Portsmouth 0 Newcastle United 3: Michael Owen celebrated his 29th birthday by sending Newcastle on their way to a vital victory at Portsmouth which lifted the Magpies out of the relegation zone.

Owen scored in the 52nd minute of an entertaining game at Fratton Park before Obafemi Martins and Danny Guthrie sealed Newcastle's first league win in five attempts and their maiden away triumph of the season.

Martins also hit a post in the first half but Pompey, and Jermain Defoe in particular, will be ruing missing a host of chances.

Portsmouth have now conceded 13 goals in their last six games in all competitions and showed a glimpse of their fallibility in the 10th minute when Owen missed from close range.

The striker met Jonas Gutierrez's low cross from the right wing but his first-time effort was scuffed just wide of the post.

That chance seemed to spark the game into life and a minute later Defoe fired over from outside the box, before testing goalkeeper Shay Given with a fierce left-footed strike after being sent clear by Arnold Mvuemba.

Martins created a chance out of nothing in the 18th minute, unleashing a vicious, swerving drive from 30 yards which beat an outstretched David James but crashed back off the post.

The chances continued to flow and only a superb reaction save from Given prevented the hosts from taking the lead on the half-hour mark.

Noe Pamarot scampered into the box on the right and pulled back to Niko Kranjcar, whose mistimed shot deflected off two defenders and looked to be creeping inside the  post until Given tipped clear.

Early in the second half Defoe capitalised on a misplaced clearance from Newcastle's defence to race into the box but his shot with the outside of his foot was weak and easily gathered by Given.

The litany of missed chances eventually proved costly as Newcastle broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute. Mvuemba attempted a risky crossfield pass to Belhadj but it was intercepted by Gutierrez, who showed excellent vision to play in Owen on the left.

He accelerated clear and chipped over the onrushing James, acrobatically somersaulting over the goalkeeper as the ball bounced over the line.

Martins doubled the advantage 14 minutes from time, tapping home Jose Enrique's pass after Portsmouth had lost possession in a dangerous area from a throw-in. And Guthrie completed the rout in the 89th minute when his first-time shot from Shola Ameobi's right-wing cross was too strong for James.