Half time: Magpies 0 Terriers 0

80 mins Ayoze Perez took the ball out of his half and played it wide to Christian Atsu. The winger beat his man and crossed to the far post where Islam Slimani was waiting to head home but Jonas Lossl palmed the ball to Kenedy. The Brazilian had the presence of mind to pick out the unmarked Ayoze Perez who slotted home from six yards amid great acclaim. 1-0

Full time: Magpies 1 Terriers 0

Rafa Beniteggs said:

"It was an important game and we needed to win. 

"They are a good team, well organised. We didn't take our chances and in the second half there was a risk we could be caught, but we stayed calm.

"Ayoze Perez was doing a good job. He needed to stay calm in that position, move around the position and take his chance.

"It was a great atmosphere and the team and fans together are stronger. Forty points is the figure we are looking for and that's it.

"This week, we were training really well - apart from yesterday. I was not very happy because they were a little bit relaxed.

On Kenedy:

"We needed some energy and he was challenging and working hard. To have this competition up front is really positive for the team." 

On Perez:

"We’ve been talking that No 10 position for two seasons now. Some people are saying he’s too lightweight, and he gives the ball away, but he plays in a position where he often has a lot of players around him and he has to do difficult things.

"He has the movement and the understanding of the game and when we need something, for a player who plays between the lines of defence and midfield, he understands these things. We do not have more players like that.

You can maybe play a game with two strikers, but you can lose control of the (opposition) holding midfielders and therefore the team. 

"If you have a player who can play between the lines, they can be a threat in attack, but they can also help defensively. A player who can link with the striker and be a threat in attack, they’re difficult to find. 

"Normally a proper No 10 would be a player with quality when they dribble, but they probably wouldn’t help out much in defence. Finding the balance between quality going forward and helping the team is difficult, but he’s the player who can do that for us. The fans expect the No 10 to be able to dribble and score a lot of goals.

"He sometimes gives the ball away, but he always helps out in defence. When you don’t have a player in that position who can do those things you expect, you need one who can help the team out in defence. He's clever and he is a hard worker."

On Diame:

"I decided (to make a substitution) because Diame was injured. He's been really important for us, but I will say again, (Isaac) Hayden and (Mikel) Merino can manage also his position really well. 

"Hopefully, it will be nothing, and it will be a problem for me, but a good problem."

David Wagner commented:

"We are frustrated and a little bit disappointed as well, of course, (to) concede so late in the game in a game where I think, in the second half, our game-plan worked more or less perfectly.

"We wanted to frustrate them, we wanted to play from a deeper block, minimise their chances and hurt them on the counter.

"It was defensively one of our best performances in the second half of the season. The effort, attitude, fighting spirit, togetherness, everything you need when you are in and around the position in the table where we are, was there.

"That's enough for me to get enough confidence for the next games. But you need as well to use your opportunities and we haven't done today, and that's why we conceded this defeat where I think we deserved at least a point for this great defensive attitude and fighting spirit which the players have shown."
 

A late winner from Ayoze Perez gave Newcastle another three massive points towards securing their Premier League survival on an afternoon that had threatened to be hugely frustrating.

Dwight Gayle had three or four good chances in the first half to put an unchanged United ahead but went close with a lob and a volley that were narrowly off target and a flick that almost came off.

Going in goalless at the break against a toothless Terriers side was disheartening, but given the total dominance of Rafa Benitez's side a home goal still seemed inevitable. 

however the chances dried up after the break and it wasn't until the introduction of Christian Atsu and debutant Islam Slimani that a goal threat returned.

Loanee Slimani replaced the fading Gayle and looked strong and intelligent, almost getting on the end of another outstanding pass from Jonjo Shelvey - again the bedrock of this victory in tandem with reborn Mo Diame, who really hasn't looked back since Jamaal Lascelles offered him out.

The decisive move was started and finished by Ayoze Perez, who slotted home from close range in front of the Leazes End after Atsu's centre from the right was intelligently touched back by Kenedy. The part that Slimani played in the goal is also significant: without touching the ball, his physical presence gave goalkeeper Jonas Lossl something to reckon with as he went for the cross.

That goal was the perfect way to warm up home followers on a cold and wet Easter Saturday, but more significantly it took United seven points clear of the relegation zone, as results elsewhere once again went our way.

The visitors - backed by a noisy and sizeable following - never looked likely to get a heart-breaking equaliser in five minutes of added time aside from one moment when Martin Dubravka snuffed out the threat as Scott Malone homed in on Alex Pritchard's cross.

Anything other than a home victory would have been a massive injustice though; this solid and determined collective performance in difficult conditions showing that the enforced three week fixture break since victory here over Southampton hadn't harmed us. 

Three hard-earned points leave Rafa's side in a very strong position with seven games left, including the visit of rock bottom West Bromwich Albion, who bade a hearty good riddance to Alan Pardew and John Carver 48 hours after their latest defeat.

We're still not quite safe but the six points gained against Southampton and Huddersfield leave both sides looking over their shoulders, while Newcastle can even begin to entertain notions of their best top-flight finish since 2014.   

With clear daylight now between ourselves and the bottom three and superior goal difference, only a spectacular points failure would now leave us in trouble - despite collecting just a single point from a possible 21 in the corresponding meetings with our remaining seven opponents.

Reaching 35 points though is of course no guarantee of survival: this team was relegated in 2016 with 37 and came within 90 minutes of dropping the year before that, having reached 35 points after 27 games and then promptly lost each of the next eight.

There's still some work to be done, but the patience and unity evident from the Gallowgate crowd towards this team and this manager remains massively encouraging. For the moment at least, fans are aware what the challenge is and playing their part in responding to it positively.

After witnessing 49 Toon Championship goals here last time round, fans have now seen just 16 in as many home games this season - but aren't moaning unduly, because they read it correctly. 

Aside from the mere fact that people are turning up - in contrast to stayaway clowns who claim to follow the Gunners for example - it's not long ago that a scoreless first 45 minutes here would have been the signal for audible grumbling. The crowd however are now either remaining on message, afraid to vocalise their discontent or have already sloped off for a half-time gargle. 

Similarly, the profligacy of Dwight Gayle understandably causes frustration - the slap of hand on bald head is a seasonal soundtrack for some at SJP - but the support and encouragement those misses prompt now drown out most of the anguished wails. 

Having buttoned their collective lips through that eight game winless home run, there's clear and evident satisfaction in the stands now from seeing the buggers win three in a row - payback time. 

Bring on the Gunners.

Biffa