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Martins gives Newcastle Premiership lift-off

  • Story Highlights
  • Newcastle beat Aston Villa 2-0 to move out of Premier League relegation zone
  • Nigeria international Obafemi Martins inflicted Villa's third defeat of campaign
  • Martins opened scoring on hour and added a second eight minutes from time
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(CNN) -- Obafemi Martins fired Newcastle out of the Premier League drop zone and relegated Tottenham to bottom place as the Magpies claimed their second successive victory 2-0 over Aston Villa.

Martins fires the first of his two goals as Newcastle climbed off the foot of the Premier League.

Martins fires the first of his two goals as Newcastle climbed off the foot of the Premier League.

The Nigeria international inflicted fifth-placed Villa's third league defeat of the campaign with a second half double.

Martins scored 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.

Goalkeeper Shay Given, making his 450th appearance for Newcastle, had earlier produced a fine save to deny Ashley Young while defender Martin Laursen headed against the outside of the post and Gabriel Agbonlahor miskicked in front of goal.

Nicky Butt hit the woodwork at the other end as Newcastle continued their recovery under stand-in manager Joe Kinnear by climbing six places to 14th in the table.

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

Newcastle's win was sealed when Jonas 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.

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