NEWCASTLE assistant Alan Murray last night defended his club's supporters despite them turning on chairman Freddy Shepherd and manager Graeme Souness during the Magpies' 2-1 win in Heerenveen.

With Souness' side trailing 1-0 in the early stages of the second half, the travelling support berated their manager for his refusal to hand fans' favourite Laurent Robert a starting berth and attacked Shepherd with chants of "Sack the board".

Those chants quickly dissipated after goals from Alan Shearer and Lee Bowyer cancelled out a first-half strike from Klaas Jan Huntelaar but, after having kept their frustrations under control since Souness' appointment in September, the fans' willingness to vent their anger hints at more worrying times ahead.

Chelsea will provide a far tougher test on Sunday but, while Murray admitted that Newcastle's supporters were growing "impatient", he defended their support of their team.

"I think they see Newcastle as a really big team in English football," said Murray, who attended the post-match press conference instead of Souness. "And a really big team in European football, and they get a bit impatient.

"They want success immediately, and they get frustrated when that doesn't happen. It wasn't happening initially, but it came good for us in the end.

"We've got to accept the criticism. The supporters pay their money and have the chance to air their grievances if they want to.

"In general terms, our away support is fantastic. They had their five minutes, but then they turned it around and gave the team fantastic support."

While the performance might have been mixed, the result leaves the Magpies within touching distance of the last 16 of the UEFA Cup. Souness' side have now won all four of their European away games this season, although Murray has dismissed any talk of complacency ahead of next Thursday's second leg.

"I think we're pleased with the result," he said. "Although we realise we could have played better.

"Everybody likes to go out and win games with style and panache, but sometimes the opposition don't let you do that.

"We've put ourselves in a strong position. We're not through and we certainly won't be taking Heerenveen lightly next week.

"But if anyone had offered us this result before we kicked off, we would have jumped at it."

Shearer turned the game with his 14th goal of the season and ensured that the complaints would quickly be nipped in the bud.

The United skipper will not score many more important goals for the Magpies, although he was quick to play down the festering spirit of mutiny that was threatening to explode before his all-important strike.

"I don't know any game playing for Newcastle when the pressure is not on," argued Shearer. "We've done a good job and it was a professional performance.''

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