Duff strike downs Magpies

Damien Duff twisted the knife into former club Newcastle after their striker misery deepened in a 1-0 Barclays Premier League defeat at Fulham.

Duff netted his first league goal for almost a year to settle a tight affair and further ease the in-form Cottagers' relegation fears.

It was, though, another night to forget for Newcastle, who lost Shola Ameobi to a suspected fractured cheekbone just 13 minutes in, less than 48 hours after selling star striker Andy Carroll to Liverpool.

Manager Alan Pardew, who hoped an unchanged line-up would prove it was business as usual at St James' Park, would have been without the injured Carroll even had he stayed.

Newcastle could ill afford to lose another forward but that was exactly what happened when Ameobi took an elbow to the head in a challenge with Steve Sidwell after just 10 minutes.

Duff's deflected shot and a weak Danny Simpson strike at the other end were the only efforts of note in the opening quarter, although Sidwell arguably saved a goal by flicking Joey Barton's free-kick behind.

Mike Williamson produced a great block to deny Duff an early second-half opener but the winger should then have put Fulham ahead in the 50th minute when he prodded wide from barely three yards after Clint Dempsey's shot was saved by Harper and deflected straight to the winger.

Williamson made a near-fatal error just past the hour when he gifted the ball to Duff and Dempsey unleashed a rising near-post drive which was tipped over by Harper.

More suicidal defending ultimately cost them in the 67th minute when Jose Enrique was too easily beaten by Duff to Danny Murphy's 60-yard ball and the Irishman kept his cool to strike right-footed past Harper.