Pardew praises Newcastle's 'non-existent' Cisse for Stoke winner

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew applauded his side for not giving in and coming up trumps with a late Papiss Cisse strike sealing a 2-1 win over Stoke City at St James' Park.

The Toon Army were unlucky to go behind to a Jonathan Walters' penalty but came back through a sumptuous Yohan Cabaye free-kick and Cisse's injury time winner.

And Pardew said: "We wouldn't give in and we kept asking different questions. In Sylvain Marveaux we have brought on somebody who has found the eye of a needle pass to a guy (Cisse) who has been non-existent today. 

"But because he's a natural goalscorer, he has an awful touch really, but instead of snatching at it he lets it come all the way down and brings the roof off with a winning goal."

The Toon Army gaffer said he thought his side were tired after their Europa League 0-0 draw at Russian side Anzi Makhachkala on Thursday night.

But he said there would have been no way Newcastle would have won the game a few months ago especially with the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa, Fabricio Coloccini and Tim Krul all missing the win.