Newcastle took a giant step towards automatic promotion to the Premier League with a 3-1 victory over Nahki Wells and his third-placed Huddersfield teammates on Saturday evening.
A controversial early penalty by Matt Ritchie - awarded after he had gone down under the challenge of Wells - put the Sky Bet Championship leaders ahead in the 10th minute, and Murphy doubled their advantage on 33 minutes.
Aaron Mooy gave Town hope with a spot-kick 18 minutes from time before Dwight Gayle sealed the triumph in stoppage time to send Rafael Benitez's side 11 points clear of the third-placed hosts.
RAI SIMONS
Substitute Reece Mitchell struck in the third minute of time added on as Rai Simons’ Chesterfield bolstered their Sky Bet League One survival hopes with a 1-0 victory at fellow strugglers Swindon.
Simons was an unused substitute during the match.
Mitchell was introduced in the final 10 minutes, replacing the ineffective Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, and the change proved an inspired one as he netted his first goal of the season.
REGGIE LAMBE
Second-placed Plymouth soared seven points clear of Reggie Lambe and his League Two promotion rival Carlisle teammates after defeating them 2-0 at Home Park.
Playmaker Graham Carey fired Plymouth into a 21st-minute lead before Jake Jervis made it 2-0 from the spot just before half-time.
Carlisle remain third despite a third successive defeat, while Plymouth moved to within four points of leaders Doncaster.
