PARIS (AFP) - A late penalty from Alan Shearer earned Newcastle a 1-0 win against Panionios in UEFA Cup group action on a rewarding night for British clubs.
Newcastle's victory came after their north-east rivals Middlesbrough had seen off another Athens side Egaleo thanks to a goal from substitute Stewart Downing with 12 minutes to go.
In Poland Glasgow Rangers made light of a potentially tricky assignment to rout Amica Wronki 5-0.
The Scottish giants' biggest win in Europe in four years came courtesy of goals from Peter Lovenkrands, Nacho Novo, Fernando Ricksen, Shota Arveladze and Steven Thompson.
But it was not all good news as the fourth British club on duty, Hearts, fell 3-0 at Feyenoord, Dirk Kuijt scoring twice for the Dutch side with Bart Goor getting the third.
Newacstle's win left them lying second on goal difference behind French side Sochaux in Group D but more importantly lightened the atmosphere at St James' Park after a week in which Newcastle hit the headlines after coach Graeme Souness' slanging match with Wales striker Craig Bellamy.
Bellamy was forced to apologise after verbally attacking Souness after he was taken off in the 1-1 draw with Charlton last weekend.
After this 1-0 win over Panionios Bellamy said: "I love the club - this is the place for me to play."
Shearer's penalty was awarded after substitute Shola Ameobi was brought down by Grigoris Makos.
Newcastle, who made it to the semi-finals of Europe's second tier club competition last season under Bobby Robson, had goalkeeper Shay Given to thank for keeping Panionios at bay in the 23rd minute, the Republic of Ireland international saving a Mario Breska header.
"It was hard work," Shearer confessed.
"If anyone has been to these places they know how difficult it is - the pitch is poor and the marking is tight.
"You have to dig in for 90 minutes and work hard and you get your rewards.
"It was a matter of getting that first goal - it just took us 87 minutes to get it."
Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren made what turned out to be an inspired substitution on 69 minutes earlier in the Greek capital when he brought on Downing for Boudewijn Zenden.
Within ten minutes the tactic had paid off when Ray Parlour surged in from the right and found Downing and the youngster planted a firm left-foot shot across the keeper and into the far corner of the net.
That left Boro heading Group E on goal difference from Italian side Lazio, who drew 1-1 with Villareal of Spain.
Second half substitute Tommaso Rocchi scored a late equaliser for Lazio after the visitors, who beat Roma, Celtic and Galatasaray on the way to last season's semi-finals, took the lead in the third minute when former AC Milan striker Jose Mari ran unchallenged across the penalty box before firing a low drive past Lazio keeper Matteo Sereni.
Inspired by the money-spinning Champions League format, this season's revamped UEFA Cup sees the 40 clubs who won their first round matches drawn into eight groups of five teams.
Each side will play two home and two away games, with the top three clubs in each group going into a knockout round where they will be joined by eight teams dropped from the Champions League.
The final is in Lisbon on May 18.
10/21/2004 - 22:24 GMT - AFP