Newcastle United 1 Wolves 2

Points are what Ashley believes will help Newcastle United’s disliked owner achieve his goal of selling, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, helped by referee Mike Dean and a mistake from DeAndre Yedlin, ensured Rafa Benitez’s side didn’t collect any for the second weekend in a row on Tyneside.

The Magpies, with the scoreline level from the two goals in the first half, had to play with ten men for the final 33 minutes following Yedlin’s red card and that led to a seventh home defeat from nine league games this season.

The result means Newcastle remain 13th, holding a three-point cushion over the relegation zone ahead of dates with strugglers Huddersfield and Fulham.

It was only the second defeat in seven for Benitez and his team, and holding on to a point would have satisfied Benietz, the fans and Ashley – who has missed the last fourth games – as he looks to get a buyer for the Tyneside club over the line.

Newcastle had been indebted to Ayoze Perez’s fine header, his second of the season, in the 23rd minute for cancelling out Diogo Jota’s opener six minutes earlier.

But then Jota’s late drive and shot into the area led to Matt Doherty, who had gone close beforehand too, heading in the winner deep into stoppage-time.

Newcastle lost to the Molineux outfit in the top-flight for the first time since 1959 and it was the first time they had beaten their North-East counterparts in the Premier League.

Things started brightly enough for Newcastle. Rather than empty seats that had been proposed inside St James’ by certain fans, there was a decent atmosphere from another 50,000-plus crowd after the planned boycott was called off, and they almost had a Newcastle goal to cheer inside a minute.

Rondon was quick to highlight his quality and threat when he pulled down a Mo Diame cross into the area and with his second touch he volleyed low into goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

That looked like it could be a sign of things to come and in many respects, in terms of the striker’s own performance, it was. Rondon was a nuisance to the visiting defence throughout the 90 minutes, even if the rest of his team-mates gave themselves a hill to climb by falling behind.

The danger signs had already been there for Newcastle when Adama Traore had ran at speed a couple of times into the penalty area. His pace, which Middlesbrough fans got to witness regularly last season, cause Federico Fernandez early problems and that factor actually led to the opening goal.

Traore had already drawn a free-kick from Fernandez which Jota curled into Martin Dubravka when, five minutes later, the same three players were involved in Newcastle falling behind.

The Newcastle defender was initially caught in possession when Traore pounced to knock him off the ball legally. Wolves had possession and when Helder Costa picked up the ball down the right, he turned inside before curling into the area.

Jota, left unmarked, had been left in acres of space by Jamaal Lascelles and Yedlin, so he had the time to control comfortably before he applied the cushioned finish into the centre of Dubravka’s goal from eight yards.

At that point Newcastle supporters quite rightly feared the worst. Newcastle’s back three, which had introduced Ciaran Clark to it in the absence of the suspended Fabian Schar, had struggled to deal with Wolves’ front three, while wing-backs Matt Ritchie and Yedlin had not done enough in the opposite direction.

But Newcastle settled and it took them less than six minutes to level things up, with Rondon at the centre of things again even though Perez it was who found the net.

Rondon’s rasping free-kick from 25 yards crashed off the underside of the bar and it bounced down the wrong side of the line. It looked as if Wolves had escaped, but they hadn’t.

When Newcastle’s Venezuelan international collected possession outside of the area on the right, he curled a brilliant delivery into the crowded area where Perez was on hand to leap and flick the equaliser beyond Patricio with his head.

The confidence that gave Perez was clear for all to see. His first touch was impressive throughout and he linked play well in behind the striker, while Christian Atsu was also lively to cause the visitors issues.

Newcastle had to deal with losing Fernandez at the break. His withdrawal meant Yedlin had to play on the right of the three centre-backs and Lascelles was moved inside, to allow Javier Manquillo to operate down the right.

That tactical change didn’t last long because of Yedlin’s stupidity. He had not looked comfortable in his new role and 11 minutes into the second half he was caught in possession deep in his own half.

The American’s attempted recovery included a pull on Jota as he ran towards goal and referee Mike Dean instantly produced the red card, even though there was an argument that Lascelles was the covering man and the last man.

Benitez had to change to a flat back four for the final half hour and, even though Wolves made a double substitution in a bid to get three points, Newcastle dug deep to keep the visitors at bay.

There was a scare or two, like when Raul Jimenez did what Rondon managed in the first half by striking the underside of the bar from distance. It was a relief in the Gallowgate when the flag from Darren Cann was for offside rather than to signal a goal.

Then Dubravka made a stunning save to his right to turn a Doherty effort behind for a corner after Dean controversially allowed Wolves to counter attack after Perez appeared to take a knock to the head at the other end.

Newcastle battled and just when kit looked like they had done enough, Wolves struck in the six minutes of added time.

Jota’s desire and drive to get into the box forced a save out of Dubravka, but Doherty was on hand at the back post to nod over the line to deflate St James’ – except for the joyous golden section.