly threatening.

Jim Magilton and Matt Holland looked overpowered in midfield and only some resolute defending by Venus, Hreidarsson, John McGreal and Fabian Wilnis kept them at bay.

Stewart and Richard Naylor were so lightweight up front that David Johnson and James Scowcroft were pitched into the action with more than half an hour left.

Neither fared any better and Scowcroft, in particular, was guilty of miscueing a shot from the edge of the box after Venus' set-piece rolled into his path.

Venus then fired a free-kick straight through a crowded wall but Given was equal to his effort.

By then, however, the game was up and Town's proud seven-match unbeaten run had ground to a controversial end.

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