Martins brace inspires Magpies

The Nigeria international condemned fifth-placed Villa to defeat with a sweetly-struck left-foot shot on the hour before making sure with his second of the game eight minutes from time after a brilliant run by Jonas Gutierrez.

Shay Given, making his 450th appearance for the club, had earlier produced a fine save to deny Ashley Young, and Martin Laursen had headed against the outside of the post, but Nicky Butt hit the woodwork at the other end as the home side showed real character.

Kinnear's men were eventually good value for their victory after surviving a stern test of their resolve against one of the Premier League's emerging forces, and without having to summon the fit-again Michael Owen from the bench until stoppage time.

It might have been so different had Gabriel Agbonlahor not miskicked in front of goal or Given not produced the expert stop to deny Young.

Villa's pace on the break was a constant threat in the first half, as was the returning John Carew's ability to hold the ball up and play others in.

But the game was opened up in the second half, and the opening goal arrived with 30 minutes remaining.

Joey Barton picked out Martins with his back to goal on the edge of the penalty area and he turned smartly before blasting a left-foot drive wide of Brad Friedel's dive and into the bottom corner.

The Magpies would have been significantly closer to victory seven minutes later had Butt's free-kick crept inside the post rather than clipped the outside of it.

But the game was effectively over eight minutes from time when Gutierrez capped a fine individual display with a high-octane run down the left and a cross which Martins gleefully blasted into the back of the net.