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Ange Postecoglou strode for the exit deep in thought, gaze fixed on the ground. Following seven matches as manager with no victories, his immediate future seemed as unclear as a fog on the Tyne.

Although the home side were not at their dominant level, second-half strikes from Bruno Guimarães and the German striker—Woltemade's from the penalty spot—ultimately secured them a much-needed another top-flight win this campaign.

At kick-off, the manager's padded jacket swaddled him similar to a blanket, but the Australian's agitated body language indicated it offered no solace.

No coat could shield Postecoglou from the anxiety that his victory-less start at Forest—having arrived as the only coach in a century to go winless in his first half-dozen games—would continue ahead of a likely sacking during the upcoming pause.

And yet, his team did not do too badly during a defensively stingy opening period.

Although Elliot Anderson at times upstaged even Sandro Tonali in midfield, showing everyone why Eddie Howe was so hesitant to let go of the homegrown talent, the defender marked Woltemade out of the game, and Nicolò Savona caused Dan Burn problems down the home left.

Credit to Woltemade, who received little supply to his feet or head, his team's creative department was not quite clicking.

True, it took a superb stop from the Forest goalkeeper—ex- Magpies shot-stopper—to keep out Joelinton header, and the player failed to convert a couple other chances, but generally, the visitors' defending was much improved.

Considering it is barely a few weeks since the Australian replaced his predecessor and matches have come thick and fast, with precious little time to put into practice his ideas on the training ground, all the talk of an looming dismissal seemed faintly premature.

That was until Guimarães lifted a right-foot shot past Sels and into the upper net from just outside the box.

That saw Postecoglou shaking his head in apparent despair, wearing the anguished look of a man who had misplaced his house keys.

His players protested about a possible infraction on Morgan Gibbs-White by Guimarães in the lead-up, but their protests fell on deaf ears by the referee.

As Tonali now dominant in midfield, Anderson was not the sole away player struggling to make an impact.

At this point, Postecoglou had removed his anorak and rolled up the arms of his jumper. With his team seldom appearing likely of scoring and the hosts looking to shred their earlier improved defensive organisation, he was clearly feeling the heat.

There was another fine stop from the goalkeeper to deny the midfielder's driven attempt, before the following corner led to the striker's shot crashing the underside of the bar.

Sels then made an excellent double save from Malick Thiaw and the winger before finally being beaten again from the penalty spot by the German.

That spot-kick was given when the midfielder's poorly timed tackle sent Guimarães crashing down.

Up stepped, the German forward to beat Sels by lifting a rather audacious penalty into the upper left side.

That marked Woltemade's 4th goal for the club since his seventy-million-pound move from the German side in the summer, contradicting comments from officials at the German giants that Newcastle were “foolish” to pay so heavily for the striker.

It wasn't Woltemade's finest performance in Newcastle colors, but his skill to hold the ball up and use his sticky control to connect attacks is already making him a cult hero on in Newcastle.