Winger Jonas Gutierrez provided a final flourish as Newcastle gave themselves breathing space in the fight for Barclays Premier League survival with a precious victory over Wolves.
The visitors left themselves with a mountain to climb after Kevin Nolan, Shola Ameobi and Peter Lovenkrands put the Magpies 3-0 ahead with just 50 minutes gone.
They eventually staged a fightback as Sylvan Ebanks-Blake reduced the deficit with 58 minutes gone and then saw a 72nd-minute header cleared off the line.
But Argentina international Gutierrez made sure with a superb solo effort in injury time to the delight of a crowd of 49,939 to take the Magpies' points tally to 39 and leave them within touching distance of safety.
It was just the Magpies' second win in 10 league games and brought an end to Wolves four-match unbeaten run.
Newcastle, still coming to terms with Andy Carroll's departure for Liverpool and without key men Cheick Tiote and Leon Best, created more than enough chances to win the game in the first half alone.
Karl Henry had spent much of the reverse fixture at Molineux in August reminding Joey Barton of his presence, and his team-mates took up the theme today.
George Elokobi and Nenad Milijas were booked for early fouls on the midfielder and on both occasions the home side almost scored from the resulting free-kicks.
First Barton floated a fifth-minute ball into the box for defender Mike Williamson to send in a diving header which goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey had to palm around the post, and he then presented Nolan with a 16th-minute chance, but he directed his effort straight at Hennessey.
When the opening goal did arrive, it came straight down route one as Ameobi climbed well to flick-on Danny Simpson's long ball into the path of Nolan, who stabbed past Hennessey.
Wolves, who were busy in midfield but lacked any real creativity, were fitful in their response and it was not until Ebanks-Blake met Jamie O'Hara's 44th-minute free-kick in front of goal that Steve Harper was called upon to make a save.
But Newcastle's response was emphatic and they doubled their lead in the final minute of the half when Ameobi climbed to power a header home from Lovenkrands' cross.
The only disappointment for Newcastle was the 44th-minute booking - his 10th of the season - collected by Nolan for a trip on winger Adam Hammill which will cost him a two-game ban.
Alan Pardew's men might have been home and dry within two minutes of the restart as they ran at will through a dangerously permeable Wolves defence.
First Hennessey had to make a vital block after Ameobi had forced his way to the goal-line and squared for Barton, and then the woodwork came to the rescue when Lovenkrands had rounded the keeper, but shot against the upright from a tight angle.
However, the game was over with 50 minutes gone when Fabricio Coloccini was allowed to run out of defence and find Barton down the right, whose low cross was tailor-made for Lovenkrands to help himself to his fifth goal of the season.
But Wolves refused to give up the fight and they grabbed a lifeline eight minutes later when Ebanks-Blake side-footed home from Jarvis' pinpoint cross.
Newcastle's composure eluded them as they attempted to deal with the setback, and they were fortunate not to concede again two minutes later when substitute Steven Fletcher glanced a free header wide.
For the first time in the game, the visitors had established a momentum, and substitute James Perch came to the home side's rescue twice within seconds, first dispossessing Ebanks-Blake inside the box and then clearing his goalbound header off the line.
The onslaught continued as the clock ran down, but Gutierrez relieved the tension when, after substitute Steven Taylor had blocked Karl Henry's shot and steamed upfield, he fed the midfielder to cut inside and curl an inch-perfect shot past Hennessey.
TOON v WOLVES - THE HISTORY: 2011/2012 Sat 01 Oct Wolves 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premier League 2010/2011 Sat 02 Apr Newcastle Utd. 4 - 1 Wolves Premier League Sat 28 Aug Wolves 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premier League 2003/2004 Sun 09 May Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Wolves Premiership Sat 29 Nov Wolves 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership 2002/2003 Sun 05 Jan Wolves 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup 1992/1993 Sat 10 Apr Wolves 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. League Division One Sat 26 Dec Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Wolves League Division One 1991/1992 Tue 31 Mar Wolves 6 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Second Division Sat 14 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Wolves Second Division 1990/1991 Sat 23 Feb Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Wolves Second Division Sat 10 Nov Wolves 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division 1989/1990 Sat 14 Apr Wolves 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division Mon 01 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 - 4 Wolves Second Division 1982/1983 Sat 14 May Wolves 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Second Division Sat 11 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Wolves Second Division 1978/1979 Thu 22 Feb Wolves 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup Sat 27 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Wolves F.A. Cup 1977/1978 Sat 17 Dec Newcastle Utd. 4 - 0 Wolves First Division Sat 12 Nov Wolves 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division 1975/1976 Sat 10 Apr Wolves 5 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 20 Sep Newcastle Utd. 5 - 1 Wolves First Division 1974/1975 Wed 16 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Wolves First Division Sat 24 Aug Wolves 4 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division 1973/1974 Sat 12 Jan Wolves 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 15 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Wolves First Division 1972/1973 Sat 17 Feb Wolves 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 12 Aug Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Wolves First Division 1971/1972 Sat 01 Jan Wolves 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 18 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Wolves First Division 1970/1971 Sat 17 Oct Wolves 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 15 Aug Newcastle Utd. 3 - 2 Wolves First Division 1969/1970 Sat 17 Jan Wolves 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 27 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Wolves First Division 1968/1969 Mon 21 Apr Newcastle Utd. 4 - 1 Wolves First Division Sat 23 Nov Wolves 5 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division 1967/1968 Sat 24 Feb Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Wolves First Division Sat 07 Oct Wolves 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division 1960/1961 Wed 08 Mar Wolves 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 15 Oct Newcastle Utd. 4 - 4 Wolves First Division 1959/1960 Sat 16 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Wolves First Division Wed 13 Jan Wolves 4 - 2 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup Sat 09 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Wolves F.A. Cup Sat 31 Oct Wolves 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division 1958/1959 Sat 07 Feb Newcastle Utd. 3 - 4 Wolves First Division Sat 20 Sep Wolves 1 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division 1957/1958 Sat 08 Mar Wolves 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 26 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Wolves First Division 1956/1957 Sat 13 Apr Wolves 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 01 Dec Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Wolves First Division 1955/1956 Sat 31 Mar Wolves 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 22 Oct Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Wolves First Division 1954/1955 Sat 19 Mar Wolves 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 30 Oct Newcastle Utd. 2 - 3 Wolves First Division 1953/1954 Sat 27 Feb Wolves 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 10 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Wolves First Division 1952/1953 Sat 28 Feb Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Wolves First Division Sat 11 Oct Wolves 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division 1951/1952 Sat 16 Feb Wolves 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 06 Oct Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Wolves First Division 1950/1951 Wed 02 May Wolves 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division Wed 14 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Wolves F.A. Cup played at Huddersfield Sat 10 Mar Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Wolves F.A. Cup played at Hillsborough Sat 09 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Wolves First Division 1949/1950 Sat 24 Dec Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Wolves First Division Sat 27 Aug Wolves 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division 1948/1949 Sat 12 Mar Wolves 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 16 Oct Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Wolves First Division 1933/1934 Sat 21 Apr Newcastle Utd. 5 - 1 Wolves First Division Sat 13 Jan Wolves 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup Sat 09 Dec Wolves 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division 1932/1933 Mon 06 Mar Wolves 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 15 Oct Newcastle Utd. 3 - 2 Wolves First Division 1907/1908 Sat 25 Apr Wolves 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup played at Crystal Palace 1905/1906 Sat 17 Mar Wolves 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 11 Nov Newcastle Utd. 8 - 0 Wolves First Division 1904/1905 Sat 11 Mar Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Wolves First Division Sat 12 Nov Wolves 1 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division 1903/1904 Sat 27 Feb Wolves 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 31 Oct Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Wolves First Division 1902/1903 Sat 28 Feb Newcastle Utd. 2 - 4 Wolves First Division Sat 01 Nov Wolves 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division 1901/1902 Sat 15 Mar Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Wolves First Division Mon 10 Mar Wolves 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division 1900/1901 Sat 16 Mar Wolves 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 10 Nov Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Wolves First Division 1899/1900 Sat 03 Mar Wolves 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 28 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Wolves First Division 1898/1899 Sat 31 Dec Wolves 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division Sat 03 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 4 Wolves First DivisionSource: FOOTYMAD
