Schar double and Perez strike drags Newcastle out relegation zone as Cardiff drop into bottom-three

FORMER banker Fabian Schar opened his Newcastle account with two goals which could prove priceless.

The Swiss defender netted for the first time for the Toon with an amazing 35-yard run and finish in the first half.

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And Schar, who worked in a bank before making it as a footballer, diverted in a second after the break to move Newcastle out of the bottom three and send Cardiff into it.

Rafa Benitez's struggling side had only their third home win of the season confirmed when Ayoze Perez poked in from a Salomon Rondon cross late in injury-time.

And Mike Ashley was there to see it on his first return to St James’ Park since their last victory here against Bournemouth in November.

Perhaps the hated owner is the Toon’s lucky charm...

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Newcastle were on top from word go as Ayoze Perez came close when his header from Matt Ritchie’s corner had to be tipped over Neil Etheridge.

And the Spaniard appealed for a penalty when he struck Joe Benett’s hand in the box, but referee Stuart Attwell rightly adjudged the Cardiff left-back was too close to get out of the way.

Newcastle, though, did opening the scoring after 24 minutes - and it was a goal which will live long in the memory.

Schar picked the ball up from Isaac Hayden’s lay-off just inside Cardiff’s half towards the right touchline.

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He shrugged off Oumar Niasse and carried unchallenged for 35 yards.

Schar then ghosted into the penalty area as Joe Bennett stood off him, before curling into Etheridge’s bottom right corner in front of the Gallowgate with his wrong left foot.

It was the Swiss centre-half’s first goal for the club - and one you would not expect a defender to score.

Then again, Schar’s ball-playing out of the back has impressed since he signed from Deportivo La Coruna last summer, and he started in midfield at Blackburn in midweek.

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Still, he looked as amazed as the Toon Army as he ran away to celebrate.

And Cardiff were shellshocked, too, with their only chance of the half coming from Victor Camarasa’s 25-yard effort which had Martin Dubravka worried but flew over.

After the break, Perez stayed on his feet after a push from Bennett, then saw his effort saved by the legs of Etheridge.

And Newcastle doubled their advantage after 63 minutes, as the unlikely hero Schar scored a second.

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This one was more straight forward as Jamaal Lascelles flicked on Ritchie’s corner and he diverted in with his thigh.

Schar could then even had a hat-trick but headed wide from another Ritchie corner.

But he was also excelling at the other end as, from a rare Cardiff attack, sub Bobby Reid played across goal but Schar cleared the danger.