Newcastle's Alan Pardew targets top-eight finish after Blackburn draw

After watching his Newcastle side dominate for more than three-quarters of this match, Alan Pardew admitted to some disappointment that Blackburn Rovers' goalkeeper, Paul Robinson, had not been made to work harder. "In the last third, the moment never arrived or we just made the wrong decision," he said. It was hard to avoid thinking about the aerial presence recently removed from Newcastle's frontline, but perhaps even Shola Ameobi would have struggled to puncture Rovers' determined defence. Steve Kean's Blackburn team, having conceded eight goals in their past three outings – all defeats – showed welcome resilience to restrict their visitors' opportunities, if little else. "There is always something to take from any game," Kean said. "We got a clean sheet and showed a bit of grit." For Pardew, the positives were rather greater. Newcastle may have drawn four of their past five league matches but this was a performance to encourage genuine optimism: defensively comfortable, effectively combative and reassuringly composed. After Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz hit a post with a 10th-minute header, Newcastle dictated the rhythm and tempo. "The mood of the team was obvious," Pardew said. "They're all pulling for each other and there's a good feeling amongst the players. The league is so tight that we need to make sure we get a couple of wins in our next three games. If we do that, then I think we can play with a little bit more freedom to attack a top-eight position, which would be nice." It would also help to secure the future of José Enrique, who produced a superlative display that left Blackburn's Míchel Salgado a harassed spectator. The full-back's contract runs out next year and he has told the club that he will not discuss a new deal until they are safe. "He's made it simple for us," Pardew said. "He's an important player, a lot of our good stuff functions from him." José Enrique could have set up a handful of goals at Ewood Park, most notably for Peter Lovenkrands, who lobbed Robinson but could not beat the bar and only just failed to connect with a ball arrowed towards the near post. Few would have complained had the Spaniard's slaloming 84th-minute run ended with a goal. It would have highlighted, however, that in the absence of Ameobi (out until next month with a fractured cheekbone) Newcastle's strikers must step up. It was another defender, Fabricio Coloccini, who came closest to winning the match with a fierce second-half volley that Robinson instinctively palmed over the bar. Pardew tipped the substitutes Shefki Kuqi and Nile Ranger to have an impact in future. "If we're going to win games, Shefki will play a part because he's experienced," he said. "I've got young strikers and sometimes they make bad decisions because of their youthfulness. But Nile is pushing hard, he looks when he comes on like he's going to affect the game. He keeps reminding me that he's got more than cameo performances." Man of the match José Enrique (Newcastle United)