POINTS not performances are the key at this stage of the season according to boss Mark Hughes as Rovers claimed all three with a last-gasp victory over Newcastle United.

Matt Derbyshire's late strike capped a perfect week for the young striker, cooly slotting home on ninety minutes to give Rovers their third consecutive victory at St. James' Park.

"It was really important that we came here and won," said Hughes. "We said before the game that really at this business end of the season draws aren't enough for us, we need to win the vast majority of games that we are involved in and the aim today was to win the game.

"I made a couple of changes in the second half and I think that showed positive intent, we put on two strikers and we tried a go for it.

"We had to weather a storm which you expect on occasions, I think they had something like sixteen corners which were awarded to them so we had to deal with them, but I thought the lads at the back and Brad who made a couple of crucial saves at good times for us, were excellent.

"And in the end we were always like to catch them on the break when they are throwing people forward, and that is what we were able to do and Derbs was in the position that he loves to be in, he kept a cool head and a fantastic finish.

"I thought our passing could have been better, we created good situations and maybe picked the wrong option and we didn't exploit situations to their fullest, but in the end we've won the game and at this stage of the situation it is all about results rather than performances."