I'm as blind as an old bat who's lost his monocle, it has to be said, but the sun is out now at St James' Park and it's making distinguishing the black and white of Newcastle and the red and white of Stoke a little tricky.

At least that's my excuse... anyway, it's a beaut of an autumn afternoon in the north east.

Well, well, well.

Perhaps that was the shock Stoke needed to spring their game into life. The visitors bundle forward and find Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in the box.

The forward manages to squeeze a shot on goal, a good one too, but Rob Elliot is alert and palms the ball away to safety.

Newcastle could really be out of sight here.

That wayward effort from Joselu was their eighth shot of the game, but the hosts have had just two on target so far.

Stoke riding their luck, but will the Magpies come to rue those misses?

Has that Stoke defence come out after the break?

Newcastle cruise forward with ease down the left and Matt Ritchie flings a ball across to an unmarked Joselu, who scoops over.

He could have had a hat-trick against his old club today.

Here we go again...

That's the break. Encouraging from Newcastle, not so sweet for Stoke.

Christian Atsu's goal is the difference.

Stoke are focusing much of their play down the right flank. A whopping 53% of their attacks have gone down that side, with Xherdan Shaqiri playing on the wing.

But it's not delivering much as after nearly a half, they've touched the ball in the Newcastle box once.

Image source, .

Clever from Kurt Zouma.

The Chelsea loanee is never likely to be outmuscled by Ayoze Perez, but he uses the oncoming Newcastle forward's presence to win a free kick.

Xherdan Shaqiri looks to loft it into the box, but the home side deal with Stoke's aerial threat.

Matt Ritchie is the epitome of the cliche 'sweet left foot'.

The 28-year-old has some sort of wand on that left peg of his, but this time he over-hits a free-kick and Stoke look to counter.

Jack Butland sticks one in the Newcastle half and the Potters win a throw, which Ciaran Clark delays by grabbing on to the loose ball.

Oh Shaqiri, Shaqiri... the Swiss is not happy. He wrestles with Clark and eventually Stuart Attwell intervenes to get the ball back.

Christian Atsu and Matt Ritchie are making Newcastle tick.

The former helps the hosts work it out of a tight position in their own half and it puts Rafa Benitez's side on the attack.

Ritchie, with space in front of him, skips forward and moves the ball on to Joselu before the Stoke defence retreats behind the ball.

Promising from the home side.

Can we still call Joe Allen the 'Welsh Pirlo' now he's had his luscious locks trimmed?

At the moment he's more the 'Welsh Darren Anderton' with that floppy mid-90s boyband look.

Both classy ball-players, mind. Although one had a few more injury problems than the other.

Image source, Reuters

Joselu goes so close to netting against his old side!

Stoke are struggling to defend any sort of Newcastle pressure and as the ball ricochets around the Potters' box it drops at Joselu's feet.

He's one-on-one with Jack Butland, but the keeper gets a foot to a weak goalbound effort.

Image source, PA

Martin Keown
Former Arsenal defender on Final Score

The Newcastle fans must be in dreamland at the moment. If they can get that momentum going they can be really pleased.

They have started very well this season.

Isaac Hayden wasn't going to get away with another ill-timed challenge and Stuart Attwell gets his notebook out to take the midfielder's number after he catches Joe Allen.

Attwell is busy here, Kevin Wimmer crunches DeAndre Yedlin as the full-back darts down Newcastle's right and he joins Hayden in the book.

Image source, Reuters

Christian Atsu is the Newcastle outlet at the minute, and the man looking most likely to add to his side's lead - most probably because I just benched him for my fantasy team.

The winger nearly latches on to a through ball, but Jack Butland gets there first.

Moments later and another diagonal long ball has the Stoke defence bemused once again as Joselu gets in behind his old team-mates.

The Spaniard prods a foot at the dropping ball from inside the box, but can only help it wide with Butland stranded.

Well, it's end to end.

Xherdan Shaqiri goes all Ronaldinho 2002 (sorry, David Seaman) and nearly catches Rob Elliot out with a cross that almost drops into the top corner.

Elliot manages to get a finger tip to it and tips wide.

Newcastle are rolling now.

The hosts nearly make it two as an in-swinging corner is met by the head of Jamaal Lascelles, but the defender can only nod wide of Jack Butland's post.

Stoke all over the place at the back at the minute.

Wowsa. That was a risky looking back pass from Darren Fletcher. Everything they tell you not to do as five-year-old starting out down your local club, passing the ball across the face of his own goal.

Luckily for the visitors, it finds Jack Butland and the keeper hoofs clear.

It all came following another loose pass from Xherdan Shaqiri that sent Matt Ritchie scampering free, and Fletcher was forced to mop up.

Newcastle are starting to grow into this game. This time it is Ayoze Perez who accelerates away from his marker before sending a low ball into the box from the right.

Joselu is lurking, but Jack Butland dives low in the six-yard box to gather comfortably.

Something to shout about for the home fans.