OUTPLAYED, outclassed, outfought and Dwight Gayle hobbling off injured – no wonder Rafa Benitez was in no mood to hang around Hillsborough after Saturday’s drab defeat.

As Benitez undertook his post-match media functions in the bowels of Sheffield Wednesday’s stadium, Owls’ boss Carlos Carvalhal approached him and offered him a customary drink in his office whenever he had finished chewing the fat with the press.

Yet the late kick-off meant Newcastle were keen to get out of South Yorkshire as soon as possible so after a hug and a pat on the cheek, Benitez turned down the offer.

This was no snub, no cruel rebuff of Carvalhal – it had simply been a long day in which nothing had gone right for the Spaniard.

Huddersfield’s loss to Nottingham Forest had meant Newcastle had a ten-point cushion in second place or maybe it was just one of those days but, either way, Benitez’s men departed Hillsborough with what they deserved: nothing.

He said: “We didn't manage the tempo and the control well enough, so we have to improve.

“We had our chances to win and at the end we were on top of them but no result. We have to defend much better next time out.

“We have to take our game back to the level that we know we can play at. There were too many mistakes and we gave them too many options.”

Wednesday simply swept them away.

This was a bunfight and brawl of a match and TV executives will have spent Saturday night patting themselves on the back after having the foresight to screen it live.

It began at breakneck speed and never really slowed down as Wednesday immediately showed their intent – and the visitors immediately showed their slackness.

After just 111 seconds, Paul Dummett’s horror clearance fell to Gary Hooper but he thrashed his effort against the crossbar to set the tone.

The home team showed far more composure and intent early on and Steven Fletcher should have then scored twice in 90 seconds in an opening 15 mintues that left Newcastle’s defence shellshocked.

Firstly the former Sunderland striker miscued a volley after some wonderful build up play between Barry Bannan and Hooper and then Karl Darlow came to the rescue, brilliantly blocking a point-blank effort from Fletcher when it seemed easier to score.

After riding the early storm – and some crunching tackles – Newcastle hoped for a brighter end to the first half but they were stunned when Gayle pulled up with another hamstring problem after 25 minutes.

Blunt at the back and now blunt up front – this was the worst possible time to lose a man who has done all he can to fire Newcastle back towards the Premier League.

Another man who can claim to have done the same is Jonjo Shelvey and although it would be too strong to suggest his performance was a one-man show for the visitors, he was the best black and white player on the pitch by some distance.

Talking of distance, the miles he covers remain astonishing and he was at the heart of every defensive effort, every midfield tussle, every rare foray into Wednesday’s half.

And just before break, he nearly scored the goal of his career, lashing a shot a full 60 yards from inside his own half that beat Keiren Westwood but not the crossbar.

Seconds later the half-time whistle went and when your best effort in 45 minutes has been a hit-and-hope effort from a mile away then you know you are in serious trouble.

After the restart, Shelvey remained at the heart of it, forcing Darlow into two fine early saves but, all of a sudden, Wednesday finally had the lead they deserved.

Tom Lees jumped highest at a Ross Wallace free-kick to head past a stranded Darlow before Fletcher made amends for his earlier misses with a brilliant header that looped up and over the keeper into the far corner.

With 20 minutes left, that appeared to be that but Shelvey alone showed resistance and thrashed home an effort with three minutes left to halve the deficit and set Hillsborough on edge.

It was tense and tough but Wednesday held on to breathe hope into their own promotion concerns.

Newcastle have done enough this season – especially away from home – to discount and forget one truly abject showing.

Yet, even now, even with the Championship table still looking so promising, neither Newcastle nor Benitez can afford to let Saturday’s woes develop into a longer and wider period of damaging incompetence.