Tonight's goalscorer, Jordan Hugill felt Newcastle's goal on the stroke of half-time changed the outlook on the game this evening.
North End had managed to get themselves back into the game through Hugill himself with a tidy finish from a Barkhuizen cross after an early goal from Ayoze Perez opened the scoring.
From then on in the first half, PNE looked comfortable and stuck to a game plan which silence the home crowd and frustrated the host's, only for the Magpies to deliver a sucker punch with just seconds left on the clock in the first half.
"I don't think the scoreline reflected the game," analysed Hugill on tonight's game.
"Don't get me wrong Newcastle are a very good team and they have players that can hurt you - and they've done that tonight - they've punished our mistakes.
"It's disappointing but if we don't concede that second goal on the stroke of half-time, it's a different game. I felt we were in control up until that point but obviously they get that second goal from a mistake from us; that cost us and it went downhill from there.
"We had the better chances in the first half, we were keeping possession well and we were doing things that we worked on in training. We had the better of them until that lapse at half-time and that cost us in that first half."
The North End front man celebrated his goal in front of the Gallowgate End, and the Middlesbrough born forward admitted to enjoying finding the net at St. James' Park.
He continued: "I was always going to celebrate with me being a Middlesbrough lad but credit to Newcastle, they've played well all season and deserve it.
"The Championship is a very competitive league and it can be hurtful at times. You can be on top like we were today and get punished. Newcastle have been a great team all season. Everyone will look to come here to try and pull off a scalp but they've done what they needed to do and got straight back into the Premier League."
Despite the negatives, Hugill can take positives from tonight's game with his goal tonight, his 13th of the season, and the No.25 is looking to cap off a good season on a personal level strongly.
"I want to finish on as many goals as I can and try and reach that 15 mark," he added. "I'm happy with what I've done so far, I've got 13 goals and that's the start of it really. Who's to say I can't get more."
From then on in the first half, PNE looked comfortable and stuck to a game plan which silence the home crowd and frustrated the host's, only for the Magpies to deliver a sucker punch with just seconds left on the clock in the first half.
"I don't think the scoreline reflected the game," analysed Hugill on tonight's game.
"Don't get me wrong Newcastle are a very good team and they have players that can hurt you - and they've done that tonight - they've punished our mistakes.
"It's disappointing but if we don't concede that second goal on the stroke of half-time, it's a different game. I felt we were in control up until that point but obviously they get that second goal from a mistake from us; that cost us and it went downhill from there.
"We had the better chances in the first half, we were keeping possession well and we were doing things that we worked on in training. We had the better of them until that lapse at half-time and that cost us in that first half."
The North End front man celebrated his goal in front of the Gallowgate End, and the Middlesbrough born forward admitted to enjoying finding the net at St. James' Park.
He continued: "I was always going to celebrate with me being a Middlesbrough lad but credit to Newcastle, they've played well all season and deserve it.
"The Championship is a very competitive league and it can be hurtful at times. You can be on top like we were today and get punished. Newcastle have been a great team all season. Everyone will look to come here to try and pull off a scalp but they've done what they needed to do and got straight back into the Premier League."
Despite the negatives, Hugill can take positives from tonight's game with his goal tonight, his 13th of the season, and the No.25 is looking to cap off a good season on a personal level strongly.
"I want to finish on as many goals as I can and try and reach that 15 mark," he added. "I'm happy with what I've done so far, I've got 13 goals and that's the start of it really. Who's to say I can't get more."