By Dan Harrison

Villa finished with a flourish and condemned Newcastle United to relegation from the Barclays Premier League.

Unfortunately for Martin O'Neill's men, the result was not enough to pinch fifth place from Everton, who won 2-0 at Fulham.

Nevertheless, the home fans went home buoyed by a bright display to cap what has overall been a fine campaign.

It was an emotionally charged afternoon at Villa Park with retiring club captain Martin Laursen receiving a rousing send-off as he said farewell to the claret and blue faithful before kick-off.

The Toon Army played their part in raising the roof as they were desperate to inspire their team to a great escape.

However, they were silenced by Damien Duff's 38th minute own goal, when a Gareth Barry shot found the bottom corner via a cruel deflection off the Irishman.

The visitors could have been further behind had Steve Harper not got a strong hand to Craig Gardner's piledriver from the edge of the box.

Barry also came close to doubling the lead but couldn't quite steer John Carew's cross inside the far post.

Despite Obafemi Martins testing Brad Friedel with a low drive and Steven Taylor forcing Carlos Cuellar to clear off the line, Villa went in at the break with a deserved lead.

Villa's wing wizards caused problems in the second-half with Harper having to tip over Ashley Young's inswinging corner and James Milner fired a left-foot shot past the post.

Newcastle boss Alan Shearer threw on his trump card, Michael Owen, in a last-ditch attempt to save Newcastle's top-flight status.

But even then it was the hosts that looked the most likely to score, Carew having the best opportunity with a miscued volley from a Milner cross.

Further misery was heaped on the Magpies when David Edgar was dismissed for a second booking when he tripped Young.

It was party time for the Villa fans, though, who gave their heroes a rapturous reception at the final whistle.

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By Paul Brown

FT - It's all over here at Villa Park. Newcastle are down. Villa finish sixth. Great to end the season with a win - plenty of positives to take into the summer. Take care of yourselves, have a great break and see you all very soon.

90mins - Two fouls on Ash Young and the youngster is dismissed.

90mins - SENDING OFF - David Edgar (foul)

90mins - Nicky Butt heads marginally over after great work from Enrique down the left. We're deep into the four minutes of stoppage time now. It looks like Championship football for the Geordies next season.

89mins - SUBSTITUTION - Steve Sidwell for John Carew

86mins - Chants of 'John Carew, Carew' echo around Villa Park.

86mins - Shola Ameobi screams a 20-yard shot way over the bar. Newcastle have rarely threatened in this second half. Everton have scored again - so it's looking like sixth this season for the claret and blue troops.

84mins - Loud cheers for Stiliyan - well deserved after a terrific season.

84mins - SUBSTITUTION - Nigel Reo-Coker for Stiliyan Petrov

82mins - BOOKING - David Edgar (foul)

80mins - Not sure Michael Owen has touched the ball yet.

78mins - John Carew almost makes it 2-0 after Gabby Agbonlahor's great run and cross. The big man can't make the right contact. Seconds later, Ash Young fires just over from inside the box.

76mins - It's all gone a bit quiet here. The Toon Army have fallen deathly quiet - their Barclays Premier League lives are hanging by a thread.

75mins - SUBSTITUTION - Shola Ameobi for Mark Viduka

75mins - SUBSTITUTION - Emile Heskey for Craig Gardner

73mins - Emile Heskey is being readied - as is Shola Ameobi for Newcastle.

68mins - Oh so close again - twice. Ash Young flies down the wing before producing a magnificent ball into the box. Gabby Agbonlahor just can't reach it. An even better chance presents itself to GB. The midfield star twists and turns in the box before firing just wide with his right-foot effort.

67mins - Last throw of the dice for the Toon Army.

66mins - SUBSTITUTION - Michael Owen for Kevin Nolan

63mins - Michael Owen is warming up.

60mins - It's a race between Oba Martins and Curtis Davies. Thankfully, the club blogger wins the battle and clears the ball away from danger. Curtis will be blogging again next season - and we've got a new one coming on board too. A very exciting one. Wait and see.

59mins - Chants of 'Martin O'Neill' reverberate around Villa Park. The fans ask for a MON wave and they get it. Remarkably, they call for Alan Shearer to give them a wave and he delivers. Then chants of 'Shearer' echo around the ground. Unbelievable stuff. To be fair, we know he's the opposition manager but for England he was sensational.

56mins - SUBSTITUTION - Enrique for Peter Lovenkrands

55mins - James Milner is like a man possessed. He breaks into the box before firing just wide of Steven Harper's left-hand post. Very close.

52mins - It's livened up already. Ashley Young bursts down the left before trying to bend one in the top corner - unfortunately it goes just over.

50mins - Ashley Young's corner nearly goes straight in direct - but Steven Harper is equal to the task and tips the ball over the bar.

48mins - Quiet start to the second half - a little subdued - but sure it will heat up before the end.

46mins - Fabio Capello is here - he'll be impressed with what he's seen from the England boys so far.

HT - A period of applause envelops Villa Park as we remember the club stalwarts who have lost their lives this season. Claret and blue heroes - and always in our thoughts.

HT - So far, so good for MON's men. Exciting on the break and good value for their lead. Newcastle are down as it stands. Everton score on the stroke of half-time so we're in sixth at the moment.

44mins - Alan Shearer passes the ball to Kevin Nolan for a throw-in and gets roundly booed by the claret and blue army. The Geordies repond with 'Alan Shearer's black and white army.'

41mins - Agonisingly wide. Gareth Barry again - this time he manages to get a touch to Ash Young's cross but the ball goes just wide. It's all Villa.

40mins - The Villa fans start singing 'Cheerio'. Bit early but promising stuff from MON's men.

38mins - GOAL - Gareth Barry's ambitious effort from 30 yards out cracks against Damien Duff and nestles in the Newcastle net. It was going wide so probably goes down as an OG.

37mins - Nicky Butt heads the ball out of Steven Harper's hands - confusion reigns in the Newcastle penalty area.

36mins - James Milner's 20-yard free-kick flies straight at Steven Harper. He's getting closer.

34mins - BOOKING - Steven Taylor (foul)

31mins - James Milner is shooting on sight every time he picks up the ball. He seems determined to bag a goal this afternoon.

29mins - FC - Vince Berry: "What a lovely day to send the Toon Army down. Let's finish on a high and give Martin Laursen the send-off he desires." No goals so far Vince but an exciting atmosphere.

26mins - Cheering from the Toon Army - Manchester United are one-up at Hull. Absolute screamer from Darron Gibson at the KC Stadium. As it stands, Newcastle are safe.

24mins - Clash of heads between Carlos Cuellar and Mark Viduka - ouch.

23mins - The Geordie bellies are out in force in the Doug Ellis Stand. One word for it - minging.

21mins - GB forces the Newcastle goalkeeper to make a terrific save - but the skipper is adjudged offside.

20mins - An absolute piledriver from Craig Gardner. It flies just over. Steven Harper would have had no chance.

19mins - MON is barking out the orders from the touchline. So is Alan Shearer. The two top pundits battling it out.

16mins - FC - Sarah Lees: "I'm in the ground today Paul. It's electric - great send off for Martin Laursen." Yes it certainly was - very emotional for ML. Great tempo to the match so far.

14mins - Oba Martins blasts over. Great chance - only the keeper to beat. Newcastle should be ahead. Three good chances so far.

11mins - Oh so close for Newcastle. Carlos Cuellar clears off the line from Steven Taylor's close-range strike. It follows a wonderful instinctive save from Brad Friedel following Damien Duff's right-foot drive.

10mins - FC - Frank Antram: "Greetings Paul - 1am here in Canberra but I'm up and excited about this
final game. I expect a Villa win and fifth place. Up The Villa!" Hi Frank - superb atmosphere here. I'm convinced it will be a comfortable Villa victory this afternoon.

8mins - Stan Petrov's hair looks a fair bit lighter - maybe he's had it dyed.

6mins - It's alamo time at the moment - Villa are very much on top.

4mins - Someone's thrown a beachball at me in the press box. Happy days.

3mins - Gabby Agbonlahor heads just over from Gareth Barry's left-wing cross. So close. Good start.

2mins - Alan Shearer is up off his feet but MON is...hang on, the gaffer's up. MON alert over for another season.

1mins - It's started - and the atmosphere is electric. 'Down with the Baggies' sing the Villa fans.

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15.58pm - The giant flag makes its way across the Holte End for the final time this season.

15.54pm - The crowd applauds the skipper as he makes his way from the field - with Stan Collymore off his seat to lead the cheers from the press box. Nice touch Stan.

15.53pm - Martin Laursen tells the crowd he's enjoyed his five years at Villa Park more than any other time in his career. And we've loved having you here. You'll never be forgotten.

15.49pm - Emotional times as a montage of Martin Laursen's greatest moments appears on the big screen.

15.40pm - Great atmosphere here - the sun is out and the place is a sea of claret and blue - doesn't get much better than that.

15.35pm - Martin Laursen is addressing the crowd just before kick-off. Should be a highly-charged and emotional moment. So sad to see the retirement of our collossus - but only right he gets the send-off he deserves.

15.30pm - Well, it's arrived - the final day of a long, exciting season. We could finish fifth and Newcastle could go down to the Championship. No sympathy from the claret and blue army - there's a banner above the Holte End which reads: 'Who's your next messiah - Ant or Dec?'

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Villa make one change to the side which drew 1-1 at Middlesbrough.

Craig Gardner replaces Emile Heskey - with the versatile star moving to right-back and James Milner pushing further forward.

VILLA: Friedel: Gardner, Davies, Cuellar, Shorey; A Young, Petrov, Barry, Milner; Agbonlahor, Carew. Subs: Sidwell (for Carew, 89), Guzan, Heskey (for Gardner, 75), Albrighton, Reo-Coker (for Petrov, 84), Knight, Delfouneso.

Newcastle: Harper; Edgar BOOKED, Coloccini, Taylor BOOKED, Duff; Nolan, Guthrie, Butt, Lovenkrands; Martins, Viduka. Subs: Krul, Enrique (for Lovenkrands, 56), Owen (for Nolan, 66), Taylor, Smith, Gutirrez. Ameobi (for Viduka, 75).

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By Paul Brown

It's being billed as 'Survival Sunday' this afternoon as Newcastle look to avoid the dreaded drop out of the Barclays Premier League.

But at Villa Park, we've decided to rename the crunch clash 'Fight for Fifth.'

The match is obviously important to the Toon Army as they look to keep hold of their cherished top-flight status. But Martin O'Neill and his players have their own battles to fight as the claret and blue troops look to finish the season on a high.

Entry into the new-look Europa League is already assured but MON will be eager to see his club record improve for a second consecutive season. After finishing 11th in his opening campaign, he enjoyed a terrific sixth place berth last season. Now, with a maximum haul over the Toon Army and a Fulham victory against Everton, progress will be there for all to see with Villa finishing the season in fifth.

While O'Neill's men can sample the sunshine, the atmosphere and play with their usual attacking instincts, it may be a very different story for Alan Shearer's side.

They won't care how they play - they'll look to snatch victory in any way they can and then pray for the right results elsewhere.

It's so shocking to see Newcastle in this situation - especially when you look back at the elation of two weeks ago. The Geordies looked to have virtually secured safety when they defeated Middlesbrough 3-1 at St James Park. But they were brought back down to earth following last weekend's 1-0 home reversal to the Craven Cottage crew.

That result threw the relegation issue back into the melting pot - and also took their destiny out of their own hands. To put it bluntly - defeat at Villa Park would confirm Newcastle's relegation to the second tier after 16 seasons in the Barclays Premier League.

To escape, the Magpies need results elsewhere to go in their favour. A win would keep them up if Hull fail to take three points at home against champions Manchester United or Sunderland lose to Chelsea at the Stadium of Light. If Hull were to lose then the Magpies would even avoid the drop by drawing this afternoon.

With Villa hoping for news of Everton's fate too, mobile phones will be beeping all round the ground.

It promises to be an absolute cracker.