China captain Zheng Zhi helped lift Charlton's spirits as he steered them to a 2-0 win over Newcastle on Sunday.

Zheng scored his first Premiership goal for Charlton on his full debut before winning a late penalty that Jerome Thomas buried to take Alan Pardew's side to within four points of safety.

Since taking over at Christmas, Pardew has revived the south London club, which has gone from being a relegation certainty to being feared after a three-match unbeaten streak.

Fourth from bottom Sheffield United are being hunted while Wigan and Manchester City will also feeling the heat as the battle for Premiership survival switches up a gear.

While Newcastle are free from the relegation fight, this defeat at The Valley completed a miserable four days for Glenn Roeder's side, who were dumped out of the UEFA Cup on Thursday.

After only three substitute appearances since joining on loan from Shandong Luneng, Zheng was handed a debut and veritably seized the moment.

Roeder's team were unlucky in the sixth minute when Antoine Sibierski ran onto Damien Duff's pass, but his poor first touch enabled Souleymane Diarwara to get back and make the saving tackle.

Zheng came into his own early on winning a free-kick that Talal El-Karkouri blasted inches over the bar.

Darren Bent recovered from a knee injury to start for Charlton but the forward, who is included in England's squad for their forthcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers, found his teammates lacking in provision during a somber first half.

Newcastle did survive a late first-half scare but Nolberto Solano coolly headed the ball off the line after Marcus Bent's cross had Shay Given beaten. 

The Addicks came back in reenergized and found the opening in the 53rd minute after Amady Faye fouled James Milner.

Darren Bent's curling free-kick cleared the wall but rattled the bar. With Given unable to get back, the ball rebounded towards an unmarked Zheng who headed into the empty net.

Charlton tasted blood and piled forward for the second. They were unlucky a few minutes later when Dennis Rommedahl's tap-in goal was ruled to be offside.

Newcastle's season is devoid of any meaning following their UEFA Cup capitulation against AZ Alkmaar and their habitual guts left them as Charlton outplayed them across the park.

Captain Shay Given bravely kept out a Jerome Thomas corner which Darren Bent failed to connect with.

Despite some misses, Darren Bent ran the Newcastle defence and he could have doubled Charlton's lead when he turned Rommedahl's cross into the side-netting with 20 minute on the clock.

Charlton's intrepid style paid off and Thomas finally sealed a crucial win from the spot in the 88th minute after Solano fouled Zheng.
 
(CRI March 19, 2007)