Newcastle 2 Liverpool 1:Newcastle dashed Craig Bellamy's hopes of a winning return to St James's Park as they fought back to snatch victory from Liverpool who yet again spurned a number of chances to win away.

It all started so well for Liverpool after Bellamy made the most of an error by goalkeeper Steve Harper - the man whose slip at Anfield allowed Xabi Alonso to score from his own half back in September - to give them a sixth-minute lead.

Bellamy tormented the home defence on a pitch drenched by torrential rain before the break as the club which was this week the subject of a successful £470million American takeover threatened to run riot.

However, a mistake from Harper's opposite number Jose Reina handed Obafemi Martins the chance to level with his 12th goal of the season after 26 minutes, and Nolberto Solano snatched the points with a 69th-minute penalty.

Reds boss Rafael Benitez was left to rue missed opportunities as the home side rode their luck, but Glenn Roeder will have been delighted with the way his side scrapped their way back into the game and then defended for dear life in front of a crowd of 52,305, their biggest of the season.

Bellamy did not even need to touch the ball for fans who had once cheered his efforts to boo him roundly, but he answered them in the best possible style within six minutes, with the help of former team-mate Harper.

The goalkeeper never looked comfortable as he prepared to clear a back-pass on the rain-soaked pitch, and he duly shanked the ball straight to Jermaine Pennant, who slipped past Celestine Babayaro and squared for the Welshman to sidefoot home.

Steven Taylor handed Bolo Zenden a chance to make it 2-0 seven minutes later when he left his back-pass to Harper woefully short, forcing the keeper to make a vital save as the Dutchman tried to round him.

However, the Magpies got themselves back on terms after 26 minutes as Harper's opposite number Reina added his name to the list of sinners.

Kieron Dyer's intelligent pass inside Daniel Agger allowed Martins to race away from the defender and, although Reina spotted the danger early, he blasted his clearance into his own man and the striker slid the equaliser into the empty net.

But Bellamy might have completed a hat-trick before half-time as a Newcastle defence in which Oguchi Onyewu was making a home debut found his pace and movement simply too hot to handle.

It was they who started the second half in a much more positive frame of mind as Liverpool, for the first time in the game, found themselves having to defend deep.

However, the Reds might have restored their lead on 53 minutes when Dirk Kuyt left Nicky Butt for dead with a delicious turn, only to then toe-poke his shot across the face of goal.

The home side forced their way in front after 69 minutes in the most unlikely fashion. Fullback Steven Taylor showed remarkable poise to dance his way into the box, where he was tripped by John Arne Riise, and referee Halsey pointed to the spot.

Nolberto Solano stepped up to send Reina the wrong way and stroke his penalty into the bottom corner.

Benitez responded by making two substitutions as Danny Guthrie and Alvara Arbeloa replaced Bolo Zenden and Pennant, and his side immediately launched a late push.

Liverpool had Newcastle camped inside their penalty area as they forced a series of free-kicks and corners, but Harper and his defenders dealt admirably with a series of dangerous balls into the box to see out a late flurry.