Newcastle United 2, Bradford City 0; Richard Sutcliffe reports from St James' Park.

TIME IS fast running out for Paul Jewell and his brave Bradford City battlers.

The Bantams have just seven games left to save their Premiership lives after collecting just two points from the last 21 available.

And with main relegation rivals Derby comfortably beating Leicester yesterday to move five points clear of City, Jewell's men must now transform their season in spectacular style.

The defeat at Newcastle was their fourth in a row and although City can plead mitigation with Andy O'Brien's disallowed 'equaliser' four minutes from time, one goal and no points from those games tells its own story.

City have hit a bad run of form at just the wrong time but they cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves or the battle is already over.

Next week's clash with Southampton is a game they must now win, particularly when you bear in mind that Derby travel to bottom club Watford on the same day.

City boss Jewell said: "The game against Southampton is obviously going to be a big match for us now. We've got to pick ourselves up.

"We're disappointed but we remain positive. We have got to start winning games and there is no better place to start than against Southampton next week."

As you would expect from a side packed full of internationals, Newcastle enjoyed the bulk of possession but even allowing for that it took a soft header from a corner and a last-minute strike to seal the points.

At the final whistle, City were left thinking if only O'Brien's perfectly legal 'goal' had been allowed to stand then they could have taken a point.

The 1,000 or so fans who travelled to St James' Park were also left to count the cost of their side again lacking a killer instinct when presented with two golden chances.

City's season is, however, fast descending into a series of 'If onlys' and they must start making their own luck if they are to climb out of the bottom three.

Jewell's men have seven games remaining and everything now rests on how they fare this month in the trio of home games against Southampton, Wimbledon and, most importantly, Derby.

City's recent run is admittedly poor but it is worth pointing out that only Coventry City of their last seven opponents do not harbour hopes of qualifying for European competitions next season.

Against Newcastle, Jewell opted to pack midfield with Jorge Cadete dropping down to the bench with John Dreyer coming in to join Stuart McCall and Dean Windass in the centre of midfield.

Lee Sharpe also returned in place of the injured Jamie Lawrence on the right side of midfield but it was clear that City were hoping to frustrate United.

However all that planning was undone after just seven minutes by a sloppy piece of defending which allowed Gary Speed a free header inside the six-yard area.

Jewell said: "We had a game-plan and it almost goes out of the window when you go a goal behind. The guy who was supposed to be picking Speed up, slipped and we were picking the ball out of the net. It happened last week and it has happened again this week."

Despite this setback, City stuck with their gameplan and did match Newcastle in a first half which was woefully short on entertainment.

The Bantams even managed to fashion the best chance of the opening 45 minutes when Dean Windass brought a superb save from Steve Harper.

A fantastic pass from Windass again opened up Newcastle seven minutes after the break, but Dean Saunders tamely chipped the ball into the grateful hands of Harper.

Yet again, a lack of a killer instinct had cost City dear and that must change in the next few weeks if hopes of survival are to be kept alive.

Despite these two chances, City were still too deep to hurt Newcastle and it was a surprise that they persevered with a 4-5-1 formation until just 20 minutes remained.

Jewell acted by taking John Dreyer off and bringing on Jorge Cadete, but the Portuguese striker again failed to impress.

Based on the form Cadete has shown since his arrival, it remains a surprise that Lee Mills and Isaiah Rankin were allowed to go out on loan when both could add a lot more to the City. Mills is now out of action with a cracked rib while Rankin limped off after half-an-hour of Birmingham's 1-0 win over Wolves this weekend.

It was a frustrating afternoon for City and this boiled over in the 78th minute when Windass reacted furiously to a petulant kick by Speed. The Newcastle man was not happy with Windass' original challenge but the City man had to be restrained by team-mates.

Jewell, wary of how a sending off could disrupt a squad which is short of cover both up front and in midfield, then intervened to calm Windass down.

The City boss said: "He was a bit upset with one of their players and he lost his discipline. I was just making sure he calmed down."

City threw caution to the wind in the final ten minutes and finally started applying some pressure to the home goal.

And they looked like being rewarded with just four minutes remaining when City bundled the ball into the net.

Dean Windass had sent over a high cross which Toon keeper Steve Harper flapped at and could only push the ball on to the back of O'Brien's head.

The City defender was mobbed by his team-mates only for referee Andy D'Urso to break their hearts by ruling a foul had taken place.

It was a cruel blow for City although, on the balance of play, it is difficult to argue that Newcastle probably deserved the points.

And the Geordies duly sealed the points with just a minute remaining thanks to a typically cool finish from Alan Shearer which Matt Clarke could only palm into the net.

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