The away side threatened first when Jonathan Walters beat Mike Williamson to a long ball forward before turning and firing a shot just wide of Tim Krul's goal.

Newcastle nearly took the lead on 11 minutes when Moussa Sissoko clipped a ball into the path of the onrushing Remy Cabella, whose header was tipped around the post at point-blank range by Asmir Begovic.

Moussa Sissoko of Newcastle United is tackled by Steven N'Zonzi of Stoke City during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Stoke City at St James' Park on February 8, 2015 © Getty Images

Sammy Ameobi teed up a quick Newcastle break on 20 minutes when his ball down the left found Ayoze Perez, but the Spanish forward's cross into the box evaded Cabella and Stoke cleared the danger.

It was down the left that much of Newcastle's joy came, and it was a smart exchange of passes between Cabella and Sissoko that sent the latter through on goal on 26 minutes when Begovic was out quickly to smother the ball.

Glenn Whelan's wild tackle on Ameobi earned the Stoke man a booking just after the half-hour mark, but Newcastle could not take advantage of the set piece as Cabella's delivery sailed straight into the hands of the waiting Begovic.

Stoke had a free kick of their own from just outside the Newcastle box on 40 minutes, but Walters's flick on from Stephen Ireland's cross evaded everyone in a red and white shirt.

Each side's best moments of the half came in the dying minutes as, first, Cabella's ball sent Perez scampering through on goal, only for the striker to drag his shot wide of the far post.

Stoke's golden opportunity then came in injury time when a Victor Moses header from Ireland's cross was clawed away by Krul.