Sir Bobby Robson's gamble on Craig Bellamy paid off to the tune of £10million as the Welshman fired his side into the last 16 of the Champions League with two goals in the 3-2 win over Feyenoord.

	Craig Bellamy scores his and Newcastle's first on a night of drama (BenRadford/GettyImages)

Bellamy opened the scoring in first-half injury time and then blasted home the winner in the final minute of normal time after Feyenoord had clawed their way back from a 2-0 deficit.

Hugo Viana's 49th-minute strike had put his side into dreamland - but goals from substitute Mariano Bombarda and Anthony Lurling set up a nailbiting finish.

Bellamy's heroics, after he had passed up a series of chances, snatched a stunning victory - United's third in succession after failing to pick up a single point in three previous European outings.

That, coupled with Juventus' victory over Dynamo Kiev in the Ukraine, was enough to cap an astonishing turnaround and propel Robson's men into the big time.

Robson impressed upon his players before kick-off that the first goal might be all-important, and was desperate they did not allow Feyenoord that initiative in the opening 20 minutes.

In the event, he had to wait almost 46 minutes to see the net bulge, and when it did it was accompanied by the collective leap of Geordie hearts at the De Kuip Stadium.

Bellamy, the man whose participation in the game in the first place had been the topic of much pre-match speculation, proved that the manager's decision to gamble on his fitness was absolutely correct as he ran on to Shearer's flick-on and past defender Patrick Paauwe before prodding the ball past the stranded Patrick Lodewijks.

It was just reward for the Welshman, who had earlier passed up a similar opportunity after being sent clear by Kieron Dyer.

And it was difficult to argue that the visitors did not deserve their lead after a half during which they worked desperately hard to close down their opponents and suffered only a handful of real scares at the back.

With Gary Speed leading by example from central midfield, youngsters Dyer, Jermaine Jenas and Viana took up his cue to harry their opponents when they had the ball and to run at them in possession.

Bellamy's pace, allied to Dyer's darting runs and Shearer's power, had the Feyenoord defence worried at times, although skipper Paul Bosvelt, Lurling and Song Chong-Gug caused their own share of problems without ever really carving open Shay Given's defence.

The Dutchmen's best chance of the first-half came seven minutes before the break when Thomas Buffel rounded Given from Lurling's pass, but could not get in an early shot as the Irishman recovered.

It got even better for United after the break when, after Dyer robbed Tomasz Rzasa on the edge of the Feyenoord box, he crossed for Viana to control and calmly slot past Lodewijks to make it 2-0.

The joy on the terraces mounted further as news that Kiev's lead over Juventus had been overturned, but there was still a long, long way to go.

Too far, in fact as the Dutchmen, buoyed by the arrival of substitute Bombarda, launched a major assault.

Given saved from Brett Emerton and then Bonaventure Kalou in quick succession and Nikos Dabizas blocked a Lurling follow-up, and although Lodewijks needed to be at his best to keep out a 59th-minute Shearer free-kick, the tide was turning.

Lurling shot wide with the goal at his mercy, but Bombarda made no such mistake on 65 minutes to slot home from Kalou's pass to reduce the deficit.

Bellamy sent Lodewijks full length to tip away a 70th-minute effort, but seconds later, his side's advantage was wiped out.

Dyer's error allowed Lurling to take aim from close range, and with Given cruelly exposed, he volleyed home to set up a grandstand finish.

Bellamy twice had glorious opportunities to restore his side's lead, but could not work Lodewijks as the game entered a tense final few minutes.