Blackburn Rovers 1 Newcastle United 3

Manager Mark Hughes may be reluctant to accept it, but the evidence was there in black and white for all to see as Rovers succumbed to a Newcastle side that was missing most of its stellar performers through injury.

Rovers have now lost six of their last eight games in the league - the worst sequence in Hughes' time in the Ewood Park hot-seat.

And even a magnificent second half fightback that might have led to a point had Morten Gamst Pedersen packed more power into a late header, could not drown out the sound of alarm bells ringing.

Rovers' first half performance was as poor as any seen at Ewood this season.

Sloppy at the back, off the pace in midfield, and lacking a cutting edge up front, Rovers looked like a team that was sinking into the relegation quagmire.

Hughes has always prided himself on the fact Rovers are an in-your-face side - the type which few opponents relish facing.

However, that quality, which has been a key component in the team's success over the last two years, was strangely conspicuous by its absence as Newcastle raced into a two-goal lead.

It took the controversial sending off of Stephane Henchoz, and no doubt a few harsh words from Hughes during the half-time interval, to finally sting Rovers into action, by which point they were left with a mountain to climb.

They almost scaled it, however, after a thunderbolt from Pedersen proved the catalyst for a comeback.

Newcastle were hanging on for most of the second period as Rovers performed far better with 10 men than they had previously done with eleven.

But just when it looked like their pressure might be rewarded with an equaliser, Obafemi Martins broke away deep into injury time and stroked in United's third to leave Hughes and company contemplating an uncomfortable Christmas ahead.

With tough away games to come at Reading and Arsenal before the visit of Liverpool on Boxing Day, Rovers will need to show plenty more of the spirit and determination that was evident in the second half here, otherwise things may get worse before they get better.

Either way, Hughes and his players now have a fight on their hands after losing twice in five days to teams they should have beaten on paper.

Hughes said: "Those qualities we showed in the second half, we'll have to show from now until the end of the season.

"But I've no worries with the group of players that I have.

"I thought we were magnificent in the second half.

"We asked real questions of them and I thought we showed magnificent determination to get something out of the game.

"We had a lot of disappointed guys in the dressing room afterwards. Tugay, in particular, was visibly upset after the game and rightly so because we'd put a huge effort in in the second half.

"That was what I wanted to see, that's what the crowd wanted to see, and the players were clapped off at the end."

Rovers at least restored some pride with that second half performance, but then they needed to after short changing the fans in the first half.

After being booed off at half-time, they were applauded off at the final whistle, the supporters generously acknowledging the efforts of people like Tugay and Robbie Savage, who, had run themselves to a standstill in an attempt to pull a point from the fire.

In fact, it later emerged that both men were close to tears afterwards, such was their sense of despair at seeing those efforts amount to nothing. It was that kind of day.

With emotions still raw, Hughes pointed an accusing finger in the direction of the match officials in his post-match press conference, claiming there was more than a hint of offside about Newcastle's second goal. He also felt Henchoz's sending off was harsh to say the least.

But while those decisions may have contributed to Rovers' demise, they were not the main reason for it.

Even if Stephen Taylor was in an offside position when the initial cross came into the box for Newcastle's second goal, Rovers should still have dealt with the danger far better than they did. And the same could also be said of the first goal, too.

As for Henchoz's dismissal, instead of applying common sense, the referee Dermot Gallagher stuck to the letter law, which meant the former Liverpool defender saw red for hauling down the lively Martins, who would have been through on goal, albeit 40 yards out and slightly to the left of centre.

Earlier, Rovers had actually started reasonably brightly and they were unlucky not to take the lead when Andre Ooijer rose to meet Pedersen's corner, but his header was brilliantly saved by Shay Given.

Benni McCarthy then fired another effort over the angle of bar and post.

But as Rovers began to look edgy at the back, Newcastle took full advantage, breaking the deadlock in spectacular style in the 31st minute.

Ooijer and Lucas Neill were both caught napping when Antoine Sibierski clipped a clever ball over the top for Martins, who was onto it in a flash, and the Nigerian thundered a shot past Friedel.

Newcastle doubled their lead four minutes later.

Nicky Butt shrugged off Michael Gray too easily and crossed into the centre, where Ooijer and Neill both challenged for the same ball and missed it.

Charles N'Zogbia then drilled in another cross, which was eventually turned in by Taylor.

Any thoughts of a Rovers comeback appeared to disappear when Henchoz then saw red.

But to Rovers' credit, they emerged with great gusto at the start of the second half and their efforts were instantly rewarded when Pedersen scored with a sizzling 25-yarder.

Suddenly, it was game on again. Tugay forced Given into a sharp save with a fizzing drive from distance.

Then with two minutes remaining, Pedersen should have bagged an equaliser when Neill picked him out with a raking left-wing cross, but the Norwegian didn't make a proper connection with his header, which allowed Given to save.

Newcastle finally killed the game off in the dying seconds. With Friedel up for a corner, a swift United breakaway left Martins with a shot into an empty net.

So the hard work starts here for Rovers, but with a bright young manager at the helm, and a decent squad of players, they should surely have enough about them to arrest the slide.