Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is challenging his players to head into the international break with a first Barclays Premier League victory after beating Morecambe 2-0 to avoid a Capital One Cup disaster.
The Magpies had to wait until the 84th minute for substitute Shola Ameobi to fire them in front against the League Two side, and the second-round tie was only settled in injury time when younger brother Sammy claimed a second.
It was a much-changed Newcastle's first win of an already turbulent season, and Pardew is hoping his senior players can repeat the feat in the league when Fulham arrive at St James' Park on Saturday.
The 52-year-old said: "I have just said to the players in there, the club owes a big thank you to Gael Bigirimana and Dan Gosling and Curtis Good for getting us a win because it's going to raise everyone's spirits in the first team.
"It's taken a little bit of pressure off them, the first goals, the first win. Let's hope on Saturday we get a win and then you would have to say that is a start we can accept because four points out of those three games is okay.
"But we have got to win on Saturday and that's what we are going to try to do."
Progression in the cup was the bare minimum with those fans who travelled to the Globe Arena and many more back at home on Tyneside in open revolt over the club's summer transfer activity, or more accurately, the lack of it.
Pardew was not commenting on reports that they have re-opened talks with Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis and made an inquiry about a loan deal for Chelsea's Demba Ba - finance is currently an issue with the latter - while Yohan Cabaye's future is yet to be resolved.
Pardew made wholesale changes as he used the depth of his squad, but his under-studies struggled at times to impose themselves.
Gosling had to make goal-line clearances from Mark Hughes and Padraig Amond, while keeper Rob Elliot twice had to deny Amond, all before the break with the visitors offering little in return.
Source: PA
