But after a match that probably contained as many thrills and spills as any Premiership contest this term, manager Bobby Robson refused to call time on his long and distinguished career despite the agonising heartache that has enveloped the Tyneside club in the closing weeks of the campaign.

After a collapse in League form which followed the UEFA Cup exit against Olympique Marseille, Robson, 71, knew the Magpies had to win both their last two games to pip Liverpool for fourth spot in the Premiership.

Robson admitted: “It is a big blow, there is no getting away from it. It is a blow financially and also for prestige.

“But it is not over yet. We can still get back into Europe if we win at Anfield on Saturday and we will be trying to do that.

“We enjoyed the UEFA Cup this year and we would look forward to being in it again. The Champions League is the Blue Riband but plenty of teams would like to be in the UEFA Cup.

“And it won’t stop us signing players. We’ve always been very careful to keep to our budget with signings. This is certainly not the end of the club, not by a long way.”

Robson has been publicly chastised this season by Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd and has blasted the Toon Army fans for their impatience, which included booing the team off after last Sunday’s 1-1 home draw with relegated Wolves.

Many suspect the end of an era is imminent at St James’ Park but Robson said: “Alan Shearer and Gary Speed still have a year to go (on their contracts).”

Then he quipped: “I have got about 33 – although that could be minutes. But, no, we are going to keep giving it everything. We dominated Southampton but then found ourselves behind with two minutes left.

“Late goals at Portsmouth, Blackburn and Birmingham have cost us a lot this season but until a few weeks ago when we beat Chelsea things were still looking good. It has all gone since Marseilles and Manchester City.

“This was a fabulous match, though. We’ve played in what must be one of the best Premiership games from August to May.

“It would be a tragedy if we were to finish only sixth now. There are many reasons we haven’t performed at times, although I’m sure Liverpool will be saying the same about themselves.

“Football is a mystery but we live to fight another day.”

Saints boss Paul Sturrock thought referee Graham Poll made “a poor decision” not allowing his efforts to replace injured Claus Lundekvam as Newcastle took a throw-in on the way to scoring their second goal through Lee Bowyer in the 36th minute.

But the Scotsman said: “It was a fantastic game, great entertainment. We had to finish with 10 men when Kevin Phillips damaged his ribcage after we had used all our substitutes and we couldn’t mark everybody from a corner at the end.

“We should be sitting here as 3-2 winners but some players showed just what they can do. It was great stuff and the crowd and TV viewers must have loved it.

“I’ve got a good idea now of what is needed for next season but it will be a job to raise a team for Saturday’s last game at Charlton.”

In almost any other context, a stunning second-half save by the third choice Saints keeper, Northern Ireland Under-21 cap Alan Blayney, would have captured headlines.

It came from Shearer’s bombing downward header which Blayney, who had just 20 minutes notice that he would have to replace illness-hit Antti Niemi, somehow tipped over the bar.

Robson said: “It was a world-class save.” And Sturrock added: “I don’t know if it was world-class but the boy did very well.

“He could have caved in after letting a goal in after just seven minutes but he came through it and performed excellently.”

Blayney was beaten on his near-post by Shola Ameobi, who had got his head to a long clearance and then chased the ball to the edge of the Saints area before shooting home.

Kieron Dyer, who justified Robson’s gamble of bringing him back despite five games out with a pulled hamstring, missed a good chance to make it 2-0 but after James Beattie’s equaliser on 20 minutes and Bowyer’s second strike in five days 16 minutes later, a Titus Bramble own-goal levelled matters again before the break.

Griffit replaced compatriot Fabrice Fernandes nine minutes from the end after a spate of chances were spurned at both ends and the youngster ran onto Beattie’s flick, shrugged off another Frenchman Olivier Bernard and shot through Given’s legs for what looked like the winner.

The Ambrose strike, which deflected off another Saints sub Darren Kenton, killed off that notion but Sturrock still smiled.

He said: “Griffit’s first three touches were horrendous when he went on but then he stuck the ball in the net so what can I say to him?”