By Craig Hope

CHRIS Hughton has praised the second-half performance of Jonas Gutierrez after watching the South American drag Newcastle United back from two goals down at Bristol City on Saturday.

The ponytailed wideman was the driving force behind the West Country revival and it was his 70th-minute effort that halved the deficit.

Seizing upon on an attempted throw from goalkeeper Dean Gerken to wing-back Cole Skuse, Gutierrez robbed his opponent before skipping around the forlorn stopper and tucking home.

And Hughton said: "Jonas took his goal very well. He could have played it square to Leon Best which would have probably seen him in an offside position, so we're grateful that he took the right option and it was a very good finish."

Andy Carroll levelled five minutes later paving the way for wave after wave of Toon attacks with Gutierrez the chief protagonist.

"Jonas was very dangerous during the second half and, if a winning goal was going to arrive, you felt he was going to play a part in it," added Hughton.

"It wasn't his best first-half performance. But, irrespective of that, he's a player that you know will get stronger as the game goes on.

"He looked determined to help get that winner and it's just a shame we couldn't find it in the end."