George Stephanopoulos

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By Sportsmail Reporter

Hat trick hero: Carroll celebrates scoring on his way to knocking three past Villa

Andy Carroll announced his arrival as a genuine Barclays Premier League striker as Newcastle hammered Aston Villa 6-0.

The 21-year-old Geordie plundered a hat-trick to build upon the lead given to his side by Joey Barton's 12th-minute piledriver and Kevin Nolan's effort 13 minutes before the break, Nolan adding his second before Carroll completed his treble at the death.

Villa might have taken the lead themselves, but John Carew squandered a 10th-minute penalty and they simply fell apart as the Magpies made the most of their let-off.

Caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald handed Stephen Ireland his Aston Villa debut on his 24th birthday.

Ireland, an £8million makeweight in the £26million deal which took former Magpie James Milner to Manchester City, was included in a side which featured eight changes from the one which drew 1-1 with Rapid Vienna in midweek.

Brad Friedel, Luke Young, Richard Dunne, Ashley Young, John Carew, Stiliyan Petrov and Ciaran Clark all returned after sitting out the trip to Austria.

Newcastle boss Chris Hughton fielded the same 11 which started the 3-0 defeat at Manchester United on Monday, but there was a place on the bench for striker Peter Lovenkrands after a groin injury.

The home side lined up with Andy Carroll playing as a lone striker with support from skipper Kevin Nolan in front of a raucous crowd at St James' Park.

What a mo-ment: Joey Barton (left) blasts Newcastle ahead from long range

Villa enjoyed the upper hand in the early stages with Magpies full-back Jose Enrique finding himself under pressure from winger Marc Albrighton on several occasions, but coping admirably.

But it was Newcastle who created the first opening with six minutes gone when Carroll met Joey Barton's free-kick but could not keep his header down.

However, his side enjoyed a major escape four minutes later after goalkeeper Steve Harper was penalised for a trip on Ashley Young as he tried to reach Petrov's through-ball inside the box and referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot.

Harper was appalled by the decision, but his mood improved dramatically when John Carew blasted the penalty high over the bar.

The miss was to prove costly just two minutes later when Barton picked up possession 30 yards out and steadied himself before blasting a dipping right-foot shot over Friedel and into the top corner.

No stopping that: Carroll thrashes his first goal into the back of the Villa net

Hughton was a permanent fixture in the technical area as the game became more stretched and Barton picked up a 19th-minute booking for a foul on Petrov as he tried to stem the tide in the middle of the park.

Villa repeatedly tried to use the pace of Ashley Young and Albrighton to get in behind the home defence as Petrov slid a series of long balls inside central defenders Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson.

But with Enrique and James Perch providing solid cover the home defence managed to keep them at bay. It was they who were making much of the running, and they increased their lead 13 minutes before the break when Enrique delivered a fine cross to the far post and Carroll unselfishly headed the ball back towards Nolan.

Friedel managed to parry the midfielder's initial header, but Nolan pounced on the rebound to head home from four yards.

Villa would have been back in the game seconds later had Perch not hacked Carew's cross clear under pressure from Stewart Downing.

Head boy: Magpies skipper Kevin Nolan (left) dives to nod in his side's second goal

However, the home crowd was in raptures when Richard Dunne miskicked in front of his own goal after Williamson headed Barton's 34th-minute corner back in the direction from which it had come, and Carroll blasted home a left-foot shot.

Alan Smith was appealing in vain for a penalty after going down under Dunne's challenge as Nolan broke free down the right, and Villa were in total disarray.

Newcastle returned in understandably confident mood, but no doubt having been told to expect a backlash, and they did not allow the tempo of their game to drop.

Carroll found himself in a promising position 25 yards out with two minutes of the half gone, but he scuffed his long-range effort and Friedel saved comfortably.

Villa were struggling to force their way into the game and found themselves pinned back deep inside their own half.

Even when they did manage to break out and win a 55th-minute free-kick wide on the right, Downing's inswinging cross was easily cut out by Smith.

Fine finish: Carroll (centre) holds off the Villa defence to bag his second

By contrast, Friedel had to come from his line to claim Enrique's driven ball in seconds later with Carroll and Nolan waiting to pounce.

MacDonald made his first change with 57 minutes gone when he replaced Albrighton with striker Emile Heskey, whose part in England's disappointing World Cup campaign earned him a less than favourable reception from the home supporters.

The home side might have increased their lead with 62 minutes gone when Carroll and Nolan combined superbly to put Wayne Routledge in on goal with Stephen Warnock and Downing struggling to reel him in, although Friedel came to the rescue with a vital one-on-one save.

Eyes on the prize: Nolan stretches to poke home Newcastle's fifth

Carew's afternoon came to an early conclusion when he was replaced by Nigel Reo-Coker three minutes later, but it was 4-0 with 67 minutes gone when Carroll reacted first in the box to lash home a loose ball.

Carroll might have completed his hat-trick 15 minutes from time, but his shot was blocked at the near post as Villa fought for pride.

With the game won, Hughton made a double substitution, sending on Ryan Taylor and Shola Ameobi for Routledge and Smith, who both left the pitch to warm applause.
Taylor almost made an immediate impact when he curled a 79th-minute free-kick just wide.

Nolan made it 5-0 three minutes later when he fired home after Ameobi's header had been blocked, but the roof almost came off St James' in injury time when substitute Xisco played Carroll in to complete his hat-trick.