Birmingham City heaped more misery on Newcastle United with David Dunn's second-half strike clinching the three points for the Blues at St James' Park.
Lacklustre United suffered their third defeat in the space of seven days following reverses at the hands of Manchester United and Partizan Belgrade, and like the Champions League match it was also decided from 12 yards following makeshift fullback Gary Speed's rash challenge inside the box.
Birmingham had the first real chance of the game with Dunn seizing on a Hugo Viana error and forcing a fine reflex save from Shay Given in the 19th minute.
Newcastle turned defence into attack from the resulting corner and Keiron Dyer ran the length of the pitch to force a United corner.
That was overhit by Viana and Shola Ameobi headed the ball back across goal but Alan Shearer's effort was wide of Mike Taylor's goal.
Neither manager made any half-time changes and the Magpies had the better start, forcing three corners in quick succession but Sir Bobby Robson's team were unable to trouble Taylor from them.
And it was the visitors who got the breakthrough when Speed, playing at left back, brought Damien Johnson down inside the box after Dunn sent him clear on Given's goal.
Given, facing his eighth spot kick of the week, got to Dunn's right foot effort but he couldn't hold onto the ball and the midfielder buried the rebound with his left in the 61st minute.
At the other end Nolberto Solano flashed a volley wide before Sir Bobby made a triple substitution in the 66th minute when he brought on Laurent Robert, Michael Chopra and Lee Bowyer, hoping to breathe some life into his team.
Solano was one of the players to make way and Robson's final substitution was booed by the home support who wanted the Peruvian to stay on the pitch.
But the changes failed to give United the spark they were looking for and in the 76th minute Stan Lazaridis should have put Birmingham two up, when he robbed Andy Griffin of the ball and faced Given one-on-one but the Newcastle goalkeeper was able to save at his feet.
But United, badly missing Craig Bellamy's pace and movement up front, could not make Lazaridis and Birmingham pay and Steve Bruce's side held on for their second Premiership win of the season.