Swans floor Newcastle with late Moore show

A late goal from substitute Luke Moore underpinned Sawnsea's status in the top half of the English Premier League on Saturday, a 1-0 win pushing victims Newcastle back towards the danger zone.

Moore had barely tasted ten minutes of the action after replacing Leon Britton when he bundled in from close range to take Swansea up to seventh and again leave Newcastle looking over their shoulders at the inhabitants of the bottom five.

Newcastle had several half chances in a game whose pace was decidedly pedestrian for the most part, but Moore's sucker punch means the Magpies are only six points from safety and in the bottom six.

With their first ever major honour, the League Cup, on the sideboard after last week's final win over minnows Bradford and with the "safety" threshold of 40 points almost reached, the pressure was off Swansea and on another day the Welsh outfit could have paid a price.

Newcastle came into the game having briefly moved away from the danger zone after a run of three wins in four league outings, though still needing to improve on wretched away form which has brought just one win all season.

After a quiet opening, Newcastle's centre back Steven Taylor brought a save out of home keeper Michel Vorm with a speculative effort, but the remainder of the opening period brought little to cheer either set of supporters.

Newcastle did seek belatedly to force the pace after the restart with Yoann Gouffran, their recent acquisition from Bordeaux, twice trying his luck -- Vorm fielded one confidently with the other sailing off target.

Papisse Cisse then fired over before Moussa Sissoko made Vorm earn his money once more as Swansea seemed content to soak up the pressure.

Just when the game appeared set to peter out in a stalemate Moore made his grand entrance.

Taylor blocked an initial effort but Moore slammed in at the second attempt past reserve keeper Rob Elliot, again replacing the injured Tim Krul, out for a month with ankle trouble.