Michael Owen, the England striker, made his long-awaited comeback last night, but an encouraging personal display was not matched by that of his team, Newcastle United. Owen returned after an absence of 314 days, his first game since injuring his right knee in the World Cup finals last summer, but Newcastle still produced another limp display and were deservedly beaten by Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

England’s need for Owen’s swift return is probably even greater than that of Newcastle, with a friendly against Brazil at the new Wembley Stadium next month followed by a European Championship qualifying match in Estonia. How Steve McClaren, the embattled England head coach, could do with Owen’s predatory powers.

McClaren presumably watched from afar last night but Terry Venables, his assistant, travelled to Berkshire and sat alongside Martin O’Neill, the Aston Villa manager. It was worth the trip, with Owen looking sharp in his first start since that fateful day in Cologne when his knee collapsed under him as England played Sweden.

Glenn Roeder, the Newcastle manager, had planned to give Owen only an hour. However, after Reading had gone ahead and Antoine Sibierski broke an arm, when Dave Kitson accidentally kicked him in the act of scoring, and Emre Belözoglu twisted an ankle, Roeder had to keep his talisman on.

“I was disappointed with the result, but on a personal level I felt good,” Owen said. “It’s been a long time. The plan was for only 60 minutes, but, with all our injuries and the need for a goal, I had to stay on.”

Newcastle needed Owen’s best endeavours after a poor run of only one league win in their previous eight matches, with just three goals scored in that period. For all his unselfish running, though, his timing early on was rusty and he was frequently caught offside.

Not that Reading, still chasing a Uefa Cup place on their debut campaign in the top flight, made it easy for him. He was marked tightly from the off and sent tumbling by a particularly robust yet fair challenge from Ivar Ingimarsson, the home captain. As Newcastle fans held their breath, he rose swiftly and easily to his feet.

Steve Coppell, the Reading manager, left out Steve Sidwell and James Harper, his usual midfield engine room, to look at other options for next season. Sidwell is expected to leave — possibly for Newcastle — when his contract expires during the summer.

However, even without them, Reading dominated large chunks of the match. Kevin Doyle had a goalbound shot deflected wide by Steven Taylor and Michael Duberry volleyed wildly over.

Owen’s best opportunity arrived in the 21st minute, when he waited for a cross from the left from James Milner, but his header was ill-directed and failed to trouble Marcus Hahnemann, the Reading goalkeeper.

Reading took the lead in the 51st minute after Seol Ki Hyeon had been allowed to cut in unchallenged from the right. Seol’s cross was dummied by John Oster, who was aware that Kitson was free behind him, and the striker thumped in his first league goal since the opening day of the season. Kitson, like Owen, has missed most of the campaign because of a serious knee injury.

Obafemi Martins could have secured an equaliser near the end, from Milner’s cross, but headed wide. Still, Reading deserved their third successive victory and move back into seventh place in the Premiership, a Uefa Cup qualifying spot.

For Newcastle, a season without European football beckons, but at least Owen came through unscathed. “He was really tired at the end,” Roeder said. “But I’m sure he’ll be fine when we play Blackburn on Saturday.”

Reading (4-4-2): M Hahnemann — U De La Cruz, M Duberry, I Ingimarsson, N Shorey — Seol Ki Hyeon, J Oster (sub: A Bikey, 90min), B Gunnarsson (sub: J Harper, 89), S Hunt — D Kitson (sub:S Long, 89), K Doyle. Substitutes not used: G Halford, A Federici. Booked: Hunt, Kitson

Newcastle United (4-4-2): S Harper — N Solano, T Bramble, S Taylor, S Carr — K Dyer, Emre Belözoglu (sub: C N’Zogbia, 61), A Sibierski (sub: F Ameobi, 53), J Milner — M Owen, O Martins. Substitutes not used: O Onyewu, P Srnicek, A Carroll.

Referee: M Riley.

Tracking back
How Michael Owen fared on his return to action

1min Tracks back and takes ball off Brynjar Gunnarsson with sliding tackle

2min Stretches to reach Emre Belözoglu’s pass, fails but offside, anyway

7min Scores coolly taken “goal” from Obafemi Martins’s through-ball but, again, offside

15min Bundled over heavily by Ivar Ingimarsson

18min Off the mark too soon. “Same old Owen, always offside,” Reading fans chant

21min Rises to James Milner’s cross but misdirects header wide of target

55min Clever chip to Shola Ameobi in Reading area but substitute is ruled offside

61min Forced to operate wider and deeper

90min Ends first full game since Boxing Day 2005