07/05/2006  Newcastle 1 Chelsea 0
 
The former Ipswich defender's 73rd-minute volley clinched three points and seventh place ahead of Bolton after his side were forced to play the last 15 minutes of an eventful campaign with 10 men following Stephen Carr's dismissal.

But the champions had two second-half goals disallowed and saw Celestine Babayaro escape with a booking for a cynical trip on Arjen Robben as they slipped to a third defeat in four games.

Michael Owen's absence from the 16 was as disappointing for caretaker boss Glenn Roeder as it will have been for England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, but he got his reward with a fifth victory in six games.

The visitors were dealt a blow even before a ball had been kicked when stand-in captain Carlo Cudicini appeared to turn an ankle during the warm-up and was helped from the field as Lenny Pidgeley got his chance in goal with William Gallas taking over the armband.

As a result, Jose Mourinho's team-sheet had an even more unfamiliar look about it with Petr Cech, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Didier Drogba and Hernan Crespo all missing.

However, with Joe Cole, Damien Duff and Robben in the starting line-up, it was a side which still boasted quality and experience.

If Bolton boss Sam Allardyce, whose side were going head to head with Newcastle for the Intertoto Cup place, had feared Chelsea may have been too relaxed, there was little evidence of it in the opening 45 minutes as the champions set about their task with relish despite knowing there was little more than pride at stake for them.

But if anything, the Magpies just about shaded the opening 45 minutes despite losing midfielder Nolberto Solano with a shin injury, his departure sparking a major reshuffle as Jean-Alain Boumsong was introduced into a three-man defence.

Having seen Robben shoot wide with less than a minute gone, Emre, back from a groin injury, whistled a long-range effort just over.

Pidgeley was to endure an uncomfortable opening to the game with Michael Chopra almost stealing in after he miscontrolled a Cole back-pass and Solano sending a 17th-minute free-kick inches wide.

French midfielder Charles N'Zogbia was causing all kinds of problems for right-back Glen Johnson, although too often did not make the most of the excellent positions he got himself into by misdirecting a series of crosses.

Solano departed on a stretcher to warm applause after a collision with Ricardo Carvalho as he went for goal with an acrobatic overhead kick.

However, in the meantime, his side had survived a major scare when Robert Huth's shot from a Duff corner clipped Joe Cole and ran just wide.

Duff should really have put the visitors ahead four minutes before the break when he was played in down the right, but his low shot was well saved by Republic of Ireland team-mate Shay Given.

And it was Newcastle who almost snatched a half-time advantage three minutes later when Chopra got a glimpse of goal, only for Gallas to make a timely interception.

Mourinho made two changes at the break when he withdrew defender Robert Huth and Duff and sent on Shaun Wright-Phillips and Carlton Cole, switching to a 4-5-1 formation to accommodate the newcomers.

Wright-Phillips had an immediate impact, sending in a dangerous 50th-minute cross and then forcing a good save from Given at his near post two minutes later.

Carr drove a long-range effort just wide after 56 minutes having been set up by Shola Ameobi, but it was at the other end that the home side's luck held.

Babayaro was desperately fortunate to see yellow rather than red on the hour after he cynically tripped Robben on his way towards goal, and there was more to come.

Joe Cole got the slightest of flicks to Robben's 63rd-minute cross and Gallas gleefully headed it into the empty net at the far post, only for an offside flag to hand Newcastle a reprieve.

The same assistant referee got the Magpies off the hook again six minutes later when Wright-Phillips fired home after Maniche's shot had come back off the post with Given beaten.

And when the first goal arrived, it did so at the other end, Amady Faye heading an Emre corner back across the area for Bramble to volley sweetly home.

Carr's 75th-minute dismissal for, in referee Mike Riley's opinion, a stamp on midfielder Lassana Diarra, provided a further twist, and as time ran down to an agonising conclusion, Tyneside collectively held its breath.

Pidgeley's injury-time save from Charles N'Zogbia denied the home side a more comfortable end to their season, but the final whistle brought rapturous celebrations and some tangible reward for the efforts of Roeder and his players.