A second half strike by Danny Guthrie brought City's first Championship defeat of the season against Newcastle United at St James' Park tonight.

The midfielder struck early in the second half after the visitors had been clearly the better side before the break and Nigel Pearson's men fought right to the end when the final whistle came as a big relief to the Toon Army.

City striker Steve Howard was passed fit after hamstring trouble and faced his boyhood club. He came in for Nicky Adams in a much-changed line-up which saw Jack Hobbs and Wayne Brown restored to the central defence, Bruno Berner at left-back and Richie Wellens back in midfield. New loan signing Ryan McGivern was on the bench alongside Martyn Waghorn, also back from hamstring trouble.

True to their pre-match word, City took the game to the home side and early on a Dany N'Guessan cross hit the side net before, at the other end, good covering by Robbie Neilson and alert  goalkeeping by Chris Weale were needed to keep the home attack at bay.

A sweeping move by Newcastle ended with a Nolan shot well saved but City came close when , after good work by Matty Fryatt had earned a corner on the right, Matt Oakley's cross was powered in by the head of Howard but Harper made a great save.

Next, a Howard flick-on almost fell for Fryatt but Harper came out to punch clear in the nick of time, underlining City's superiority at this stage and towards the break, a free-kick from Paul Gallagher was turned away again at full length by Harper.

There was no doubt City were the better side in the first half and in stoppage time, after doing well to work an opening, Fryatt swerved his final shot just wide when he looked like giving City the lead they deserved.

But the home side started brightly after the break and in the 52nd minute, Danny Guthrie burst through the middle and smashed a fierce shot into the net to give Newcastle a lead they had not deserved beforehand.

But the goal changed the nature of the game and moments later, a good shot by Geremi came close to making it even worse for the visitors who were now really chasing the game.

On the hour, Lloyd Dyer came on for Gallagher and was soon in the action, seeing a free-kick cleared for a corner that came to nothing before, at the other end, an Alan Smith shot brought a good save from Weale.

Waghorn then came on for Fryatt to boost City's chances of a leveller but again City had to thank Weale for a fine save from a Nolan shot.

Both sides then exchanged bookings, Berner for City, Guthrie for the home side as the game entered its closing stages and right to the end of stoppage time, City went forward in search of the equaliser which was to prove so elusive in the end.

City: Weale; Neilson, Hobbs, Brown, Berner, N'Guessan, Oakley, Wellens, Gallagher, Fryatt, Howard. Subs: McGivern, Morrison, A King, Dyer (60 for Gallagher), Logan, Adams (89 for N'Guessan)), Waghorn (68 for Fryatt).

Booked: Berner.

Newcastle United: Harper; Enrique, Nolan, Barton, Guthrie, Simpson, R Taylor, Smith, Geremi, S Taylor, Ranger. Subs: Krul, Lualua, Kadar (88 for Barton), Baheng, Tozer, Donaldson (84 forGuthrie), Vuckic (84 for Ranger).

Booked: Guthrie.

Referee: N Swarbrick.

Attendance: 38,813.