A double by leading scorer Wilfried Bony gave Swansea an invaluable win in their battle against relegation on Saturday as they beat out of form Newcastle 2-1 for their first away win since November.
Wales: A double by leading scorer Wilfried Bony gave Swansea an invaluable win in their battle against relegation on Saturday as they beat out of form Newcastle 2-1 for their first away win since November.
The 25-year-old Ivory Coast international scored at the end of each half -- the second from the penalty spot for his 14th league goal of the season -- to take them six points clear of the bottom three with three games remaining and a vastly superior goal difference to boot.
Defeat for Newcastle was their fifth successive one in the league -- Shola Ameobi`s 23rd minute goal their first in those five games -- and leaves manager Alan Pardew`s position under some threat.
Newcastle had suffered an early blow when Pape Cisse had to go off injured.
However, he wasn`t replaced by ready made replacement Loic Remy but a fullback in the shape of Mathieu Debuchy.
That didn`t prevent the hosts going 1-0 up in the 23rd minute as Shola Ameobi scored his first league goal since December 2012 playing a one-two with strike partner Luuk de Jong before slotting the ball past Michael Vorm.
Both de Jong and referee Chris Foy didn`t last out the first-half either as the former had to go off and finally Remy was sent on for his first appearance after missing six games with a calf injury.
Foy too had to be replaced by fourth official Anthony Taylor after he was hit in the face by the ball and although he got back on his feet he was unable to carry on.
Swansea, though, drew level right on the stroke of half-time as Bony -- the club`s record signing last summer when he arrived from Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem for 13.9 million euros -- darted in unseen to head home Ben Davies`s corner.
The second-half provided little in the way of chances with Swansea going close through Jonathan de Guzman, his volley just scraping the bar.
Bony too was denied as he was slipped in by Marvin Emnes but Newcastle `keeper Tim Krul got down to save with his legs.
However, he was not to be denied with the late penalty as the lively Emnes was brought down by Chieck Tiote and he calmly stroked the ball past Krul.
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