LONDON - NEWCASTLE slumped back into the Premier League relegation zone after Danny Murphy's second half penalty gave Fulham a 2-1 win at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

Joe Kinnear's side had looked on the up in recent weeks but they sit third bottom of the table thanks to a dismal defensive display in west London.

Andrew Johnson punished a mistake by Claudio Cacapa to open the scoring in the first half before Shola Ameobi equalised for Newcastle with his third goal in five games.

But Murphy's spot-kick - the 100th club goal of his career - ended Newcastle's two-match winning run after Fabricio Coloccini clumsly tripped Johnson.

Roy Hodgson's team moved out of the drop zone into midtable thanks to their fourth home league win this season.

Kinnear claimed his side had been harshly treated by the officials because Johnson had fouled Cacapa off the ball before winning the penalty.

'We were the far better team in the second half. Once we got back at 1-1, there was only one team that was going to win,' he said. 'But the referee's decision has cost us dearly. When he sees it again he needs to apologise big-time. He has plenty to answer for.'

Hodgson added: 'Before the match, I didn't really think we were a bottom-three team. Now we are close to a Uefa Cup spot, I don't necessarily believe we are a Uefa Cup team.'

Fulham started well and would have gone ahead but for the lightning reactions of Newcastle keeper Shay Given. Johnson used his pace to outwit Joey Barton on the edge of the area before slipping the ball to Jimmy Bullard, whose low shot was turned away by Given.

Maintaining the pressure, Danny Murphy's deflected shot almost flashed in off Jose Enrique with Given stranded, then Zoltan Gera headed a Simon Davies cross narrowly wide.

Moments later Davies robbed Jonas Gutierrez and found Johnson but the former Everon striker's final pass was poor.

There was no escape, though, in the 23rd minute when Fulham got the goal their dominance deserved.

Bullard's cross was met by Cacapa but his headed clearance struck team-mate Coloccini and fell into the path of Johnson, who clinically buried the chance.

Newcastle finally sparked into life when Obafemi Martins turned and shot narrowly wide.

Damien Duff went even closer when he surged clear of Paul Konchesky and drove his fierce strike against a post.

Nicky Butt saw a well-struck free-kick saved by Mark Schwarzer and moments later the former Manchester United star should have converted from close range as Newcastle continued their impressive start to the second half.

It was one-way traffic after the restart as the Magpies probed away for the equaliser and it arrived in the 57th minute.

Duff's cross was deflected by Johnson into the centre of the area and Ameobi was the first to react by drilling home from three yards out.

Schwarzer palmed a cracking shot from Barton around the post moments later but Hodgson's team restored their lead when Murphy struck from the spot in the 66th minute after Coloccini tripped Johnson.

Michael Owen came off the bench for Newcastle late in the second half, but the striker did his England prospects no good in front of coach Fabio Capello when he completely miscued a close-range volley. And with that miss went Newcastle's last chance of salvaging a point. -- AFP