ROBSON'S VIEW Newcastle 3-1 Charlton

"We were excellent. Our first-half performance was just about our best performance here all season, typified by the two strikers," Robson said.

"They were in magnificent form, they gave the central defenders difficult matches, they could never really control them and they won this match.

"There are nine games to play, but here we are in fifth, battling hard."

It was the Magpies' ninth win from their last 15 home games, but Robson has struggled to explain their away form.

"There are no easy matches away from home. We don't lose in the last few minutes on purpose or by accident," he said.

"Teams play until the last minute and we have been rather unlucky with late equalisers and - in Tottenham's case last weekend - a goal which cost us three points.

"We have had a lot of draws having been in winning positions and we have not seen the games out.

"But it is going to be nip and tuck between now and the end of the season.

"We have just got to go at every single game as it comes, and attack the situation.

Robson added that he would look at a television replay of the incident which earned Newcastle the penalty for their third goal - for which his opposite number Alan Curbishley thought the referee had been taken in by Laurent Robert's fall.

"I will look at the video - I know Laurent was quick on the ball and he has got to drive past him - and then I will make my decision," he explained.

"Then I will take the player aside and speak to him about it.