THIS was billed as a week that could shape Newcastle United’s season. In the end, eight minutes was long enough to suffice.

Trailing to Glenn Murray’s controversial first-half penalty as the clock ticked past the 80-minute mark at Brighton’s Amex Stadium, the Magpies were in a perilous position ahead of away games at Huddersfield and Reading. On Pancake Day, their hopes of an instant return to the Premier League were at risk of falling flat.

Cue a stroke of luck from Mo Diame and a stroke of right-footed precision from Ayoze Perez, and things were looking very different indeed. Back at the top of the table, and boasting an eight-point lead over their weekend opponents, Huddersfield, Newcastle are firmly on track for a top-two finish. Rarely can the promotion picture have changed so dramatically in such a short space of time.

Diame’s deflection from Christian Atsu’s mis-hit shot was extremely fortunate, but was hardly undeserved given Newcastle’s spirited response to having fallen behind when Ciaran Clark was penalised for a tug on Murray.

Outplayed in the early stages, Newcastle were the better side for much of the second half, and would have equalised shortly before the hour mark had Yoan Gouffran displayed more composure when David Stockdale’s error left him in the clear.

Instead, Diame’s leveller paved the way for Perez’s 89th-minute winner, with the Spanish substitute slotting home after Atsu crossed from the left.

Other sides might have shut up shop after hauling themselves level, so it is to Newcastle’s credit that they continued to push for the winner that eventually arrived. That cavalier attitude has served them well so far this season, and continues to drive them forward. Win again in West Yorkshire on Saturday, and it will be all-but-impossible to see them being pegged back.

Their late rally has taken them into an extremely strong position, and reversed a statistical quirk that had looked like dooming them to defeat.  Prior to kick-off, Brighton had scored first in 18 league games this season, and won all 18. Newcastle had conceded first in seven, and lost six, drawing the other. Not anymore.

The late strikes also ensured the headlines would not be dominated by referee Robert Madley, a Huddersfield fan whose appointment had caused raised eyebrows before the game. Given his roots, it was perhaps inevitable he would find himself at the heart of an early controversy.

Clark and Murray were involved in a wrestling match as Brighton swung over a corner from the right-hand side, but it seemed to be six of one and half-a-dozen of the other in terms of culpability.

Both players fell to floor, but Madley showed no hesitation as he immediately pointed to the spot. Rafael Benitez was livid on the touchline, but Murray picked himself up to dispatch a clinical spot-kick past Karl Darlow’s right hand.

In truth, Newcastle might already have been behind had it not been for Darlow’s early excellence, such was the sharpness of Brighton’s start.

The visiting goalkeeper got down to his right to keep out a stinging first-time volley from Bruno, and had to be even more alert moments later as he kept out Sam Baldock’s shot after the striker had been released into the area by an improvised free-kick from Anthony Knockaert.

Murray’s opener ensured Brighton’s early dynamism was rewarded, but having struggled to create any kind of cohesion early on, it was to Newcastle’s credit that they successfully steadied the ship after falling behind.

With Jonjo Shelvey seeing more of the ball at the heart of midfield, and Diame pushing forward to support Gouffran, who was selected as a lone striker ahead of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Daryl Murphy, the visitors gradually stemmed the flow of Brighton attacks and began to pose a few problems of their own.

Matt Ritchie clipped the top of the crossbar with a chipped shot from the corner of the area that caught Brighton goalkeeper David Stockdale unawares, and Gouffran saw a low 20-yard shot saved as he drove at the heart of the home side’s defence.

Atsu made a couple of dangerous dribbles down the right-hand side, but while Darlow was forced to produce another smart save towards the end of the first half, his efforts were nothing compared to Stockdale’s heroics in stoppage time.

Atsu thought he had scored when he met DeAndre’s Yedlin’s cross with a crisp first-time volley, but Stockdale produced a superb reflex stop to ensure his side were ahead at the break.

Not for the first time in recent weeks, Darlow was flustered at the start of the second half, failing to get anywhere near Knockaert’s right-wing cross as he hurtled from his line. Lewis Dunk’s effort was heading towards goal, but Paul Dummett successfully saved his keeper’s blushes as he produced an excellent hooked clearance off the goalline.

Darlow was rather more effective moments later as he kept out Knockaert’s sharp low effort from inside the area, with Brighton’s explosive start to the second half mirroring the way in which they began the first.

Newcastle needed a route back into the game, but when they were presented with one in unexpected circumstances shortly before the hour mark, they were unable to take advantage.

Stockdale displayed some uncharacteristic slackness as he cleared straight to Gouffran close to the edge of the area, leaving the Newcastle striker in a one-on-one situation.

Had it been the injured Dwight Gayle in the same situation, he would almost certainly have scored. Even Mitrovic would have backed himself to find the corner of the net, but Gouffran never looked comfortable and his tame effort was directed straight at a grateful Stockdale.

Given the Frenchman’s failings, it was surprising that it took until the 74th minute for Benitez to make his first attacking change. That saw Murphy replace Jack Colback as he went up front, and the replacement immediately tested Stockdale with two decent headers.

The Brighton goalkeeper was equal to those efforts, but was powerless to prevent Newcastle claiming a bizarre equaliser with nine minutes left.

Stockdale punched Ritchie’s corner to Atsu, whose attempted effort from the edge of the area was shanked horribly. However, the ball deflected off first Dummett and then Diame, before looping over Brighton’s covering defenders and into the roof of the net.

Newcastle would have settled for a point at that stage, but better was to come with 60 seconds left. Perez had only been on the pitch for seven minutes, but he struck to claim what could be a priceless winner in the simplest of fashions.

Ritchie released Atsu down the right, the winger slid a low cross into the area, and finding himself completely unmarked, Perez slotted a slick finish into the corner.