Newcastle have taken a comfortable two goal lead into the half-time break thanks to goals from Kevin Nolan and Ryan Taylor.

Julian Speroni was a surprise omission from the starting line-up, still feeling the effects of the throat injury picked up in the win at Ipswich.

And Palace's second choice stopper's first job was to pick the ball out of the net after Newcastle stunned the home side by taking a second minute lead created by Jonas Gutierrez who cut in from the left before playing a delicate chipped pass into the path of Nolan who cooly slotted past Flahavan.

Steve Harper was forced into a smart save with his feet from Freddie Sears after the youngster, on loan from West Ham, latched onto Alan Lee's clever knock down in the 12th minute.

Flahavan had to make an instinctive block from Ryan Taylor's wicked inswinging free kick two minutes later before the Eagles keeper was forced into another save, this time from Nolan's looping back post header.

Darren Ambrose missed Palace's first real chance of the game, firing his volley from 12 yards straight at Harper.

And Ryan Taylor made Neil Warnock's men pay for their missed chances doubling the visitors' lead with a sublime left-footed curler that flew beyond the outstretched Flahavan.

Newcastle managed to scramble away Ambrose's dangerous inswinging corner in the 24th minute as Palace looked to hit back.

And Lee missed a glorious opportunity to put Palace back in the game in the 25th minute but his looping header from Ambrose's pin point cross arrowed agonisingly wide of Harper's far post.

Paddy McCarthy nearly gifted the Magpies a third just a minute later when his sloppy pass was cut out by Nolan - but the Eagles defender recovered to make a timely block.

Lee was denied again in moments later after his close range effort from Alassane N'Diaye was well saved from Harper.