Newcastle United moved out of the relegation zone courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at St James's Park this afternoon.
Andros Townsend scored the only goal of the game shortly before the hour mark when he curled a stunning free kick into the top corner from 25 yards.
Palace had a golden chance to earn a draw when they were awarded a penalty with 20 minutes remaining, but Yohan Cabaye was denied from the spot by Karl Darlow.
Find out how all of the action unfolded courtesy of Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute coverage below.
Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's Premier League clash between Newcastle Unit
N
NEWCASTLE SUBS: Woodman, Taylor, Mbabu, Shelvey, De Jong, Perez,
Array
CRYSTAL PALACE STARTING XI: Hennessey; Ward, Dabbnn, Delaney, Souare; Jedinak, Cabaye, Puncheon
CRYSTAL PALACE SUBS: McCarthy, Mariappa, Kelly, Ledley, Sako, Gayle, Adeba
What can we make of those two teams, then? Well, perhaps the biggest decision for Rafael Benitez to make for t
It is fast coming to the point where Newcastle need to pick up victories now, with survival v
Perhaps key to t
Benitez will, then, be looki
Like Newcastle, Palace had a decision to make regarding their striker today, with Wickham starting against W
The other goals
There is no Zaha to join him this afternoon after the winger failed a late fitness test having pick
There is no change at the back either as Pardew sticks with the defensive unit that saw his side through to the FA Cup f
As already mentioned, this is a huge game for Newcastle if they are to give th
Their record heading into this mat
Newcastle finish their season with two matches that they may feel they
Including today, two of Newcastle's final three games c
Newcastle have o
Indeed, home and away they are bidding for four games in a row unbeaten, a
The most recent of those points would have almost felt like a win as Newcastle salvaged a draw from the jaw
It was a triumphant return f
Pardew can feel a little aggrieved at the treatment he receives from the Newcastle fans, tho
For now, though, Pardew's focus is all on Crystal Palace, although Crystal Pala
That is because Palace have booked their place in the FA Cup final for the
That is because Palace have booked their place in the FA Cup final for the
Instead, Palace's focus is likely to be on the FA Cup, where they have reached the final for the first time since 199
Before then, Palace must face Stoke at home and S
To put into context how poor their year as been so far, Palace have only
PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at St James's Park, which means that it is ti
Palace have not won a match at St James's Park since the turn of th
That was actually Palace's last victory over Newcastle home or away until the reverse fixture ear
That reverse meeting was an emphatic win for Palace too, with McArthur and Bolasie
Right, we're just about ready to go for this one! It's a huge game for the home side, with anything other than a win leaving them with a mountain to climb for safety.
Before kickoff, the entire stadium rises as one and roars in support of the 96 fans who died at Hillsborough following the latest events in that tragedy. 'You'll Never Walk Alone' rings around St James's Park - brilliant tribute.
KICKOFF: Newcastle get us underway for this massive match at St James's Park!
Palace win an early corner and, while nothing comes of it, it is notable because a section of the home crowd boos Yohan Cabaye following his exit for the club a couple of years ago.
It is Palace who have started the game the brighter here, which is not how I expected the opening stages to go. Newcastle are the team who need a win and you'd think they would look to get off to a quick start to get the fans on their side. They haven't quite got going yet, though.
YELLOW CARD! Mbemba goes into the book early here for a blatant block on Bolasie after the winger had pushed the ball passed him. It is very early in the game, but he can't have many complaints.
SHOT! Half a chance for Palace as Souare gets down the left flank and manages to squeeze a cross away from the byline. He falls to Puncheon at the back post, but he doesn't catch his volley cleanly and it bounces safely wide.
Important defending from Dann here as he gets a last-ditch challenge in on Cisse after the striker had turned well and got into the box. The ball goes across to Delaney, who calmly chests it back to the keeper.
Important challenge from Lascelles this time as he slides in just in time to prevent Wickham from racing through one on one with Darlow. Really good tackle.
SAVE! Hennessey is called into action for the first time this afternoon as he gets down well to his right to keep out Wijnaldum's effort. The Newcastle man didn't catch it perfectly, though, and it was a fairly routine save for the keeper.
Almost two chances for Townsend in quick succession! First the winger makes a really clever run through the middle and is picked out by a good pass. He looks to be through on goal, but in the end is forced too far out wide. He recycles the ball and gets it back in the area, but again he can't get a shot away.
UPDATE: Not too much to shout about at St James's Park so far, but there have been two goals already at Goodison Park. Everton are taking on Bournemouth there, and it is 1-1 after less than 20 minutes, with Marc Pugh cancelling out Tom Cleverley's opener.
This has been a low-key start to the match, and Pardew may well have told his players that if they can frustrate Newcastle for the opening 20 minutes or so then the crowd will begin to turn. There are murmurs of discontent already coming from the Newcastle faithful.
Neither side has been able to grab hold of this game in the opening quarter or so. Palace are seeing a decent amount of the ball, but they may prefer it if Newcastle began to have a bit more possession to create more counter-attacking opportunities.
Really good work from Bolasie as he shows pace and power to hold off a couple of fouls on his way down the left flank. He eventually wins his side a corner, but it could have just as easily been two free kicks in there.
The biggest roar of the afternoon so far greets a Newcastle corner - their first of the game. Wijnaldum goes over to take it, but he fails to beat the first man.
SAVE! Good save from Darlow to keep Palace at bay. It was Cabaye who got in down the right side of the area after Puncheon had held Colback off and played a reverse pass to his midfield partner. Cabaye hit it hard from a tight angle, but Darlow made the save. He would not have been a popular goalscorer!
You can feel the tension inside the stadium at the moment. The Newcastle fans are already unhappy at how long Crystal Palace are taking over set pieces, and it really does look like Pardew has told his players to just frustrate the crowd. If he has, it's working.
Bolasie is looking like the most dangerous player on the park at the moment, and he embarks on another direct run down the left flank here. He bursts past one, but a combination of Tiote and Colback shut the door.
The Newcastle fans kick up a fuss again as Souare leaves a throw-in for Wickham to take. When the throw eventually arrives it is flicked on by Jedinak, but the pressure is relieved by a foul on the keeper.
SHOT! Quick break from Palace, and again it is Bolasie who is leading the charge. He runs at Mbemba, who can't make a challenge as he is already on a yellow. Bolasie eventually lets fly with a powerful drive from 30 yards, but the ball zips a yard or so past the post.
Just 10 minutes remain in the first half here, and it is Pardew who will be the happier of the two managers. His side have looked dangerous on the counter-attack and have also done a good job of unsettling the home fans.
SAVE! This would have certainly got the home fans back on side. Mbemba strides out of defence and Palace allow him all the space in the world. He accepts the invitation to shoot and his low drive from more than 35 yards out is a good one, zipping low towards the bottom corner. Hennessey is across to make a good save, though.
CHANCE! It's been better from Newcastle in the last few moments, seeing more of the ball in the opposition half and putting the Palace defence under sustained pressure. It results in a chance too as a cross arrives from the left flank, but Sissoko tries to flick it goalwards with his foot instead of going with the diving head, and he can't get enough on it.
UPDATE: You might want to sit down for this - Aston Villa have taken the lead! They are 1-0 up away to Watford courtesy of a Ciaran Clark goal. West Ham United have also taken the lead on the road, with Kouyate's goal putting them one up against West Brom.
SAVE! Magnificent effort from Bolasie, but an equally good save from Darlow! A cross from Cabaye is only cleared as far as the Palace winger, who catches his volley so sweetly to lash it goalwards. Darlow sees it very late, but manages to pull off a good save and keep this one goalless.
CHANCE! Big chance at the other end for Newcastle to take the lead! Lascelles finds himself high up field and pokes the ball through to Colback, who has space inside the side. He shapes to curl one into the far post, but he puts it a couple of yards wide of the target.
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match.
HALF TIME: Newcastle 0-0 Crystal Palace
The referee brings an end to the first half here at St James's Park, and we're still goalless after a tense opening 45 minutes between these two sides. Palace have done a good job of frustrating the hosts, in particularly the fans, and they have come closest to breaking the deadlock too. Pardew will certainly be the happier of the two managers at the halfway point.
Karl Darlow has been the busier of the two keepers so far, making two really smart saves. The first came to deny Cabaye after he latched on to a clever reverse pass from Puncheon on the right side of the area. The angle was against the former Newcastle man, but he put plenty of of power behind his effort and it took a strong arm from Darlow to keep him out.
His second notable save was even more impressive when he kept out Yannick Bolasie's strike from range after the Palace winger had caught his volley sweetly. It was a powerful strike made even tougher for the Newcastle keeper by the fact that it came through a crowd of bodies, but he reacted well to push it away.
Newcastle's best chance of the half came late on when Colback picked the ball up inside the area, with a bit of space around him. He opened his body and tried to curl it into the far corner, but he put to too far past the post and a very presentable opening went begging. Townsend has also had a decent chance when he was played through on goal, but he was forced too far wide and didn't even manage to get a shot away in the end.
There have been notable long-range efforts from Mbemba, who strode out of defence before unleashing a low strike that needed a smart stop from the keeper, and Bolasie, whose powerful effort from a good 30 yards flew a yard or so past the post. It has largely been a tense and cagey affair, though, which is perhaps understandable considering what is on the line for Newcastle.
KICKOFF: Crystal Palace get us back underway for this second half after a brief delay caused by Dann seemingly throwing up just before kickoff. A lovely start to the second half!
Newcastle have a little bit more urgency about them in this second half, and that will surely on increase as times go by. They need to throw caution to the wind sooner or later as only a win will really do today.
CHANCE! Wijnaldum does really well here, collecting the ball into his feet and then beating one defender to create space to shoot. He goes for goal from inside the area, but Delaney is in the way to make a very important block.
UPDATE: Newcastle are improving here in the last few minutes, and the good news from the Britannia Stadium is that Stoke City have taken the lead against Sunderland through Marko Arnautovic.
There is a different atmosphere in this second half, with the fans seeing more effort from their side and responding in kind. This can be a great stadium when the fans and players are feeding off each other, but it can go one of two ways.
SAVE! Townsend looks to create something out of nothing, throwing a step-over to beat Cabaye and get a shot away, but it is central and easy for Hennessey.
Townsend is seeing more and more of the ball right now, and his direct running and causing Newcastle one or two problems. Dann resorts to fouling him here, giving Newcastle a free kick in a good position...
GOAL! Newcastle 1-0 Crystal Palace (Andros Townsend)
Oh what a goal this is to give Newcastle the lead! Townsend had been the threat in the last few minutes, and having won the free kick he takes it on himself. He curls it to the keeper's side, but the strike is so good that you can't really blame Hennessey. Townsend puts it perfectly into the top corner, and St James's Park erupts.
CRYSTAL PALACE SUB: Pardew responds immediately to that goal, with Bakary Sako replacing McArthur.
That really was a special strike from Townsend, and if it proves to be the one that keeps Newcastle in the division then you can be ready to see it time after time. As things stand, the Magpies are out of the bottom three.
...and here is that situation as things stand. Things are looking a lot better for Newcastle now, with Norwich facing an away game against Arsenal later today.
YELLOW CARD! Colback joins Mbemba in the book for a blatant tug back on Puncheon to prevent the Palace man from racing clear.
Townsend looks to do it all alone again as he races forward down the right channel and again looks for the same corner he picked out with that free kick. This time his effort is blocked, though, and Dann coolly chests it back to his keeper.
PENALTY TO CRYSTAL PALACE!
SAVED!
Karl Darlow, join Townsend as a Geordie hero! St James's Park is stunned by Mike Dean's decision to award a penalty in the first place as there was no obvious infringement, but the replay shows that Sissoko had his arm up when challenging for a corner and the ball did strike it. Up steps Cabaye, of all people, in front of the Gallowgate End, but Darlow hurls himself to his left to make a fine stop. Massive moment in this match, and potentially the relegation battle.
NEWCASTLE SUB: Change for the home side here as Mitrovic comes on in place of Cisse.
CRYSTAL PALACE SUBS: Palace make changes of their own as Dwight Gayle and Emmanuel Adebayor come on in place of Wickham and Puncheon.
That is a final throw of the dice for Palace, who have now gone 4-4-2 in an effort to get something out of this game. Newcastle, meanwhile, are on course for a huge, huge win if they can hold out for the final 15 minutes or so.
Townsend is really putting a shift in here. He is popping up all over the pitch and that work rate is only going to do him favours with the home fans.
NEWCASTLE SUB: Another change for the hosts as Wijnaldum makes way to be replaced by Ayoze Perez.
Two subs combine for Newcastle here as Mitrovic wins a header to flick the ball on for Perez, who takes it past one but then lifts his finish over the top.
Newcastle aren't settling for just the one goal here. They aren't going gung-ho either, but they have got the ball up inside the Palace half and are looking as likely to score as Palace right now.
There is a bit of a stoppage here as Mitrovic and Delaney have a skirmish, and then Mitrovic plays cheerleader to get the fans back up for it. Delaney is very unhappy about something here.
NEWCASTLE SUB: A third and final change for the hosts sees Anita limp off with an injury to be replaced by Jonjo Shelvey.
There will be FIVE minutes of added time at the end of this match.
This is all so tense for Newcastle right now! Palace are pushing for a winner, but Newcastle are holding out at the moment! Not long left now!
FULL TIME: Newcastle United 1-0 Crystal Palace
St James's Park erupts as Newcastle hold one for a crucial three points that takes them out of the relegation zone! Andros Townsend and Karl Darlow are the heroes for scoring the winner and saving a penalty respectively, and the Magpies's survival dream comes one step closer to reality. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
