Portsmouth manager Tony Adams believes his side gifted Newcastle all three points at Fratton Park on Sunday.
Three second-half goals from Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins and Danny Guthrie sealed all three points for the visitors.
Pompey may feel that the score was a little harsh, with Jermain Defoe coming close on a number of occasions for the home side.
But it was mistakes, such as midfielder Arnold Mvuemba's sloppy pass across the pitch which presented Newcastle's Jonas Gutierrez with possession as he slipped in Owen for the opener, which annoyed his manager.
"I thought it was a very close, very bitty game," said Adams as he spoke to Sky Sports News.
"The first goal kind of won it for them. We gave it to them. We made mistakes and when you make mistakes you don't win football games.
"The first goal was very important it broke for them and it didn't break for us."
The former Arsenal skipper thought that the final result did flatter Newcastle but the bottom line was that it wasn't their day.
"I thought it was much closer than that. We gave them the goal, I had to open up a little bit to get back into the game and then they go and get two and three," admits Adams.
"The first goal was important today. It was not an attractive game. We had a few chances but we never really felt like anything was going to go in for us today."
Pompey have now conceded 13 goals in their last six games in all competitions and Adams admits that his side are struggling to strike a balance between defence and attack.
"It's hard to take. We have got fantastic Portsmouth support here and they demand us to play with passion," continued Adams.
"We seem to be giving goals away when we go and try and win games and we don't seem to have that balance just right.
"We seem to be beating ourselves at the moment and we will have to put that right."
The defeat to Newcastle saw Portsmouth's unbeaten five-game run in the league come to an end and Adams knows that he will have to lift his players for Saturday's trip to Bolton.
"I have to lift them all the time that's my job," claimed the 42-year-old.
"In this league everyone can beat anyone. It's a tough week but we've got to get the lads going again. I've got a good bunch of lads and I'm confident we can put it right."
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