FOR the home fans inside St James’ Park on Monday night, it was pretty clear how much they enjoyed seeing Newcastle United score the crucial second goal that helped seal three more points in the battle for promotion.

Not only was it a goal that secured extra breathing space against Aston Villa, managed by former Sunderland boss Steve Bruce, whose side have still not won since Boxing Day.

It was also a goal that lifted Newcastle back to the top of the Championship by a point from Brighton, while increasing the gap to eight points back to third place Huddersfield too.

But as well as those things, though, it was also a goal scored by a certain Henri Lansbury; who might as well have had posters depicting him as Tyneside’s most hated man when he travelled to the North-East yesterday.

Newcastle fans didn’t need reminding of Lansbury’s part in the Magpies’ 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest at the beginning of December when his actions were blamed by Geordies for getting both Jonjo Shelvey and Paul Dummett sent off.

Both red cards was rescinded afterwards, but the defeat wasn’t. Lansbury, now wearing the Claret of Aston Villa, was booed from the first whistle at St James’ Park – and then could have done with the turf swallowing him up just before the hour.

Newcastle, who worryingly lost leading scorer Dwight Gayle to injury in the first half, had taken the lead when Yoan Gouffran pounced from close range with three minutes remaining of the half to grab his seventh of the season.

Then, with an hour approaching, Lanbsury got himself in a horrendous mess on the line to help Jamaal Lascelles’ effort over the line after it had hit the foot of the post; prompting taunting from the Gallowgate and beyond for the embarrassed and frustrated Villan of the piece.

Aston Villa, sitting only six points above the bottom three, are still waiting for a first win at St James’ since Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer were infamously sent off for fighting each other 12 years ago.

That winless run was extended even though Newcastle had to end a hoodoo of their own, having bizarrely lost their previous 11 games on a Monday night.

Having lost grip of top spot over the weekend after Brighton’s win at Barnsley, it was time for Newcastle to wrestle it back from Chris Hughton’s men from the south coast.

In a bid to do just that, leading scorer Gayle was reinstated to the starting line-up for the first time since pulling his hamstring in mid-January – even if he didn’t even last a half on his big night.

Statistically there should have been no concerns for Newcastle; unbeaten in their previous ten matches against an Aston Villa side which had not won a league game since Boxing Day. Things have not been going well for Geordie boy Bruce.

But Bruce had looked like being the more satisfied manager at half-time until Gouffran’s timely intervention. Newcastle struggled to settle, which was highlighted by how isolated Gayle was up front and he had been unable to get into the game before his withdrawal just after the half hour mark through injury.

By the time Aleksandar Mitrovic had replaced him, Villa had created the best two chances.

The first was early on. A Neil Taylor free-kick from deep was flicked on and then headed over goalkeeper Karl Darlow by Scott Hogan. For a few seconds it looked like it would drop straight in, instead it was helped wide rather than over the line by Birkir Bjarnarson.

Even though it took almost 30 minutes for the visitors to create the next serious opening, Newcastle never looked like taking the lead during that period either. When that chance did arrive, Darlow brilliantly tipped Jonathan Kodjia’s deflected drive from a tight angle over the bar.

That was soon followed by Mitrovic’s introduction. And the Serbian was heavily involved in the opening goal which very few people inside St James’ Park could have seen coming.

A Newcastle corner was poorly dealt with by the Aston Villa defence. Mitrovic ended up forcing an effort through a crowded area and it was blocked en route to goal, but only as far as sitting up invitingly for Gouffran to force a close range finish over the line.

Newcastle might not have deserved the lead after such a frustrating performance that was not reflective of a side sitting top of the Championship.

Gouffran had hardly done anything apart from run around before that crucial intervention; having grabbed his first goal since January 18 against Birmingham, though, the 30-year-old did play with an extra edge after that.

Having edged ahead Newcastle came within inches of a second before the half-time whistle had blown when Matt Ritchie’s drilled effort from distance zipped just wide of Sam Johnstone’s left upright.

Rather than build on that in the early stages of the second half, Newcastle were still unconvincing. Villa occasionally probed and it was in a defensive sense that the hosts looked more effective.

But then Newcastle got the break that handed them the extra cushion – and it’s safe to opine that the home supporters enjoyed watching the certain Villa player who scored it.

Shelvey’s corner was turned goalwards by Lascelles. The defender’s effort hit the post and then rebounded back off former Nottingham Forest man Lansbury and rolled over the line; cue plenty of stick from the Gallowgate and beyond.

Villa still had their moments. Darlow made an excellent save to thwart Bjarnarson five minutes later and that would have made things interesting.

Instead that save prompted Newcastle to find an extra gear and it wasn’t long before Johnstone was asked another question; this time when he had to get down low at his near post to block Ritchie’s stinging drive.

There was a better stop soon after too. When Colback’s strong run earned him space in the area, he was left with the freedom to direct an effort towards the far post and Johnstone got down well to turn away from danger.

After that there was very little for either keeper to do. Not that it mattered, Newcastle had won again, taking their points tally to 69, and are potentially seven more wins from securing a return to the top-flight.