Kevin Nolan's brace gave Newcastle a 2-1 win at Reading and took them to the brink of the title.
Nolan bags brace to help Newcastle close on Championship crown
Kevin Nolan helped Newcastle to the brink of clinching the Championship title by bagging a brace in a 2-1 win at Reading.
The Magpies were assured of an immediate return to the Premier League on Easter Monday and they moved nine points clear of second-placed West Brom with victory at the Madejski Stadium.
Nolan opened the scoring against the run of play in the 20th minute and struck again in the 42nd minute with his 18th goal of the season - and fifth in four games.
The in-form midfielder almost claimed a hat-trick when he struck a post after the restart, and although Reading pulled one back through a Danny Simpson own goal in the 72nd minute, the leaders held on for the three points.
Newcastle now need just a point to lift the title as with just three games left, West Brom can only catch them on goal difference.
100-point target
The Magpies' 28th league win of the season came despite being poor in the first half and barely improving after the break, and the victory was roared on by nearly 4,000 Toon fans who had made the 600-mile round trip to Berkshire.
Chris Hughton's men are on course to rack up 100 points but cannot overhaul the Royals' record haul of 106 points in 2005/06.
This Reading vintage may not live up to that side but they started well, with Shane Long and Jimmy Kebe both threatening to get in behind the defence.
Long went close 10 minutes in when he beat keeper Steve Harper to a bouncing pass but was unable to find the net from an acute angle.
Harper and Fabricio Coloccini then made a mess of clearing the ball for Newcastle but the visitors took the lead with their first real attack.
Harper sent a long ball forward which was helped on by Shola Ameobi and Nolan turned in the left side of the penalty area.
The former Bolton man showed great strength to hold off his marker before hitting a left-footed effort goalwards, which Adam Federici should perhaps have kept out low to his left.
Wayne Routledge should have doubled Newcastle's lead moments later but he stabbed wide after collecting Danny Guthrie's fine pass.
Reading regained the initiative after that, however, and controlled possession for the rest of the half without testing Harper.
Nolan clincher
And they were made to pay when Nolan doubled his tally, with the goal again coming from nothing.
Guthrie won the ball in midfield and slid in Routledge, who was overlapping on the right, and he delivered the perfect first-time cross for Nolan to volley in from no more than six yards.
Coloccini came off at half-time for Jose Enrique and it was Reading who went close to an early goal in the second half, Gylfi Sigurdsson volleying over from the edge of the box.
Nolan then wasted a great chance for his hat-trick when he headed another sublime Routledge cross against the near post before Routledge's deflected effort looped over.
Reading forced a flurry of corners and pulled a goal back in chaotic fashion in the 72nd minute.
Long had a header well saved, the ball ran free in the six-yard box and Enrique smashed his clearance against Simpson, only to see the ball loop in.
Brian McDermott's side pushed on in search of an equaliser but Newcastle were able to see out the victory despite seven minutes of added time after Reading midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson was carried off with a nasty-looking head injury.
