NEWCASTLE may have dressed up Saturday's drab draw at West Ham United as a good result - but it marked the first moment of this relegation battle where the Magpies ceded the initiative.

In a very end-of-season affair - unsurprisingly, considering that it was - both teams set out as if there was nothing to play for. Understandably for West Ham, but inexplicably for Newcastle, who could have made a giant stride in their bid to escape the drop but passed up the opportunity like a hot potato.

Instead, Alan Pardew's men trudged off the pitch to see the results go mostly against them, save for the plummeting sight of Norwich City who seem to be doing their level best to have something to play for on the final day.

A point in the immediate aftermath may have seemed like a job well done - and Newcastle would certainly agree, but those results elsewhere did Pardew no favours, and as Wigan's game in hand draws into full focus tomorrow night, Newcastle's destiny will no longer be in their own hands.

But, for all the talk last week of disharmony, rifts, cliques and divisions, Newcastle looked like a team all going in the same direction. Unfortunately, that direction may be the Championship - but on Saturday's showing alone, harmony is not their biggest problem.

Midfielder Jonas Gutierrez agreed. "I think we showed that was a performance of a united, committed team," Gutierrez said. "Everybody could see we were fighting for each other. It has been a difficult few weeks, and we haven't been solid or compact - but on Saturday we were.

"I thought defensively we did a great job against a difficult team right up until the end. It is hard coming here and getting something. Of course, before the game we wanted to win, but a draw was justice for us.

"We walked off the pitch and heard the other results but really I don't care about the other teams, I'm only thinking about Newcastle and what we have to do.

"Away from home we haven't had many good performances this year, now we look forward to the next game and hopefully the same kind of performance can get us a win. But we know we must get the three points next week. That probably means we don't have to think of other results.

"The last few days have not been good, it's always hard after losing by a big score. Nobody has been walking around smiling, but we've been sticking together. It was important not to lose this, even more so to keep a clean sheet and now there is a big game next week.

He added: "No one who was here could say we weren't playing for each other, fighting until the final whistle. If we'd played more games like this in recent weeks I don't think we'd be talking about a relegation battle."

Safety was announced by Pardew, prematurely, after a last-ditch victory against Stoke. A month later, victory over Fulham cemented it, again, prematurely. But, sparked by their exit from the Europa League, accelerated by the 3-0 derby defeat, exacerbated by last weekend's 6-0 home reverse to Liverpool, Newcastle's position has become more and more perilous.

It was only a matter of time before results would catch up with them. And, depending on how Sunderland fare tonight, the Magpies could be in the relegation zone if Wigan - who came from behind to see off West Bromwich Albion on Saturday - can overcome Swansea City.

However, on the balance of play at Upton Park, Newcastle will count themselves fortunate they escaped with a point and a clean sheet.

For that they have a never-say-die defending display to thank, allied with a stellar display between the sticks by stand-in goalkeeper Rob Elliot.

They did, in fact, start well. Hatem Ben Arfa rifled a free-kick over the crossbar after Joey O'Brien scythed Steven Taylor down.

And Newcastle could have been in the lead when Papiss Cisse's shot was cleared off the line by Winston Reid, when replays showed the Senegalese's shot had crossed over the line. However, the linesman, who Pardew believed had slipped, also had the sun in his eyes.

Half-time heralded a gear change from the hosts. Andy Carroll, who alongside Kevin Nolan faced his old club in one of many sub-plots on the day, headed wide from Matt Jarvis' cross on 49 minutes, had a shot well saved by Elliot on 72 minutes and hit the post a minute before full-time.

Elliot had to be on top form to make a double save on 64 minutes from Nolan, as the stand-in goalkeeper responded remarkably to push the second effort on to the post.

Newcastle had two chances of note in the second half. Firstly, when Cabaye's shot whistled past the post on 50 minutes, then Yoan Gouffran almost took advantage of a wild Jussi Jaaskelainen moment to coolly carry past the onrushing goalkeeper only to see his shot drop the wrong side of the post from a tight angle.

Gutierrez is confident, with the Magpies back in the capital this weekend at QPR, that his side will be fine.

"We came down here to keep a clean sheet and while we'd have liked to have gone home with all three points, we did most things right and must do that again next week," he said.

"If we do the same things I think we'll be okay. Fight, fight, fight really hard, work for the team and try not to concede."