This is for all you geordies out there!!

Only mathematics keeps us from celebrating our return to the Premier League after Nottingham Forest's draw at Ashton Gate left us a point short from certainty.

United did the job at Peterborough thanks to goals from Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton and Shola Ameobi and although we looked far from convincing, the win was still a comfortable one.

Chris Hughton's major midfield reshuffle looked to have backfired as Nolan, Barton, Fabrice Pancrate and Alan Smith struggled to find any fluency and the home side took advantage by taking an 11th minute lead.



Steve Harper and Fabricio Coloccini got in a mess with a hopeful through ball and Harper's weak clearance was returned over his head by Dominic Green to give Posh the lead.

It could have been two minutes later but Sergio Torres lobbed the ball high and wide when he was bearing down on Harper.

United's equaliser was simple enough, Nolan converting a cross after Jose Enrique had made his way down the left and pulled the ball back for Nolan to find the net.

Wayne Routledge replaced the poor Pancrate at the break and Shola Ameobi, partnering Leon Best, up front won a free-kick which Barton neatly chipped over the wall and past Joe Lewis.

The third was Ameobi's with a speculative shot from outside the box that Lewis should have saved but could only fumble into his own net and at 3-1 the game was won.

Peterborough managed a second through Liam Dickinson but apart from a couple of late headers that flew over Harper's bar, Newcastle looked more likely to grab a fourth.

Promotion could already be secured before we take to the field on Monday against Sheffield United but make no mistake, we're back in the big league at the first attempt.

Full match report to follow.

Team: Harper, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Jose Enrique, Barton (Gutierrez 87), Smith, Nolan, Pancrate (Routledge 46), Best, Ameobi (Butt 83).
Subs n/u: Krul, Lovenkrands, Ryan Taylor, Kadar.

Booked: Best, Gutierrez.

Goals: Nolan 45, Barton 48, Ameobi 59.

Peterborough: Lewis, Gilbert, Zakuani, Geohaghon, Griffiths, Torres (Simpson 46), Lee (Bennett 55), Frecklington, Rowe, Dickinson, Green (Mackail-Smith 46).
Subs n/u: McKeown, Day, Mills, Reid.

Booked: Zakuani.

Goals: Green 11, Dickinson 76.

Crowd: 12,877. Biggest of the season at London Road by 166 and 2,500 more than the turnout for League Cup game in September.

Referee: Mark Haywood (W Yorkshire