China's captain, on loan to Charlton for the rest of the season from champions Shan Dong Nu Leng, headed home on his full debut - after three substitute appearances for Alan Pardew's side - to give them the lead after 54 minutes when Darren Bent's free-kick curler came back off the bar, behind Newcastle's defence.

And two minutes from the end he went down in the area from a nudge by Nolberto Solano, enabling Jerome Thomas to step up and score his first spot-kick for Charlton to seal all three points.

Boss Pardew saw his side pick up their seventh point in three games and with fellow strugglers Wigan and Sheffield United still to come to The Valley is even more confident now of top-flight survival.

He said: "The results yesterday with West Ham and Manchester City drawing were not very good for us but now I'm sitting here very happy with this result knowing it will have meant other teams having a horrible afternoon.

"The way we are playing is making many of our opponents feel very nervous and if we can repeat some of the quality we showed in the second half we've got a great chance of staying up.

"We changed things around in the second half after Marcus Bent and Alex Song had to come off injured and earned our win with endeavour and some bits of quality."

Zheng, who started on the right of midfield in place of injured Darren Ambrose, was pushed up front to join Darren Bent after the break when specialist winger Dennis Rommedahl came on.

The 26-year-old, who once served a six-months suspension in China for attacking a referee, said: "Of course I was very happy to score and it doesn't matter whether it is with your head or your foot.

"I had another chance afterwards with my left foot which I regret missing but I am still very happy and will celebrate tonight with my family who are here.

"That includes my mother and I know about Mother's Day here. This was my present to her."

Pardew said: "News of Zhi's disciplinary record hadn't reached me but from the few cameo appearances he has had for us it was obvious there is something there in him.

"To be honest we considered starting him at left-back today which shows how versatile he is but Hermann Hreidarsson was able to slot in there although I think he has damaged his own international chances next weekend by aggravating an injury."

Pardew also revealed: "In hindsight I probably made a mistake playing both Darren Bent and Marcus Bent today. Marcus got injured again and Darren, although he will report to England, shouldn't play against Israel in my view.

"I don't think the game is right for him and not right for Steve McClaren to pick him. He has pain in one of his medial knee ligaments and it can be dangerous when he twists and turns."

Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder declared Keiron Dyer fit for England duty despite taking him off in the second half following a kick just above the ankle.

Roeder said: "He probably won't be able to train for the first two days with England but he's fit for England."

But he has withdrawn defender Steve Taylor from the England Under-21 squad after the player aggravated a calf injury against AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Cup defeat in Holland on Thursday and missed the Charlton match.

Roeder saw his team slip to another disappointing defeat and said: "In the first half we showed a good reaction to what happened to us in Europe but then paid for some bad misses and for letting only the Charlton goalscorer react to their free-kick hitting the bar."

Newcastle could also have had a penalty when Dyer's cross clearly struck the hand of Talal El Karkouri in the area but Roeder said: "Although the players are certain it was a penalty I couldn't say that for sure not having seen it again.

"The referees have to make these decisions and Dermot Gallagher said it wasn't a penalty.

"We had lots of possession but that's no good if you don't take your chances. Charlton are certainly capable of surviving in the Premiership because they have a fixture list they would want and they always give everyone a tough game at The Valley.

"This was a major result for Alan (Pardew) but if you are asking what our main problem is I would have to say an average of nine, 10 or 11 injuries every week.

"We are now down to six but we've had no fewer than nine major operations on players this season and perhaps people don't know how difficult that is."

Roeder refused to comment on Turkish midfielder Emre who faces an Football Association hearing tomorrow after being accused of making racist comments in a match earlier this season against Everton.