Bobby blasts Neill's tackle.

Byline: By Miles Starforth

Sir bobby robson branded Lucas Neill's challenge on Craig Bellamy "atrocious" after the Blackburn Rovers defender clattered the Magpies' fit-again striker at Ewood Park.

Neill left Bellamy in a crumpled heap by the corner flag on the stroke of half-time having earlier failed to connect properly with a kick aimed at the Wales international, who marked his first start since October with his first Premiership goal in almost a year later in the game.

Robson and his assistant John Carver were furious at the interval, confronting Neill as he trudged off the field.

And Sir Bobby could not understand why referee Matt Messias did not book the Rovers full back for the challenge on Bellamy, who had just returned from knee surgery.

At the final whistle Bellamy's knee had swollen and Robson last night telephoned Wales manager Mark Hughes to pull him out of the friendly against Scotland at the Millennium Stadium next Wednesday.

"Craig Bellamy was the victim of an atrocious tackle at the corner flag, I've no doubt about it," said Sir Bobby. "How the referee didn't see it I don't know.

"There's a certain amount of swelling around the knee, there's some slight concern about him. I don't think there's a lot of damage, but there's slight ligament damage and it's swelled up. I'm not even thinking about the Wales game.

"That's a million miles away as far as I'm concerned but I don't want to stop him having an international career. I'm going to speak to Mark Hughes and tell him the situation."

Robson was also unhappy at the way his team conceded an 85th- minute goal to Blackburn, with Laurent Robert, who had been far from his scintillating best having returned to the starting line-up after missing out against Leicester City with his own knee injury, giving the ball away.

That saw teenager Paul Gallagher, who had scored Rovers winner at St James' Park in December, take possession and make a run down the right before crossing for home debutant Jonathan Stead at the far post.