WHEN the rest of the population go to the polls later today, it is safe to assume that Newcastle's players will be joining them in exercising their democratic right.

On the evidence of last night's 3-1 win at Fulham, they seem to have finally rediscovered the art of putting a cross in the box.

And, while one victory will not paper over the cracks of a thoroughly dispiriting campaign, it at least gives Newcastle's long-suffering fans something to cling on to for next season. Many more performances like this and they will not be forced to vote with their feet.

With James Milner marauding down one flank and Charles N'Zogbia providing natural width down the other, all three of Newcastle's goals came from crosses into the box.

Darren Ambrose's 18th-minute opener came from a teasing N'Zogbia centre, while Patrick Kluivert and Shola Ameobi both powered home second-half headers from corner kicks.

Tomasz Radzinski might have grabbed an undeserved consolation for Fulham at the end but, with a host of players either injured or unavailable, some of Newcastle's supposed fringe stars shamed a number of their more illustrious colleagues.

The win even elevated the Magpies to the dizzy heights of 12th place and, perhaps more importantly, means they only have to earn a draw from their final two games to avoid finishing with the lowest points total of their Premiership history.

When Fulham won 4-1 on Tyneside in early November, Graeme Souness described the result as one of the "strangest" he had ever experienced.

Strange it might have been, but it was also a grim precursor of what was to follow. Since suffering his first home defeat as Newcastle boss, Souness had seen his side win just five of their subsequent 23 league games before last night's surprise success.

That run saw the Magpies career headlong towards the lower reaches of the Premiership but, by recording their third away win of the season, Souness' side have at least given themselves a chance of a more respectable finish.

They did so without Alan Shearer - rested after scoring just once since reversing his decision to retire - but with Titus Bramble, who made an unexpected return from the groin injury he sustained in the second half of his side's calamitous UEFA Cup exit in Lisbon.

After a season peppered with niggling problems, Bramble could not have wished for a more sedate reintroduction to Premiership life.

The former Ipswich defender hardly had to make a tackle of note all night as Fulham's players carried themselves in a manner that suggested they already had more than one eye on their summer holidays.

Newcastle have been playing like that since they crashed out of two cup competitions in a week but, to their credit, Souness' side displayed some unexpected urgency at a sparsely-populated Craven Cottage.

Their young midfielders were the catalysts for the change, with Milner in particular causing problems to his opposite number, Liam Rosenior.

Milner's direct running has caught the eye all season but, far too often, the 18-year-old has failed to find the final ball to go with his adventurous approach play.

That was not the case in the third minute, Kluivert steering his dangerous right-wing centre wide at the near post, or again five minutes later, when Ambrose saw his shot blocked once Milner had laid the ball off after cleverly drifting infield.

Former Newcastle defender Alain Goma steered a header well wide at the other end but the home side could have had few complaints when Newcastle claimed a deserved lead in the 18th minute.

N'Zogbia whipped in a teasing cross from the left touchline and, while Milner's initial header was blocked by Rosenior, Ambrose was on hand to lash home the loose ball from eight yards.

Even Kluivert was noticing the potential of Newcastle's raids down the flanks. The former European Cup winner has hardly put his head in where it hurts this season but, by glancing another Milner cross over the top on the half-hour mark, he underlined the extent of his side's dominance in the wide areas.

Fulham's wingers, on the other hand, were largely redundant, although Luis Boa Morte, a player Souness clearly covets, caused confusion in the United defence on the stroke of half-time.

His lofted ball into the box forced Shay Given to punch clear of Andy Cole and another Newcastle old boy, Lee Clark, could only head over the crossbar with the goal gaping.

That was a rare foray forward from the home side though and, with Jean-Alain Boumsong producing one of his more dominant defensive displays, the Magpies' rearguard rarely looked like being breached.

Indeed, it was Newcastle who continued to carry most threat after the break, with their three-pronged strikeforce of Milner, Kluivert and Ameobi ensuring they remained a constant danger on the counter-attack.

And it was Kluivert, making his first start in 17 league games, who doubled the visitors' advantage shortly after the hour mark.

Teenage midfielder N'Zogbia was again the instigator, with his right-wing corner teeing the Dutch international up for a powerful near-post header that crept between Mark Pembridge and the post he was supposed to be guarding.

Kluivert has done little to justify his £67,000-a-week wage bill this season but, interestingly, last night's success means Newcastle have now won the last six games in which he has started.

With Fulham's defence at sixes and sevens whenever a ball was thrown into the box, it was Ameobi's turn to profit 13 minutes later.

This time it was Milner supplying the corner from the left and, with the home side standing on parade in their own six-yard box, the Nigeria-born striker rose highest to head beyond a helpless Edwin Van der Sar.

Result: Fulham 1 Newcastle United 3.

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