Commentary: Fulham 0 Newcastle 1

FULL TIME It is all over, Newcastle snatch victory. Stay with skysports.com for post match reaction as well as player ratings.

90 2 - GOAL!!! Barton tucks it away!

90 1 - Penalty: to Newcastle! Smith is felled in box.

85 - Barton effort: The former Manchester City midfielder powers a strike at goal, but it is straight at Niemi.

78 - Golden opportunity: Rozehnal helps a free-kick back across goal, but there is no one there to tap into the empty net.

77 - Newcastle change: Martins is replaced by Viduka.

74 - Over: Dempsey's header floats over the bar. Meanwhile, Kuqi replaces Davis.

66 - Emre delivery: An excellent free-kick from the Turk and Butt heads goalward. However, he was under pressure and Niemi gathers easily.

61 - Almost: A Martins back-heel finds MIlner who fires a ball into the box. Smith was lurking, but the Fulham defence do well to clear.

57 - Magpies change: Healy strikes at Given before Allardyce brings on Emre for Geremi.

52 - Sigh: After a promising start to the second half, the frustration of the first period has returned.

Second half: Newcastle get the second period underway and are immediately robbed of possession. An excellent surging run from Bouazza sees him deliver a wicked ball, however Dempsey fails to make contact. Action, at last!

HALF-TIME: A dull first period comes to a close. Please, please, please can we see some quality in the second half. That's not too much to ask, is it?

35 - Yawn: This is the biggest non-event in the world. We feel sorry for the poor fans that must be freezing their bottoms off. A goal or a moment of magic would be just the tonic to awaken our numbing brains.

25 - Much about nothing: Little to report here at Craven Cottage. After this afternoon's drama, Saturday's evening kick-off is a little sleepy.

15 - Niemi stop: Milner digs out a deep cross and Barton meets it with a powerful header at goal. But the Fulham stopper reacts well and his defenders swipe the ball away from danger.

12 - Sloppy: Poor passing from Newcastle allows Dempsey to slide a ball into Healy. He fires towards goal, but Given stretches acrobatically to palm wide.

8 - Beye's header: ripples against the side-netting after Geremi whips in a dangerous corner.

7 - Tentative: Both sides are feeling each other out, with Newcastle enjoying the majority of possession.

Underway: Fulham kick-off, here we go ladies and gentlemen.

Newcastle team: Given, N'Zogbia, Rozehnal, Cacapa, Beye, Geremi, Butt, Barton, Milner, Smith, Martins. Subs: Harper, Jose Enrique, Emre, Edgar, Viduka.

Fulham team: Niemi, Omozusi, Hughes, Stefanovic, Bocanegra, Davies, Murphy, Davis, Bouazza, Healy, Dempsey. Subs: Warner, Ki-Hyeon, Smertin, Kuqi, Baird.