Newcastle United 1-2 Blackburn Rovers

After a poor first-half display which saw Rovers take a 2-0 lead through Christopher Samba and Roque Santa Cruz, the Magpies staged a fightback.

Captain Michael Owen converted a 48th-minute penalty for his fourth goal in six matches after he had been tripped by Ryan Nelsen.

The refereeing was terrible. Another more obvious penalty should have been given just minutes before for what appeared to be an obvious Martin Olsson handball.

Newcastle's interim boss Joe Kinnear:
"We needed to stop feeling sorry for ourselves. We need to get rid of all the issues that are going on - Is the club being sold? Are we bringing back Kevin Keegan? - until it actually happens.

"We need to focus on playing football, it's as simple as that. And they need to play football well. But what has not helped matters, I am told, is that six or seven of the best players are missing.

"On the good side, with the international break coming up we could have four or five of them back."

Blackburn manager Paul Ince:
"It was important in the last 48 hours that we shut that out (Newcastle's off-field problems) and concentrated on what Blackburn Rovers is all about rather than feeling sorry for Newcastle.

"Also, it was a case of who got the first goal. As soon as we got the first goal I felt at ease because I knew the crowd would get on their backs.

"It's not the Newcastle players' fault. They are trying, they are trying really, really hard and I feel sorry for them."

Newcastle: Given, Bassong, Taylor, Coloccini, Cacapa, Geremi (Ameobi 71), Butt, Duff, N'Zogbia (Edgar 82), Xisco, Owen.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Tozer, Doninger, Donaldson, Ranger.

Goals: Owen 51 pen.

Blackburn: Brown, Simpson, Nelsen, Samba, Warnock, Emerton, Olsson, Kerimoglu, Derbyshire (Ooijer 84), Roque Santa Cruz (Roberts 84), Villanueva (Fowler 62).
Subs Not Used: Bunn, Pedersen, Andrews, Treacy.

Booked: Emerton, Warnock, Nelsen, Roberts.

Goals: Samba 31, Roque Santa Cruz 41.

Att: 44,935

Ref: Steve Tanner (Somerset).