Owen back in the goal routine

Owen took 57 minutes of last night's Carling Cup tie with Championship side Barnsley to announce his return, racing on to a Shola Ameobi pass and tucking home his first goal for his club in 20 months. It was vintage Owen and a desperately needed lift for McClaren with England struggling for strikers.

That Owen will start both games against Israel and Russia is inevitable. McClaren has no other feasible option in two games that could decide whether he remains as England manager.

That Owen does not necessarily need to be capable of running through brick walls is similarly assured. He will play both games in the hope that he will nick a goal — and he won't require the two months Sam Allardyce believes is necessary before he is really fit for Newcastle.

Last night was much like England's friendly against Germany at Wembley for Owen — another step, however tentatively, towards something approaching match sharpness, not fitness. There is simply not enough time to have overcome the hurdle of starting just four games in the last 17 months.

He could not have been given a much more forcible reminder that there will be no favours between now and September 8, when he was flattened by a crude challenge from Robert Kozluk midway through the first half.

Owen was floored by the strength of the tackle right in front of the Barnsley dugout. Steve Round, a Newcastle coach as well as a McClaren henchman, immediately remonstrated with referee Graham Salisbury, while the player groggily got back to his feet.

Nothing more serious than bruised pride, a relief to all.

By then Owen had shown glimpses of what Newcastle and England have been missing for the best part of two years.

It has to be remembered that this was Barnsley in the Carling Cup, but the sight of Owen, one eye on a long ball over the top from Nolberto Solano and one eye on goal after just 12 minutes, was heartening.

The pass was ultimately cut out by Dennis Souza, but it was a sign that the 27-year-old's instinct for goals has not diminished during his prolonged absence through a broken metatarsal, a damaged cruciate and, more latterly, a strained thigh muscle.

Three minutes later he broke beyond the Barnsley backline again to latch on to a long pass, striking a rising 20-yard shot that was parried and then picked up by Heinz Muller.

That was the story of his first half. In the 41st minute he was again denied by a late clearance from Souza from a low Charles N'Zogbia cross and in first-half injury time he twice showed flashes of the old Owen. First he ran out of space as he attempted to go through three defenders and then, after a fine Ameobi knockdown, he was again crowded out by Souza as he readied himself to fire.

Only Solano had gone closer for the home side in the opening half, a 25-yard strike being deflected wide.

But Owen was not to be denied and his magic moment came three minutes before the hour. Ameobi again did well, threading a fine through ball for his fellow striker. He could not have wished for a better pass and the finish that followed, after gaining two yards on Lewin Nyatanga, was vintage, calmly opening his body to stroke a right-footed shot beyond Muller's right hand.

The relief was tangible, all the way down to Soho Square perhaps, but especially for the player himself, who has endured such a troubled time since swapping Madrid for the North-east of England. It was nearly cancelled out shortly afterwards when Kozluk struck woodwork at the other end, but then an unmarked Owen could have added another, just failing to get a touch on a Geremi cross at the far post.

But four minutes from time, Newcastle did get another. Obafemi Martins, Owen's late replacement, scored it from close range.