It was simply not our day and we weren't in it leading up to half-time.
It was the worst possible beginning and another test of character for the lads without their inspirational skipper Ledley King.
Newcastle were well on top so parity was restored against the run of play but level pegging did not last too long.
Further goals from Shola Ameobi and Alan Shearer from a penalty made a second half recovery an unlikely prospect.
There was shock in the ranks when a distraught Michael Dawson headed to the dressing room early after already being booked before the break.
There was little point in simply damage limitation at this stage of the game and the response was spirited and possession was increased.
The boys battled to the end to reduce the deficit, but it was not to be.
Anthony Gardner started for Ledley King, so Paul Stalteri was named among the substitutes. Mido replaced Jermain Defoe in the starting line-up, while Tom Huddlestone came in from the reserves as ill Teemu Tainio's replacement.
Blackburn can go level on points with fourth placed Spurs, only if they take all three points at home to Wigan on Monday night. A victory by Arsenal moved them to within two points of their north London neighbours, still with a game in hand.
Martin Jol: "We showed many faces today. We had very good intentions before the game. We knew we needed a clean sheet to come away with three points. But it's always difficult when you concede a goal like that in the first minute and the way we gave goals away for the first 30 minutes was almost unforgivable. We played to our strengths and we got back into the game (after the first goal). We played it to Aaron Lennon, who beat the full-back easily but then we made the second mistake and then the third one with the penalty and you are 3-1 down after 30 minutes and you know it will be difficult. Before half time, we could have scored the second one when Robbie Keane hit the bar. In the second half we came back and even with 10 men, we took the initiative and should have scored a second goal. We stood up well and showed character and if we'd managed to get that second goal I think we could have given them a tough game because they looked nervous as well. But it wasn't our day and we couldn't take advantage of that. Jermaine Jenas had a 100 per cent chance to score. Anthony Gardner came back strongly in the second half but he lacked rhythm in the first. N'Zogbia proved a handful for Stephen Kelly because we didn't protect each other and keep our shape. I wasn't happy at half-time or at full-time but we did manage to keep it goalless in the second half with ten men, although that meant nothing in the end. We certainly weren't a tough team to beat giving Newcastle three goals."
Michael Dawson: "They were at home after a few bad results and getting an early goal boosted their confidence again but we probably helped that. That is why it was a shame we didn't go there and show what we can do. We got back on level terms but the game didn't stay at 1-1 for long enough for us to really get back into it. They went ahead again and obviously from our point of view it was a disappointing day - and even more for me with getting a red card. I was very shocked to get sent off. I think I probably conceded three fouls and two of them ended in bookings. The lads stuck at it in the second half and maybe if Keano and JJ's shots had gone in it would have turned out differently but it wasn't to be."
Anthony Gardner: "My confidence was not affected. We lost and it wasn't a good performance. They came out quickly and we conceded early which made it hard. Maybe I was a little bit off the pace having not played for a while but I got back up to speed in the end and I did feel the rhythm coming back quickly in the second half."
Mido: "It was a big disappointment conceding a goal in the first minutes. With the way we played, I don't think we did enough to win the game."
Jol on King's injury and Tainio's illness:
"Ledley took a knock in training on Friday and twisted his ankle and had a little problem in his knee as well because of the twist. Maybe I could have played him but we were worried about it so we decided to give him a rest because it could have made it worse for the rest of the season. Teemu was actually ill before Monday's game - he went home and then came back later to go on the bench, but he was then ill again after that."
Stephen Carr (NUFC): "It was poor defending from me to let them back in it with their goal, but little things went our way like when Keano hit the bar just before half-time. Had we gone in 3-2 at half time it would have been a different game."
Peter Ramage (NUFC): "That was probably the closest I've come to scoring a goal in the first team. Robinson pulled off a great save, though I must admit I thought it was in."
Source: Official sites