Newcastle United's victory over Leicester City puts them back in credit with owner Mike Ashley

Afters so many weeks scrutinising the negatives and assessing the problems from Newcastle United’s bad start to the season, it is only right we dwell on the positives from the tense 1-0 victory over Leicester City.

It was brave, honest and committed from a team who have not shown such admirable traits for the majority of this calendar year. It was an exhausting victory dripping in sweat.

What they lacked in fluency, Newcastle compensated for with endeavour. It was enough to earn a first Premier League win of the season that eases the tension, a little, on Tyneside.

That it has taken Newcastle eight games and the arrival of a newly-promoted team to St James’ Park to secure a win highlights wider issues, but manager Alan Pardew knew his team needed to beat Leicester to offer some evidence this campaign can amount to more than just a scary relegation battle.

It could prove to be only a temporary break from the misery. It could spark a revival, although Newcastle will have to play a lot better than this to ensure any ceasefire in hostilities holds.

For the first time in more than a month, Newcastle’s fans, aware they have far tougher fixtures in their next eight games than the ones they’ve already played, did not chant for Pardew to be sacked. They did not even ask owner Mike Ashley to sell up.

They were nervous, but tried hard to be enthusiastic, despite the lack of guile and invention in their team. They tried to be patient when mistakes occurred. Pardew remains unpopular, but there was no desire to remind him.

Leicester were dangerous, at times, and felt they should have taken at least a point home with them. Matthew James and Leonardo Ulloa both missed good opportunities, while Obertan’s goal came at the end of a period of sustained pressure from the visitors.

The winger took it well, wrong footing a retreating defence and scoring with a shot, which took a kind deflection, from the edge of the area.

“I could argue we were unlucky,” said Leicester manager Nigel Pearson. “But you have to give Newcastle some credit because they are performing under pressure and they got their break at the right time.

“For Alan, I am sure it eases some of the pressure that has been on him.

For us, I do think it is an opportunity missed.” The overwhelming Newcastle emotion was relief to finally have won, rather than optimism their troubles are over. There were enough aimless attacking moves and enough shaky defending to suggest better teams than Leicester will take points off them.

Nobody was more relieved than Ashley, who dashed down to the home dressing room to congratulate everyone after the game. He was also overheard talking about his intense “relief” on his way back up to the chairman’s suite.

Relegation is the one thing Ashley fears. He is immune to criticism and ignores anyone who suggests Newcastle should not limit their ambition to promoting his own business interests. However, the thought of losing that global exposure for his retail business, while covering the same heavy losses that followed relegation to the Championship back in 2009, send a shiver down his spine.

“It was a surprise,” said Pardew, who revealed he had teased his employer about the damage done by the wind to a new video screen inside the ground, which caused kick-off to be delayed for an hour.

“We didn’t expect to see him. He spent about ten minutes congratulating everyone. If anyone has ever doubted his commitment you saw it there. He was as happy as any fan at the win.”