Greek defender Nikos Dabizas was the toast of the Toon after snatching a first ever victory at the Stadium of Light for high-flying Newcastle.

The former Olympiakos player struck 64 minutes into a pulsating encounter on Wearside to restore local pride after two recent defeats at St James' Park by Newcastle's arch-rivals.

But perhaps even more importantly, his goal sent Bobby Robson's side back into second place in the Premiership table and ensured the Magpies remain in the title race for at least another week.

The scoreline could not even begin to tell the story of a tight derby clash, fought out in front of 48,290 spectators, which saw United keeper Shay Given produce three stunning saves.

The best of them came six minutes from time from Kevin Phillips' curling shot, while opposite number Thomas Sorensen also denied Dabizas, who hit the bar as well.

The Danish keeper had suggested before the game that, if Newcastle had a weakness, it was their defence.

But ironically, it was one of the men in question who eventually proved the hero on a day which will be celebrated long and hard on Tyneside for weeks to come.

Newcastle's fans arrived with high expectations and delighting in the relatively low standing of their arch-rivals, but there was little to choose between the sides before the break.

The visitors perhaps had the better of the possession, but really only threatened to carve the Black Cats open on one occasion when debutant Jermaine Jenas and Aaron Hughes combined well on the right to feed Craig Bellamy.

The Welshman gleefully pushed the ball beyond Sorensen into the net, but the home supporters had seen the offside flag which choked the cheers of their opposite numbers before they could reach fever pitch.

United's more accurate passing game meant that they retained the ball slightly better than Sunderland, who had central defenders Jody Craddock and Joachim Bjorklund to thank for repelling a series of high balls into their box.

But as the half wore on, it was the home side who started to create the clearer openings and force Given to earn his money.

The Irishman had already seen Kevin Kilbane prod a close-range shot high over when he denied Phillips with a superb point-blank save seven minutes before the break.

And he excelled himself again as the whistle approached, getting down to the foot of his left post to turn Kilbane's stinging drive away for a corner.

With defences largely on top, the game was always competitive, especially in the middle of the field where Gary Speed and Jenas and Stefan Schwarz and Claudio Reyna were scrapping tooth and nail for every ball to stoke the already fiery atmosphere inside the Stadium of Light.

Peter Reid decided to replace Quinn with Cameroon international Patrick Mboma at the break and, although he had an immediate effect in the opposition half, it was in Sunderland territory where his input was to be most telling.

Sorensen pulled off a superb instinctive save to deny Dabizas at the back post with 53 minutes elapsed but, as the game moved swiftly from end to end, Reyna shot horribly across goal seconds later as the home fans held their breath.

Dabizas was again heavily involved in the Black Cats' penalty area after 58 minutes when he got up to meet Sylvain Distin's long throw and, as the home defence struggled to clear its lines, smashed a close-range effort across the bar.

But the Greek international had to wait just six minutes more for his moment of destiny after Mboma rashly brought down Hughes wide on the right.

Laurent Robert's inswinging free-kick was flicked on by Shearer and Dabizas turned up at the far post to head firmly past the helpless Sorensen.

Reid threw young attacking midfielder Thomas Butler on for Schwarz with 20 minutes remaining but, although Kilbane tested Given with another long-range effort, it was United who started to dominate again.

Bellamy planted a firm header into Sorensen's arms and Jenas twice let fly from distance as Newcastle threatened to extend their lead.

But the game was far from dead and it took a good covering headed from, of all people, Robert deep inside his own penalty area to keep the home side out after Mboma had twisted and turned his way past Andy O'Brien on the Sunderland left.

The Wearsiders opted for all-out attack as the minutes ticked away, and Kilbane was unfortunate to see a towering header drop wide nine minutes from time after he climbed well to meet Michael Gray's cross.

Sunderland thought they had levelled six minutes from time when Phillips sent a dipping shot towards Given's top left corner, but the Irishman leapt to pull off the save of the match to preserve his side's slender lead.

The scenes which greeted the final whistle were stark in contrast as the travelling supporters started the party while their distraught counterparts trudged away in disappointment.

Teams:

Sunderland: Sorensen, Haas, Gray, Bjorklund, Craddock, McAteer, Schwarz (Butler 70), Reyna, Kilbane, Quinn (Mboma 46), Phillips.

Subs Not Used: Macho, Williams, McCartney.

Booked: McAteer, Mboma, Kilbane.

Newcastle: Given, Hughes, Distin, Dabizas, O'Brien, Solano, Speed, Robert (Ameobi 90), Jenas, Shearer, Bellamy.

Subs Not Used: Elliott, Acuna, Harper, Lua-Lua.

Booked: Bellamy.

Goals: Dabizas 64.

Att: 48,290

Ref: G Barber (Tring).