Newcastle United are within a whisker of Premier League survival - with seven games to play. This was an unthinkable scenario back in December when they were staring the Championship in the face after the worst start in their Premier League history.
A hard fought but deserved victory over a very good Wolverhampton Wanderers though nudges United up to 34 points after Chris Wood's penalty settled a tense affair on Tyneside. In truth, this was far from pretty on a night in which Ryan Fraser hobbled off with an injury, but it didn't need to be as Newcastle could effectively be safe with a win on Easter Sunday.
It was a night in which United had to work hard for the points and they set about their business in gritty manner.
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Allan Saint-Maximin managed to get a shot off within 60 seconds but his effort hit Wolves defender Conor Coady. Seconds later Ryan Fraser crossed from the right but Jose Sa easily claimed the former Aberdeen winger's cross.
Fraser was then dealt a huge blow on 12 minutes when he was forced off with what looked like a knee injury. The Scotland international was replaced by Miguel Almiron with Newcastle just settling into the game.
Almiron had a glimpse of goal on 21 minutes when Fabian Schar's pass over the top found him but after taking the sting out of the ball he blazed it over the bar at the Leazes End. Almiron's exquisite back-heel four minutes later found Bruno who crossed from the right with the ball bouncing off a defender and into the path of Chris Wood. Wood fired home and sprinted to celebrate but VAR checked the goal and decided there was an offside from Bruno in the build-up.
The incident appeared to liven Wolves up a little and they then produced their first effort at goal but Jonny blazed over the bar. Almiron had another effort at goal just before the break but Sa was equal to it Schar won a free-kick right at the end of the first half but stepped up to strike it against the Wolves wall with Matt Targett's follow up then blocked. The two sides went in level at the interval after Newcastle had been the more ambitious side.
After the break, Bruno's free-kick was swirled into the box with Dan Burn venturing forward for the set-piece. Burn took the ball down but fired it straight at former Porto stopper Sa.
Wolves reacted with an opening on 55 minutes when Hwang Hee-Chan got free down the left and cut inside past Emil Krafth but the Sweden defender recovered with a sliding challenge. Schar picked up a yellow card a minute later when he took down Fabio Silva leaving the Switzerland international on thin ice. Just before the hour mark, Saint-Maximin glided down the right-hand side before firing over the bar.
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A Bruno cross on 64 minutes from the right found Saint-Maximin at the back post but he clobbered it high over the bar. Moments later, Saint-Maximin turned provider but Wood could not connect in the six-yard box. One of the game's big moments came with 18 minutes left as Joelinton sent Wood free in the box with Sa rushing out to foul him and concede a penalty. Another lengthy VAR check followed but the penalty would stand.
After a long wait, Wood stepped up to blast the ball to the right of the net and send Sa the wrong way. It was a moment that raised the roof at the Gallowgate End but there was a massive sense of relief, both for the goalscorer, netting his first on home turf, and the supporters who had watched on nervously from the offset.
Saint-Maximin caught Wolves napping on the counter two minutes later and rolled the ball over to Bruno but his effort was deflected wide for a corner. Silva rose high at the back post after Marcal's cross but he could only head wide despite beating Burn in the air on 79 minutes. Silva threatened again a minute later when triggering a shot at goal with Dubravka getting a big glove on the dangerous effort and pushing it wide.
Wolves came knocking again with six minutes left when Jonny's effort was fired straight at Dubravka in another nervy moment. Bruno came off for Sean Longstaff with a few minutes left with the Brazil star going off to a standing ovation.
It was worthwhile applause for the £33.5million man after a sparkling display with his quality on the ball helping Newcastle get over the line. In stoppage time Saint-Maximin broke forward again but could only drill the ball at Sa.
That didn't matter in the end and players and fans hugged each as Peter Bankes blasted his whistle one final time. Newcastle are nearly there and their rivals in the bottom half of the table will be the ones sweating this weekend.
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