Late Barton penalty claims Toon points

The home side had been seconds away from the draw they needed to clamber out of the Barclays Premier League's bottom three but were doomed to defeat when Webb adjudged that Elliot Omozusi had fouled Alan Smith.

Fulham fans were convinced Webb had blundered as Smith did not have control of the ball when the challenge came in, but the official awarded the spotkick and Joey Barton despatched it to ruin Omozusi's 19th birthday.

The first 45 minutes gave little indication of that drama.

Newcastle had shaded what passed for entertainment, with Barton twice regretting he had not found the net for the first time since leaving Manchester City in the summer any earlier.

First he lost his marker in front of goal, only to fail to make the crucial connection, and then, after 15 minutes, Antti Niemi dived low to his left to save his header.

Fulham's finest first-half moment had gone by then, with the recalled David Healy seeing a snap-shot from the edge of the box pawed round by Shay Given.

Given was at the middle of a brief flash of controversy not long afterwards when he slid to collect a through-ball and quickly found himself leaving his penalty box before letting go of the ball which satisfied Webb if not the home fans.

The rest of the half saw both sets of forwards trying to pick up whatever scraps came their way. Newcastle almost broke the deadlock on the hour, but Niemi's positioning was faultless and he saved Nicky Butt's header.

Barton forced another save from Niemi before finally beating the Finn from the spot to settle a disappointing contest.