NEWCASTLE UNITED moved out of the Premier League relegation zone as they claimed a much-needed 1-0 win at Bournemouth despite being outplayed for most of the game.

Ayoze Perez’s first-half strike was enough to separate the teams on the south coast, but the final scoreline flattered the Magpies, who were indebted to Rob Elliot for a string of superb saves.

Elliot was in excellent form despite having been a pre-match doubt because of a thigh problem, thwarting Bournemouth striker Josh King on a number of occasions before the break and also produced a fine second-half save to deny Matt Ritchie.

Newcastle’s attacking play was poor for the majority of the afternoon, but they dug deep when they had to and claimed a first away victory since they triumphed at Hull’s KC Stadium in January.

With Elliot passed fit despite his persistent thigh trouble, Steve McClaren named the same starting line-up that drew with Stoke City last weekend.

Elliot’s participation was in doubt after he suffered a recurrence of his thigh injury against the Potters, but the Irishman was the key performer throughout the first half as Newcastle successfully repelled a series of Bournemouth attacks.

Elliot’s involvement began as early as the fourth minute as he got down well to turn King’s fierce shot around the post.

King’s pace and movement enabled him to trouble the Newcastle defence all afternoon, and he would have profited from a mix-up between Vurnon Anita and Chancel Mbemba had Elliot not been alert.

Anita’s dreadful pass played Mbemba into trouble, but while the centre-half slipped to exacerbate the situation, Elliot raced from his line to hack the ball clear ahead of King.

Newcastle offered nothing in the opening stages, and after King had a decent penalty shout turned down when it looked like he had been blocked by Fabricio Coloccini in the area, Bournemouth went close again in the 21st minute.

King surged past Coloccini in the left-hand side of the penalty area, but Elliot did well to parry his low strike.

The Magpies hadn’t fashioned a shot of any description as the first half reached its halfway stage, but from nowhere, they suddenly claimed a surprise and undeserved lead in the 27th minute.

Aleksandar Mitrovic cleverly back-heeled the ball into Georginio Wijnaldum’s path, who in turn nudged it on towards Perez.

The Spaniard drilled in a low strike from the edge of the area, and while Bournemouth goalkeeper Adam Federici got a decent hand to the ball, he could not prevent it entering the net.

The goal did little to change the general pattern of play, and Newcastle were indebted to Elliot for two more excellent saves before the interval.

The first denied King after he glanced Ritchie’s whipped free-kick towards the far corner, and the second thwarted former Newcastle midfielder Dan Gosling after he met Ritchie’s right-wing cross with a downward header at the back post.

McClaren will have had some stern words for his players at the interval, but they clearly had little effect as Elliot was called upon yet again just 30 seconds after the restart.

Adam Smith crossed from the right, and Ritchie’s diving header would have found the net had Elliot not acrobatically tipped the ball over the crossbar.

The extent of Bournemouth’s dominance was remarkable – even if it was not reflected in the scoreline – but the hosts were guilty of some wretched finishing.

Junior Stanislas was especially culpable six minutes after the break, blazing over from inside the area after Newcastle’s defenders failed to deal with Ritchie’s cross.

McClaren’s attempt to change the pattern of the game saw Papiss Cisse introduced for Mitrovic shortly after the hour mark, but Newcastle still struggled to retain possession or offer any kind of a threat in the Bournemouth half.

The hosts’ second-half play was less incisive than their first though, and Newcastle finally created their second chance of the game with seven minutes remaining.

Coloccini met substitute Florian Thauvin’s free-kick with a back-post header, but Federici got a faint touch to tip the ball over the top.

Bournemouth (4-5-1): Federici; Smith, Francis, Distin, Daniels; Ritchie, Gosling, Surman, Arter (Rantie 79), Stanislas (Tomlin 73); King (Kermorgant 73).

Subs (not used): Boruc (gk), Cook, Bennett, MacDonald.

Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Elliot; Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett; Tiote, Anita (Mbabu 90); Sissoko, Perez (Thauvin 77), Wijnaldum; Mitrovic (Cisse 63).

Subs (not used): Woodman (gk), Lascelles, Gouffran, de Jong.