Newcastle manager Graeme Souness:
"We had most of the ball but did nothing with it. The difference was that their two strikers, Andy Cole and Darius Vassell, were fantastic.
"We kept going right to the end, but at 2-0 we had to chase it and that's how their third came about.
"The third goal on the break maybe flatters them because I don't think 3-0 was a fair scoreline."
'I cannot defend our recent form, it is not good enough,' Souness said.
'We are in a relegation scrap. That is a fact and I cannot deny it. But this is no time to feel sorry for ourselves, we have to stand up and show what we are made of.'
On a rotten night for the Tyneside outfit, the only slice of good news came with the imminent return of Kieron Dyer.
The pacy England international has started just two games this season after being plagued by a hamstring problem, but Souness could have him available for the must-win encounter with Portsmouth.
'We are badly lacking pace in the team at present,' said Souness. 'Kieron will give us that.'