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By Stuart Roach BBC Sport Online

Sir Bobby Robson hardly knew whether to laugh or cry as Lomana LuaLua bagged a quick second-half double in Newcastle's opening Premiership match with West Ham on Monday.

The striker from the Democratic Republic of Congo started the new season as he ended the last - in goalscoring form.

Academy: Let's get ready to tumble!

He celebrated both goals with his trademark series of back flips and handstands - and Robson's stomach may have been turning too.

Football's newest knight has promised to perform the LuaLua tumble if his Newcastle side finish higher than last season's fourth place at the end of this campaign.

Newcastle striker Lomano LuaLua scored twice in his opening Premiership gam of the season
LuaLua has found his goalscoring touch

By then, Robson will have turned 70 - and may have changed his mind.

But he is unlikely to perform any such U-turn over the signing of LuaLua.

When Robson signed the 21-year-old from Colchester United in September 2000, the �2.25m fee was considered something of a gamble.

Even more so when, 45 domestic appearances later, LuaLua had still failed to score in a Newcastle shirt.

LuaLua's Premiership goals

13-04-02: 1 v Derby

20-04-02: 1 v Charlton

27-04-02: 1 v West Ham

20-08-02: 2 v West Ham

The young striker had managed a couple of goals in the much-maligned Intertoto Cup, including a spectacular overhead effort to open his Toon account against Belgian side Lokeren in the opening game of last season.

But Premiership strikes were proving a much rarer commodity.

His first finally arrived in the final minute of his 45th appearance for Newcastle and it proved crucial, completing a sensational comeback as Robson's men came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Derby in April.

Then it was the London buses syndrome for Robson as, having waited so long for one to come along, more LuaLua goals quickly followed.

Striker Lomano LuaLua has found his scoring touch for Newcastle
LuaLua says he owes his success to Bobby Robson

A goal in his next game against Charlton and another - ironically against West Ham - saw LuaLua finish the season with three Premiership goals in five games.

And Monday's clinically-taken double indicated that the striker may finally be comfortable performing on football's big stage.

LuaLua, who moved from Africa to London's east end when he was eight, only started playing football as a teenager.

His skills quickly stood out on London's Hackney Marshes, where Colchester youth team boss Geoff Harrop spotted him and snapped him up for the Second Division side.

Less than two years later, LuaLua was a �2m top-flight player but, by his own admission, he was caught up in the glare of the Premiership spotlight when he first arrived at St James' Park.

I'd like to think that the fans know they have a player who can cut it at the highest level

Lomana LuaLua

"When I first came to the club, I was late for training all the time and was just as interested in the nightlife as football," he said recently.

"Bobby Robson has helped me mentally and to develop my life as a footballer.

"He told me I was only hindering my own chances of making progress, so I went away determined to change my ways.

"I have had to wait for my chance, but I'd like to think that the fans know they have a player who can cut it at the highest level," he added.

LuaLua's acrobatic celebrations were a trademark of the lower divisions during his two seasons with Colchester, but were becoming a distant memory at Newcastle.

But the routines he learned as a talented junior gymnast are suddenly getting a regular airing again.

Send us your favourite goal celebrations

And that means that Robson could also be heading for a tumble by the end of the campaign.