GRAEME Souness last night praised his players' professionalism after Newcastle ground out a 1-0 win over Greek side Panionios in the Group Stage of the UEFA Cup.

The Magpies were not at their best in the Nea Smyrni Stadium, but Alan Shearer's 87th-minute penalty ensured they would leave Athens will all three points in the bag.

On a terrible surface, Newcastle made hard work of overcoming their limited opponents, whose gameplan revolved around frustrating their visitors via a packed defence.

But, after watching his side finally emerge triumphant, the United boss saluted his players' perseverance and pride.

"We have to be satisfied with the three points in difficult conditions," said Souness, who has still to taste defeat since replacing Sir Bobby Robson at the start of September.

"They (Panionios) made life very difficult for us and employed similar tactics to their national side and they ended up winning their competition (Euro 2004).

"They showed us great respect by playing like that, by sitting back playing on the break and they were never going to step out and make it an open game. But we dominated the game throughout and we were worthy winners."

Shearer showed commendable composure to drill a dramatic late spot-kick past goalkeeper Sorin Colceag, refusing to buckle under the pressure of a number of high-profile penalty misses during his Newcastle career.

"Alan Shearer is a big boy and he is used to these kinds of pressurised situations," said Souness, who sent on substitute Shola Ameobi to win the penalty award. "I always thought that one goal would win it and that is how it proved."

Newcastle can rarely have played on a worse pitch in European competition and, while that did not excuse some of their poorer passes, it undoubtedly helped Panionios to slow the game down.

"You have got to take that into consideration," argued Souness. "We are used to playing on a fast pitch but we didn't get that and we were always having to stop and take an extra touch. That didn't help.

"But the longer the game went on, the more likely I thought we were to win it. I always felt our chance would come and the main thing is that we took it.

"It was a difficult game and a game which we could have easily lost, but we kept our discipline and did not go and chase it. We concentrated throughout and we got our rewards."

Despite their training ground altercation earlier this week, Souness named Craig Bellamy in his starting XI in Athens.

The Wales international has apologised for verbally abusing his manager at the Valley, but maintains he still should not have been hauled off in the controversial substitution that led to this week's clash.

"I was out of order for what I did at the Valley on Sunday," admitted Bellamy. "And I want to apologise to the manager. I knew within ten seconds what I did was wrong and I have tried to say so, but really I haven't had the chance because of other things that have happened.

"My outburst wasn't really aimed at the manager of Sunday, but more at the situation. Call me old-fashioned if you want, but my view when a player is substituted is that he has been ineffective and I didn't feel I was ineffective against Charlton."

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.