Owen opens the escape hatch and Keegan breathes sigh of relief

The win, Kevin Keegan's first in nine League matches since launching his managerial renaissance, eased the pressure on the boss. More important was its effect on the chances of avoiding relegation.

Newcastle climbed groggily to the 32-point mark; Fulham, facing four games against teams in similar distress, may have to win them all to secure the £35million that would come with preserving their Premier League status.

But victory was never clear-cut until Owen's eighth goal of the season, six minutes from the end, enabled Newcastle supporters to put their hands back into their gloves after spending most of the game chewing their fingernails.

Viduka's sixth-minute opener should have maintained the dressing- room confidence raised by Monday's battling draw at Birmingham but a succession of missed opportunities invited Fulham to stage a firsthalf comeback that deserved better than to turn round a goal down.

Amazingly, Newcastle's win completed a double success over the Londoners in a season when victories have been few and far between.

After all, the last time the Toon Army celebrated three points was in the corresponding game at Craven Cottage last December.

And yet there are not many grounds Fulham could look forward to on their travels, and Newcastle, the scene of their previous away win 18 months ago, might have been one. Instead, they extended their unenviable Premier League record run of away matches without a win to 32.

It was almost inevitable that Viduka's stuttering season should come to life against opponents who bring out the best in him. Excellent work by Nicky Butt gave him the opportunity to score his eighth goal in as many matches against Fulham, a low left-footer wide of Kasey Keller's despairing right hand.

Jimmy Bullard's memory of Fulham's last winning visit in September 2006 is not so rosy. The enterprising midfielder sustained a knee injury which kept him out for 16 months, but strength of character is his greatest quality and whatever threat the visitors provided in the first half, he was behind it.

His deflected shot after two minutes flew just over the bar and Steve Harper needed all his goalkeeping nous to save two superbly struck long-range efforts in the seventh and 34th minutes.

Most of the early pressure came at the other end, Obafemi Martins having a shot pushed around a post by Keller and the American surpassing that effort with a flying save to deny Owen. Fulham clung on, Danny Murphy clearing off the line and Abdoulaye Faye's overhead kick rolling across the front of goal.

Owen wasted a gilt-edged opportunity to double the home advantage in the 35th minute when he raced between two defenders to meet a Geremi cross but made a nonsense of his point-blank header and Keller made an easy save.

It looked a costly miss as Fulham seized the initiative towards the interval. Bullard had the best chance after Simon Davies miskicked in front of goal, but he slashed wildly and the ball sailed hopelessly wide.

Fulham failed to offer the same threat after the break but neither were Newcastle much of a force until Owen made up for his earlier error with a typical poacher's goal.

The visitors' defence seemed transfixed by Geremi's floating freekick from the left — but not the England striker. He nipped in front of a static Brede Hangeland to guide a neat header pass Keller.

The win ended a depressing run of four points out of 39, during which Newcastle scored only four goals. It may not dispel relegation fears yet but at least it lifts them off the bottom of the six-match form table.

Fulham's plight is more obvious. It will take a remarkable change of fortune to recover from a record of four points from the past 18.

Manager Roy Hodgson said: "I thought if we continued the way we played in the first half we could get something, but we didn't play so well in the second. We were still in it but their second goal killed any aspirations we had."

Keegan said: "We could have made it a little easier for ourselves in the first half with the chances we created but I felt we stuck to our plan; stuck together when we weren't having our own way. The win has taken a long time; longer than possibly I thought and anybody else thought.

"But we got there with a clean sheet and good invention. We've worked hard as a team and that's always been the success of Newcastle sides. It has been a good week for us — by our recent standards a great week."