The saying in football "you are only as good as your last game" ... and that win at West Brom was just what the doctor ordered for ourselves and Joe Kinnear.The day could not have gone better for Toon fans, as we attempt to drag ourselves away from the Premier League drop zone.
Saturday's victory left them in 13th place and four points clear of the bottom three, although with Everton, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea due at St James' Park in their next four home games, there is much more hard work to be done.
HOW THE RELEGATION BATTLE PANNED OUT ....
Bottom club West Brom crashed to the Toon, so they continue to prop up the league.
Liverpool breathed new life into their title bid as Fernando Torres struck deep into injury-time to seal a thrilling 3-2 win against Portsmouth and return the Reds to the summit of the Barclays Premier League.Pompey, without a win in eight league games coming into this match, twice led through David Nugent and Hermann Hreidarsson but were pegged back by Rafael Benitez's troops thanks to goals from Fabio Aurelio and Dirk Kuyt.
Kuyt also had an effort chalked off for a debatable offside but that was academic in the end as Torres popped up with a header at the end to seal three points which take Liverpool a point clear of Manchester United at the summit, albeit having played two games more.
Martin O'Neill's men defeated Blackburn 2-0 at Ewood Park.James Milner opened the scoring after 27 minutes while Gabriel Agbonlahor made sure of the victory in injury-time.
It could have been so much better for the visitors but Emile Heskey and Agbonlahor had efforts ruled out by referee Steve Bennett.
On-loan Manchester City striker Jo scored twice as Everton ended a three-game winless run in the league with a 3-0 win over Bolton at Goodison Park.Everton led at the break thanks to Mikel Arteta's 40th-minute penalty, awarded after Jo went down in the area under a challenge from Andy O'Brien.
Jo added to the Toffees' lead after 49 minutes when he pulled a high ball down into his path on the edge of the area and slotted home under Jussi Jaaskelainen, while the Brazilian increased the margin of victory with a late penalty.
The Mackems defeated 10-man Stoke 2-0 at the Stadium of Light thanks to late goals from Kenwyne Jones and David Healy.OK, some may not welcome a Mackem victory ... but it keeps Stoke cemented in the relegation zone.
Jones struck after 78 minutes, rising to head home Andy Reid's deep cross, although Stoke's former Sunderland goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen should have saved at his near post.
Healy made sure of the three points with the Black Cats' second in injury-time.
Stoke played the final 25 minutes a man down after Matthew Etherington saw red for an off-the-ball clash with Danny Collins.
The day's early kick-off saw Shay Given pull off a string of important stops on his Manchester City debut as Mark Hughes' side posted a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.Craig Bellamy scored the only goal at Eastlands after 51 minutes as Gareth Southgate's ailing Boro side saw their winless streak extend to 13 games.