Michael Owen's timing is impeccable, and not just with his runs into the box. Making his first appearance of the season for Newcastle, not only did he score the goal that looked beyond them for long spells, he assured himself a healthy bargaining position in forthcoming contract talks.

Here is a man who knows how to choose his moment. His future at the club will be the subject of a board meeting on Wednesday with the Newcastle manager, Kevin Keegan, sure to demand that his captain stays. The England striker, whose contract expires at the end of this season, was the difference between the sides.

After a bout of mumps in the summer, and latterly a calf problem, Owen missed his team’s draw at Old Trafford the previous weekend, and was named as a substitute against Bolton. He came on in the 53rd minute to replace the injured Obafemi Martins. He scored 18 minutes later.

Keegan will use this week’s meeting to ask the club’s owner, Mike Ashley, to persuade Owen to sign a new contract. Owen’s winner can only have strengthened the manager’s case. “I wouldn’t have thought it has done it any harm,” smiled Keegan. “We all want Michael to stay, and I think he will. He really likes it here.”

Shay Given’s brilliant penalty save, just before before Owen’s breakthrough, had been the turning point in a match that Bolton had controlled for long stretches. A crowd of 47,711, low by Newcastle’s standards, was subdued by what threatened to be a tactical triumph for the visitors. “We have not been beaten, we have thrown it away,” said their manager, Gary Megson, bemoaning the concession of a set-piece goal.

Oddly, given their home advantage, the counter-attack seemed to be Newcastle’s most productive tactic. It was after a Bolton corner that Martins set up his team’s best raid of a poor first half. In a blur of red boots, the Nigerian dashed towards the halfway line, and released the lively Jonas Gutierrez through the centre. Aware that the visitors’ defence was outnumbered, Joey O’Brien ended the foray with a sliding tackle that earned him a booking.

Bolton’s pyramid formation started with Johan Elmander at its tip. When their £8.2m signing from Toulouse sustained an early injury, he was replaced by Gavin McCann, leaving Kevin Davies to assume the role of target man. None of which compromised their ability to silence the home crowd, who held their breath when JLloyd Samuel nearly opened the scoring. The full-back sidefooted high and wide from 18 yards.

Geremi replaced Damien Duff at half-time, but it took Given’s heroics to ignite St James’ Park. Eight minutes of the second half had gone when Taylor handled Gretar Steinsson’s cross, and referee Steve Bennett pointed to the spot. Kevin Nolan’s shot, hard to the bottom right-hand corner, was repelled by the goalkeeper’s left arm, which was quick and strong.

In the rush of adrenaline that followed, Newcastle fashioned their best chance, with Owen the recipient. Milner’s cross picked out the England striker on the edge of the six-yard area, but his downward header was too near the goalkeeper. It proved to be a warning that Bolton didn’t heed. When a similar cross was hurled in from Geremi a few minutes later, an inswinger that caused the defence to lose its bearings, Owen drifted away from his marker and directed his header into the bottom corner.

Buoyed by their breakthrough, Newcastle should have sealed the deal, Milner and Geremi both missing good chances. Bolton needed only a goal, and they came close to producing it in a late assault. Nolan glanced wide a cross by Fabrice Muamba and Davies did the same at the other post.

According to Keegan, Newcastle will be without Martins for “two or three weeks”, and Duff is nursing an injured knee. Still, they have Owen back, and if Keegan has his way, it will be for good.

NEWCASTLE: Given 7, Beye 5, Taylor 7, Coloccini 6, N’Zogbia 6, Milner 6, Butt 6, Guthrie 6, Gutierrez 8, Duff 5 (Geremi 45min 6), Martins 5 (Owen 53min 6)

BOLTON: Jaaskelainen 6, Steinsson 6, Cahill 6, A O’Brien 7, Samuel 6, Muamba 6, Nolan 7, J O’Brien 7 (Riga 85min), Davies 7, Taylor 5 (Gardner 64min), Elmander (McCann 6min 6)

Star man: Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle)
Referee: S Bennett
Attendance: 47,711