Newcastle manager Alan Pardew was left frustrated by Lee Mason's decision to award Fulham a penalty early in the second half of The Cottagers 5-2 win on Saturday.
Damien Duff was pushed in the back by Davide Santon in the 52nd minute, allowing Danny Murphy to strike from the spot and cancel out Danny Guthrie's opener.
Thereafter, Fulham dominated - Clint Dempsey netted a hat-trick and Bobby Zamora scored the hosts' second penalty - but Pardew felt that referee Mason's decision for the first spot-kick was a turning point in the game.
"I thought the contact was minimal and certainly the only contact that did take place was on the edge of the box," Pardew said.
"But it got given and we have to accept that, it was just our reaction to that goal which was the disappointing factor today for us.
"We could not have been in a better place at half-time in terms of how we controlled the game.
"We got the goal, perhaps should have had two by then, but the Premier League is such that you can't switch off.
"I thought the first goal for them changed the course of the game."
Sixth-placed Newcastle lost ground in the race for Champions League qualification due to the defeat, while Fulham climbed to 12th place.