Sheffield United's relegation worries increased after a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle at Bramall Lane.

Obafemi Martins put the visitors ahead in the 17th minute when he volleyed home from the edge of the area after James Milner's knockdown.

Blades substitute Christian Nade fired home on the angle from 10 yards in the 74th minute but, six minutes later, Steven Taylor outjumped Leigh Bromby to head past Paddy Kenny.

Having dropped into the Premiership's bottom three on Friday after Charlton's goalless draw at Manchester City, Neil Warnock's side found themselves just two points ahead of West Ham on Saturday night following the Hammers' shock victory over Arsenal.

In truth, for long periods they played like a side with relegation on their mind, with the majority of the 32,572 crowd enduring similar feelings.

The manager made three changes to the team beaten 1-0 at Bolton last week, replacing Matthew Kilgallon, Michael Tonge and Nade with Chris Armstrong, Stephen Quinn and former Sunderland striker Jon Stead.

Craig Moore (groin) was passed fit and so Newcastle's two changes saw Kieron Dyer and Celestine Babayaro make way for Milner and Antoine Sibierski.

In the third minute, Quinn won a free-kick after Milner's late challenge. Mikele Leigertwood curled in a cross but Chris Lucketti could not get any power on his header and the ball bounced to safety.

At the other end, Damien Duff's low corner from the left found its way through a crowd of players to Sibierski but he scuffed a shot wide from 12 yards.

In the ninth minute, a misunderstanding between Phil Jagielka and Kenny as to who had to deal with a long ball forward presented Martins with a chance but the goalkeeper scrambled clear.

But if the Blades had had a lucky escape then they were not so fortunate in the 17th minute.

Duff's high cross from the left was headed back towards the edge of the penalty area by Milner and the former Inter Milan striker volleyed the ball past the unsighted Kenny.

In the 25th minute, Nick Montgomery collected a knockdown from Kazim-Richards and let fly from 25 yards but Shay Given tipped it on to a post and behind - only for referee Mark Halsey to award a goal-kick.

Armstrong then drilled a long-range shot straight into the chest of Steven Taylor but from the rebound Martins launched a quick counter-attack.

He was fouled by Stead, prompting Scott Parker to get involved in a pushing match with the former Black Cats striker which earned both a booking.

In the 37th minute, Duff cut in from the left, played a one-two with Sibierski, before bundling a right-foot shot just wide of Kenny's right-hand post.

Montgomery responded with a 25-yard volley which was deflected for a corner off Parker's head.

When the cross came in Bromby flicked it up but Lucketti directed a weak six-yard header straight at Given.

The second half began with Given making a good save from a Bromby header, although the defender had already been flagged offside, and Duff blazing into the side-netting after bursting down the left.

Parker's ankle injury saw him replaced by Emre with 10 minutes of the half gone, while Warnock threw on striker Nade and midfielder Michael Tonge for Quinn and Leigertwood, with Kazim-Richards moving out to the left wing.

Sibierski should have put the result out of reach in the 62nd minute when he blazed over an empty goal after Kenny had charged out wide to try to beat Martins to the ball but then, inexplicably, tried to shepherd it out of play.

Martins curled the ball in and it rebounded off a post to the former Manchester City forward who embarrassingly fired over.

Tonge's miss at the other end was not as bad - Given was stood in his goal - but it was just as wayward, while Nade's diving 71st-minute header from Gillespie's curling right-wing cross rolled agonisingly past the post.

However, the French striker made no mistake in the 74th minute when Gillespie's right-wing free-kick reached him via Kazim-Richards and Montgomery.

He drilled home on the angle from 10 yards to lift the roof off Bramall Lane.

However, the joy lasted six minutes as Taylor out-jumped Bromby to head the Magpies in front again from Milner's right-wing corner.

Lucketti had a similar chance from close range with eight minutes to go but headed across goal and wide.

Teams

Sheff Utd Kenny, Bromby, Lucketti, Jagielka, Armstrong,Gillespie, Montgomery, Leigertwood (Tonge 56),Stephen Quinn (Nade 56), Kazim-Richards, Stead (Webber 87).

Subs Not Used: Morgan, Geary.

Booked: Stead.

Goals: Nade 74.

Newcastle Given, Solano (Onyewu 84), Moore, Taylor, Carr,Milner, Butt, Parker (Emre 56), Duff, Sibierski (Dyer 75),Martins.

Subs Not Used: Harper, Babayaro.

Booked: Parker.

Goals: Martins 17, Taylor 80.

Att: 32,572

Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire).