FACING a team that hadnt won away from home since the first day of the season should have been an ideal opportunity for Newcastle to get their stuttering campaign back on track.

Then again Sam Allardyces side seem incapable of doing anything expected of them as it became their third league defeat in a row.

At 0-1 down Michael Owen - seconds after coming on - had the chance to bring the scores level at the start of the second half but could only direct his effort straight at Joe Hart.

After that Newcastle never really looked like scoring despite Nicky Butt forcing Hart to tip his effort from outside the box over the bar.

By then Newcastle were two down and despite the freezing conditions inside the stadium most of the near 50,000 crowd stayed until then end to deliver the customary final whistle chorus of boos.

Stoke City must be rubbing their hands at the thought of playing the Magpies with Allardyces side heading to the Britannia Stadium as underdogs on current form.