Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce was delighted after Rovers beat Newcastle 3-0 at Ewood Park to climb out of the Premier League relegation zone.
Newcastle were the better side in the first half but failed to make their superiority count and Rovers took the lead via a Benni McCarthy penalty on 61 minutes.
Jason Roberts then scored on 66 and 86 minutes to put the issue beyond doubt, while Nicky Butt was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 83rd minute.
Asked what pleased him about the victory, Allardyce told Sky Sports: "Staying 0-0 at half-time because we weren't in the game and I think that since I've been here it's about making sure we don't concede silly or sloppy goals.
"So while not playing very well, defensively we did the job until we could get sorted out at half-time and started to get the better players that we've got in possession and start playing off the front two and into the wide positions and then started to put the Newcastle defence under pressure.
"So it pleased me that even though our performance was poor that we stayed in the game and we didn't let the opposition sneak in front at that stage."
He added: "When we started to play, we really started to play and then we really started to break the opposition down and from that basis of still being 0-0, we've ended up winning with a 3-0 victory in the end.
"I think that, while Newcastle think that's a bit harsh of course, we fully exposed them towards the end and came out and played how we know we can play in possession in the second half and then put Newcastle under the sort of pressure that they couldn't withstand."
He admitted the penalty was a big turning point in the game, although "until I have had a look at it again I don't know (if it was a penalty)."
He added: "But in the end a clean sheet, a terrific performance in the second half and three goals to go with it.
"I can ask for more because I don't want us to play like that again as we did in the first half but it is a great, great three points."
His side are now undefeated in four matches in the league and one game in the FA Cup under his tenure.
"The lads know that now we are out of the bottom three for the first time for a while - it's crucial in terms of confidence building, it's only a small margin but we are out of it and we are out of it for the first time makes us all feel a lot better," he said.
After a trip to Sunderland in the FA Cup, Allardyce is targeting a victory over old club Bolton in their next league game at Ewood Park.
"If we are to get out of trouble and stay out of trouble, it's here where we want the three points," he said, although he denied it was 'extra special' to have beaten Newcastle.
"(It's) not extra special but you just want to beat them because you used to be at them and you are not there any more - like I said before the game, it was just like that at Newcastle to Bolton, I wanted to beat Bolton and I am glad we've beaten Newcastle today."
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