Ten-man Newcastle moved 10 points clear of the play-off places with a 2-0 win over Watford.
Nolan red card leaves super-sub Pancrate as the hero
Ten-man Newcastle moved 10 points clear of the play-off places at the top of the Championship with a 2-0 win over Watford at St James' Park.
Peter Lovenkrands had given Chris Hughton's side a 20th minute lead, but influential midfielder Kevin Nolan collected a second booking shortly after half-time.
Watford were boosted by the dismissal, but could not find a way past Steve Harper and were punished when super-sub Fabrice Pancrate wrapped up the points in the 83rd minute.
Just as they had done last week when they raced into a 3-0 lead over Swansea with just 28 minutes gone, the Magpies roared out of the blocks and Hornets goalkeeper Scott Loach had to make a third minute save from Nolan after he played a neat one-two with Marlon Harewood.
Lovenkrands mishit a volley wide after full-back Jose Enrique's enterprising ninth minute sprint down the left, but Steven Taylor had to clear Danny Graham's toe-poke off the line seconds later after Fabricio Coloccini failed to cut out Henri Lansbury's pass.
Newcastle started to lose their way as Watford grew in confidence in the middle of the field with Lansbury and John Eustace prominent, but they got their noses in front with 20 minutes gone thanks to a helping hand from the visitors.
Defender Craig Cathcart left his back-pass to Loach woefully short to allow Harewood to get in a block which sent the ball into the path of Lovenkrands, who made no mistake with the goal at his mercy.
Opportunity
However, Magpies target Tom Cleverley, on loan from Manchester United, came within inches of an equaliser with a curling free-kick which just cleared the crossbar four minutes later.
Harper was called upon for the first time four minutes before the break when striker Heidar Helguson ran clear on to full-back Lee Hudson's pass, but he could not beat the Newcastle goalkeeper.
Lovenkrands flicked a Jonas Gutierrez cross into the side-netting within seconds of the restart and Danny Guthrie forced a fine save from Loach with a 52nd minute free-kick.
But in the meantime, Nolan, who had been booked before the break for a foul on Eustace, received a second yellow card for a nasty challenge on Lansbury.
The visitors sensed an opportunity and it took a fine block from Danny Simpson to keep out Graham's 55th minute shot on the turn.
Helguson twice fired in quick succession as the Magpies came under intense pressure, and Harper had to get down well to turn Cleverley's 66th minute effort around the post.
But the nerves inside St James' Park were eased with seven minutes remaining when Pancrate produced a stunning left-footed finish to end Watford's hopes.
