TOON: Harper, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini,Jose Enrique, Guthrie, Nolan, Smith (Butt 49), Gutierrez,Harewood (Ranger 66), Ameobi (Pancrate 83).
Subs Not Used: Krul, Lovenkrands, Ryan Taylor, Kadar.
SMOGS: Jones, McMahon, Wheater, Pogatetz, Hoyte,O'Neil, Rhys Williams, Osbourne, Arca (Yeates 66),Lita (Franks 83), Kitson (Bent 46).
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Taylor, Riggott, Luke Williams.
Strikers Marlon Harewood and Shola Ameobi scored the goals that increased Newcastle's Championship lead to 10 points, but it was the superb defensive display that snuffed out any Boro threat.
While Steve Harper looked confident and unbeatable between the sticks, 100yds away at the other end of the pitch goalkeeper Brad Jones looked as though he was going to shit his pants everytime the ball entered his penalty area.
Harewood's 16th-minute strike and Ameobi's 59th-minute header won the game, but the Toon eased through the second-half in third gear.
Referee Kevin Friend was under fire from both sets of players as Shola Ameobi seemed to push a Boro defender during the build up to the first goal, and the ref failed to produce a red car for two horror tackles on Alan Smith.
The difference between the two sides was that the Magpies took their chances, while the visitors once again lacked the cutting edge to get anything from the game.
Boro started confidently and Leroy Lita headed over from Gary O'Neil's 12th-minute free-kick, but it was the Magpies who took the lead with 16 minutes gone after a dreadful challenge by Kitson on Alan Smith 25 yards out.
Ameobi got to Danny Guthrie's free-kick marginally ahead of keeper Brad Jones to head down for Harewood to stab the ball home from close range, with Boro appealing in vain for a push on Emanuel Pogatetz.
The argument FOR the goal was that Pogatetz may have been pushed, but he went down as though his legs had been cut off!
Alan Smith hammered a left-foot shot just wide three minutes later, and Kevin Nolan missed the target by a much greater margin with 29 minutes gone.
But Harper needed help from a smack in the face four minutes later when, after he had parried O'Neil's swerving free-kick, Isaiah Osbourne's scrambled follow-up hit Steven Taylor's arm before hitting Harper in the face and dropping into the keeper's arms.
Fabricio Coloccini and Taylor were in imperious form and Boro's strike force dwindled to nothing.
Jones got away with a glaring error with 54 minutes gone when he blasted a clearance straight at Harewood and saw the ball ricochet just wide of the unguarded net.
The Boro keeper had another let-off seconds later when Harewood failed to convert Jose Enrique's driven cross from point-blank range, and although the Teessiders broke at pace, Lita wasted the opportunity when he fired high and wide from a tight angle.
David Wheater headed across goal from O'Neil's 58th-minute free-kick, but Ameobi was not so wasteful seconds later when he climbed high above Wheater to power home Guthrie's cross.
Newcastle relaxed as time ran down, but Jones saved a late Guthrie free-kick at the second attempt and Pogatetz appeared to block Nolan's late effort with his arm.