Newcastle gave their protesting fans something to cheer last night as they climbed out of the Premiership's bottom three for the first time this season.
An own goal from Stefano Eranio and Alan Shearer's 13th goal of the season gave Newcastle a deserved victory on a night when disgruntled supporters vented their anger over plans to move season ticket-holders from their seats to accommodate corporate clients.
Derby staged something of a second-half revival but never looked like denying Bobby Robson's side victory.
The Newcastle faithful carried out their promise to watch the opening exchanges standing up, and those who sat down 10 minutes into the game were back on their feet again midway through the first half following an announcement asking the remainder to follow suit.
It took the visitors 41 minutes to mount their first real attack when Francesco Baiano beat the offside trap to collect Rory Delap's pass, but his cross was just too strong for Mikkel Beck in the middle.
The inevitable breakthrough finally came just a minute later when Nolberto Solano found space down the right and crossed low towards Shearer. Eranio managed to get in front of Shearer but diverted the ball into his own net.
Solano just failed to take Shearer's pass in his stride as the County defence opened up once again on 49 minutes, but it was he who engineered the second goal four minutes later.
Rob Lee's ball allowed the Peruvian to streak away from the blue and yellow shirts and he picked out Shearer at the far post to give him the simplest of tasks to make it 2-0.
NEWCASTLE UNITED: Given, Barton (Hughes 56), Marcelino, Dabizas, Pistone, Dyer (Maric 37), Lee, Speed, Solano, Gallacher (Ferguson 81), Shearer. Subs Not Used: Harper, McClen. Goals: Eranio 41 og, Shearer 52.
DERBY COUNTY: Hoult, Eranio, Laursen, Schnoor, Dorigo (Prior 83), Morris (Burton 57), Delap, Powell, Johnson, Baiano (Christie 45), Beck. Subs Not Used: Knight, Carbonari. Booked: Powell, Burton, Laursen.
Referee: S Dunn (Bristol).
