16 mins Allan Saint-Maximin (or Sam Maximus as Paul Merson called him on Sky) took Fabian Schar's through ball down the left and pulled it back for debutant Joe Willock to finish first time into the Leazes End net. 1-0

26 mins Jeff Hendrick's crossfield pass reached Saint-Maximin on the left side of the box and he swivelled to lay the ball into the path of Miguel Almiron.

The Paraguayan's shot deflect off the heel of Jan Bednarek and beat Alex McCarthy at his near post for. Somewhat fortunately, the Newcastle man was awarded the goal by the PL - had it gone the other way, the Polish defender would have been credited with an og for the second time in a week. 2-0

30 mins Saints loan debutant Takumi Minamino took a touch in the box before blasting home inside Karl Darlow's near post. 2-1

45+4 mins With Saint-Maximin bearing down on him, McCarthy's hasty clearance to Ryan Bertrand at left back was weak and Miguel Almiron made a successful challenge for it, racing into the box and slotting home. 3-1

Half time: Magpies 3 Saints 1

48 mins Stand-in central defender Issac Hayden conceded a free kick in a central area and James Ward-Prowse stepped up to hit a perfect free-kick into the top left corner giving Darlow no chance. 3-2

Full time: Magpies 3 Saints 2

"In general we must find a way back to the way we played. To be consistent over 38 games is the difference between a good team and a team that wants to be good."
 

Goals from debutant Joe Willock and a pair from Miguel Almiron earned Steve Bruce's side a priceless victory at a sodden St. James' Park on Saturday.

That fails to tell the tale of an eventful 97 minutes though, as the Saints were beaten by nine for the second time in a week - this time men, not goals....

The main points:

8 mins Jonjo Shelvey set Callum Wilson away to net, only for the effort to be correctly disallowed for offside.

11 mins Jeff Hendrick was booked for a bad tackle.

16 mins Allan Saint-Maximin took Fabian Schar's through ball down the left and pulled it back for debutant Willock to finish first time into the Leazes End net for 1-0.

24 mins Javier Manquillo was unable to continue after sustaining damage to his right ankle blocking a stray pass, Emile Krafth replacing him at right back.

26 mins Hendrick's pass to Almiron in the area saw the Paraguayan shoot, only for it to deflect off Jan Bednarek and beat Alex McCarthy at his near post for 2-0.

30 mins Saints loan debutant Takumi Minamino blasted home to make it 2-1.

36 mins Wilson pulled up with possible hamstring trouble and was unable to continue, making way for Joelinton.

45+3 mins Krafth booked for a foul.

45+4 mins McCarthy's ball out to Ryan Bertrand was weak and Almiron made a successful challenge for it, racing into the box and slotting home for 3-1.

48 mins Stand-in central defender Issac Hayden conceded a free kick in a central area and James Ward-Prowse stepped up to give Darlow no chance. 3-2.

50 mins A needless shirt tug by Hendrick in central midfield saw him booked for a second time and dismissed. Newcastle went down to 10 men.

63 mins A shot from Danny Ings hit a post and rebounded into the arms of a relieved Darlow.

65 mins Che Adams forced the ball home from close range but the goal wasn't given due to an earlier offside.

67 mins Saint-Maximin was replaced by Paul Dummett, the last recognised defender on the Newcastle bench. He wasn't injured, but couldn't swim....

73 mins Bednarek was booked for a foul on Almiron outside the area, VAR confirming yellow rather than red.

75 mins Schar took the subsequent free kick but hoofed it into the defensive wall and then charged in to meet the rebound, injuring his knee.

79 mins Schar left the field on a stretcher, Newcastle went down to 9 men.

79 mins United finally found a formation that stopped them conceding goals - a rigid 4-4-0...

90+1 mins The visitors won their seventh corner but couldn't make it count. The hosts never had a corner.

90+5 Darlow was booked for time-wasting.

90+7 mins Referee blew for full time, confirming Newcastle's first home win in six attempts and a fifth successive league reverse for Southampton.

And so, The Geordie Nation breathes again, after what could reasonably termed a difficult watch that verged on the unbearable in the closing stages.

Most of those involved for Newcastle though deserve full credit; Jamal Lewis making light of fitness issues to give an assured display, Hayden playing a third different role in recent games and Krafth disciplined on his return.

Mention too for Dummett, who made a series of vital clearances at centre half and even Joelinton, who got up to speed after some early hints that he didn't have the mindset for the task in hand.

Before the madness of the second half, the industry of Almiron and the adventure of Saint-Maximin were pivotal in building up the vital lead. The forward runs from midfield by Willock were also effective, something that other sides take for granted but we habitually lack.

The brainlessness of Hendrick cannot easily be excused though, ample cover behind him making his shirt grab on halfway even more irresponsible. His suspension will doubtless extend Jonjo Shelvey's stay in the team - although he did precious little to warrant it today. Had he taken the glaring chance to make it 4-1 early in the second half then this could have been far less traumatic.

Schar's frustration with his rotten free kick got the better of him, recklessly endangering himself with the follow-up challenge and paying the price.

The lack of a midweek fixture and the scheduling of our next game for a week on Monday will hopefully give our battered defence a chance to regroup - Manquillo and Schar today following Jamaal Lascelles and Federico Fernandez into the sick bay, while Ciaran Clark was about to become a father.

And while news on the fitness of Wilson is anxiously awaited, his colleagues did at least manage to net three times without him playing any direct part in them - something of a novelty so far this season.

Two wins in a week combined with generally favourable results elsewhere has put a far healthier complexion on the season, not withstanding the ongoing headcount issues in defence.

And if not quite the entertainers, then this version of NUFC is rather easier on the eye than the joyless charade of previous weeks. Who could have predicted that actually trying to score goals would have a positive outcome on results?

Biffa