Newcastle 1-0 QPR - Toon Army just keep on winning

Things have really picked up for Alan Pardew

Newcastle United made it five Premier League wins on the bounce with a narrow 1-0 victory at home to Queens Park Rangers.

Moussa Sissoko struck the only goal of the game 12 minutes from time at St James' Park, exchanging passes with Sammy Ameobi before turning to fire a shot past Robert Green in the visitors' goal.

The Magpies had previously struggled to break the Rangers defence down, while the first half also saw the injury-jinxed Ryan Taylor forced to limp off after suffering what looked like another serious setback.

Taylor had been one of two changes in the home line-up, as he and Mike Williamson started in place of Fabricio Coloccini and Mehdi Abeid.

Harry Redknapp also made two changes to his Hoops starting XI, with Nedum Onuoha and Joey Barton starting in place of Eduardo Vargas and Mauricio Isla.

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The opening minutes saw both side struggling to create clear openings, with Charlie Austin failing to hit the target for the visitors 15 minutes in when well-placed.

Taylor then took centre stage as he forced Green to tip away a looping shot from the edge of the area, and shortly afterwards the visiting keeper had to deal with another effort from the same player following good work by Remy Cabella.

However, Taylor's game came to an abrupt end 11 minutes before half-time, with Yoan Gouffran replacing his emotional colleague.

That seemed to deflate the home side and Austin tried his luck just before the interval, then in stoppage time home keeper Tim Krul had to tip over a looping header from Richard Dunne following a corner.

Early in the second half former Magpie Barton played a superb ball out to Austin, but he rushed his shot and failed to make proper contact.

With the hour mark approaching Ayoze Perez was played in by Sissoko, but Green was again alert to make a crucial interception.

Bobby Zamora then went close with a couple of headed efforts for the visitors, who suddenly looked like they believed they could go on and snatch a winner.

Seventeen minutes from time Green had to be alert to make a save at his near post from Perez, who had scored in each of his last three games.

But he could do little five minutes later when Sissoko was allowed time to swivel and find the back of the net to spark celebrations around the majority of the ground.

The visitors responded by throwing on winger Junior Hoilett to try and rescue something from the game, but they failed to mount any meaningful pressure and almost conceded a second goal right at the death.

Substitute Papiss Cisse was released clean through on goal and although he poked the ball past the advancing Green, he did not get enough on the effort to prevent Barton from getting back to clear away from close to the goal-line.

The win lifts the Magpies up into the top four ahead of the evening meeting of Arsenal and Manchester United, with the troubles of a couple of months ago all but forgotten.

Boss Alan Pardew has led his side to six consecutive wins in all competitions, with the Magpies having kept clean sheets in each of their last four games.

Next up is a trip to Upton Park to take on West Ham while Rangers, still deep in trouble in the relegation zone, play host to fellow strugglers Leicester City next Saturday.