Campbell: "We let the manager down, we let the club down and it's really gutting because it was a good opportunity for us."

KEVIN Campbell insisted he was "gutted" Albion failed to turn up in Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Newcastle, admitting: "We let the manager and the club down."

The Baggies skipper believes the opportunity was there to collect three precious points in the fight for Barclays Premiership survival against an under-strength Magpies side ravaged by injuries to key players.

But, after keeping two clean sheets in their previous three games, Bryan Robson's men gifted United a two-goal half-time lead, forcing the Hawthorns boss to make a triple substitution at the break.

"We gave away two silly goals again," said Campbell.

"We have been playing well but everything just seemed to go wrong in the first half.

"We prepared well but for some reason we just didn't perform and sometimes you just have to hold your hands up.

"We let the manager down, we let the club down and it's really gutting because it was a good opportunity for us.

"We came out a bit better after the break.

"We started with a different system in the first half and everyone knew if it wasn't going right the manager would change it.

"So, the manager changed it and we looked a lot more solid in the second half, which helped.

"The manager knows his stuff but we let things slip in the first half and unfortunately we got beaten.

"All is not lost but it's going to be tough for us now."

Although Albion have failed to win in their last 11 games, the former Arsenal and Everton striker stressed the St James' Park reverse was an uncharacteristic, one-off display.

"For probably the last ten games we have played well and sometimes it just goes that way," Campbell added.

"After playing well and not picking up points there is going to come some time when you don't play as well as you can.

"To be fair, we have been consistent but this was a loose game in which we just couldn't get going.

"To be fair to Newcastle, they capitalised on that.

"It's easy to say the pressure got to the lads but there has been pressure on the lads throughout and we have performed pretty well.

"Everything just seemed to go against us.

"The manager prepared us well and unfortunately we just couldn't get the job done."

Despite coming under pressure throughout the first half, the Baggies looked like reaching the break just 1-0 down to Nolberto Solano's 30^th-minute opener.

But referee Howard Webb awarded a debatable penalty on the advice of his assistant five minutes before the break after Neil Clement pushed Michael Chopra.

TV replays later showed the original infringement took place well outside the box.

"On their second goal the player was brought down outside the box and it was never a penalty," Campbell insisted.

"People say that when you're down there things like that go against you.

"I'm fed up of hearing that. If it's not a penalty the officials are good enough not to give these things.

"That one went against us again and virtually killed the game because at 1-0 all you need to do is nick a goal to get a point.

"For us it was hard to take."

Albion now lie six points off safety with only two games remaining and could be officially relegated before they entertain West Ham on Monday if Portsmouth draw at Wigan or Blues beat Newcastle at St Andrew's on Saturday.

"We will keep fighting right to the death," the 36-year-old hitman added.

"It's going to be tough because Portsmouth seem to be picking points up.

"But they have got two tough games now.

"We have to hope they and Blues don't get the right results next and we do.

"We've proved we are up for the fight despite not performing on Saturday.

"We're going to fight right until the death.

"We owe it to ourselves because we want to stay in the Premier League.

"You just never know what is going to happen and we'll prepare for every eventuality.

"We'll go out and try and win our two remaining games and hope we get a bit of the rub of the green."