The Hammers' boss could only watch on helplessly as his side squandered a hatful of chances before surrendering both the advantage of Jermain Defoe's opener and seventh place in the Premiership
"We had six clear chances and scored once," reflected Roeder after seeing Alan Shearer, Lomana Lua Lua and Laurent Robert finally overwhelm West Ham. "You have to take your chances. Bobby Robson said we let Newcastle of the hook and we did!"
Following their brave, albeit unsuccessful, attempt to silence Arsenal's Premiership challenge at Highbury on Wednesday evening, Hammers made two changes from the side that had lost to the Gunners as Defoe and Vladimir Labant replaced Nigel Winterburn and the crocked Sebastien Schemmel in a conventional 4-4-2 line-up.
The Magpies, who had swooped to guarantee themselves a Champions' League place with Tuesday night's draw at Blackburn Rovers, made a double switch too, as Sylvain Distin and Robbie Elliott made way for Olivier Barnard and Andy O'Brien in a mirroring formation.
And starting in determined mood, it was the breaking Hammers who created the best of the early chances as a weak defensive scuff let in Fredi Kanoute, but he was unfortunately crowded out at the last moment in his bid to secure goal number 13 of the season.
A win would have taken West Ham back above seventh-placed Tottenham, who had beaten Liverpool in their high noon showdown at White Hart Lane, and that was sufficient food for thought for the visitors who then saw Geordie Michael Carrick drag a low 18-yarder wide, before Kanoute spurned another great chance by heading Trevor Sinclair's deep left-wing centre back across goal.
It was no surprise, therefore, when Hammers did break the deadlock on 19 minutes after David James' huge punt upfield was flicked on by Kanoute for the pacy Defoe to claim his 14th goal of the campaign by clinically lashing a 12-yarder to the right of a hopelessly exposed Shay Given.
The moans echoing around Tyneside intensified moments later when the unmarked Gary Speed merely produced an air shot eight yards out, while the determined Tomas Repka bravely steered the ball out of the path of 25-goal Alan Shearer.
Buoyed by their lead, the East Enders were clearly in no mood to shut up shop. The incisive runs of the impish Joe Cole were a constant thorn in Newcastle's side and, indeed, just ten minutes before the break, the England World Cup hopeful's 12-yard snapshot flew inches wide.
Skipper Steve Lomas then sent an angled effort agonisingly across the face of goal, while the luckless Kanoute carved out yet another opening for himself before wastefully lobbing both Given and the crossbar from eight yards to leave the ball nestling on the roof of the net.
By now, this catalogue of missed opportunities was beginning to look as though it could prove costly.
Sure enough, on 41 minutes the pushed-up Hammers paid the price when Laurent Robert's defence-splitting pass sent Shearer sprinting clear. As West Ham vainly appealed for an offside flag, the in-form striker made no mistake in burying his 203rd Premiership goal beyond the lone figure of James from ten yards, to somehow send the Tynesiders' off all square at the interval.
Distin replaced O'Brien for the restart and, within moments, Hammers knew that Newcastle were going to be a different proposition as Ian Pearce was booked for hauling back Robert in full flow.
On 52 minutes, however, Bobby Robson's half-time roasting reaped dividends for the home side, when Hammers suicidally handed his subdued side the lead in bizarre circumstances. Sensing that Repka's routine nod back had sold him short, the flying James desperately cleared with a diving header, only for Robert to follow-up with a stinging effort that was parried out to Lua Lua, who drilled past the red-faced Hammers keeper from six yards.
With the black and white shirted fans among the 52,127 crowd now transforming St James' Park from silence into a cauldron of sound, it was backs to the wall stuff for a West Ham side whose first-half supremacy had simply disappeared down the Tyne.
Then, midway through the half, Nolberto Solano cleverly engineered Newcastle's third goal with a lofted throughball that picked out the ghosting run of Robert who steered his first shot onto James' right-hand upright before gleefully recovering to slide the rebound over the line.
What had started as a bright and breezy afternoon was now turning stormier by the minute and having emerged from a forceful scramble needing treatment, the injured Sinclair was then forced to depart with a bruised toe as Winterburn stepped from the bench.
While the veteran's arrival helped steady a sinking Hammers' ship and the livewire Cole forced a late, point blank save out of the alert Given, sadly for West Ham the damage had already been done.
"It quite literally was a game of two halves," conceded Robson. "Our only contribution during the first period was Alan Shearer's goal and we could have been dead and buried at 3-0 or even 4-1. Thankfully, the boot was on the other foot in the second half and we produced a vintage Newcastle-type performance."
Minute-by-minute:
5 - Defoe collects the ball on the left and cuts inside before firing a shot from the edge of the area that is charged down by a defender.
12 - Hammers come close to open the scoring after an impressive start, as Kanoute flicks on for Defoe, whose right foot snap-shot from just inside the area is well blocked by Given. Sinclair collects the rebound and feeds Kanoute, but the Frenchman dithers on the ball and the danger is cleared.
14 - Carrick is allowed to run unchallenged from the centre of midfield but drags his shot well wide of the target from 25 yards out.
19 - Kanoute wastes a glorious chance to open the scoring, as he rises unchallenged to meet Sinclair's perfect cross from the left, but somehow directs his header just wide of the far post.
20 - GOAL! Hammers get the reward their early domination deserves, as Kanoute once again causes problems in the air to flick on James' long punt upfield, and this time Defoe makes no mistake as he allows the ball to drop before coolly firing it low past Given from 12 yards out. Newcastle United 0 West Ham United 1.
22 - Newcastle almost grab an instant equaliser as Robert's prodded pass into the box falls kindly for Speed, who completely miskicks his effort and sees the ball trickle through to James.
29 - Pearce's long throw is flicked on by Kanoute to Cole, whose first time shot from the edge of the area spins just wide of the target.
37 - Another great chance goes begging for the Hammers as Kanoute's intelligent reverse pass puts Lomas in the clear, but the captain screws his shot wide from six yards out with just Given to beat.
39 - Another fantastic chance for the visitors is wasted. Kanoute is once again the culprit, scooping over the bar from just six yards out after a beautiful flick from Cole.
42 - GOAL. Hammers pay the price for their failure to convert the many chances on offer as Robert slips a ball through for Shearer to break the offside trap and slam past James from 12 yards out. Newcastle United 1 West Ham United 1.
Added time: 2 minutes.
Half-time: Newcastle United 1 West Ham United 1.
Second Half:
46 - Substitution for Newcastle United, Distin replaces O'Brien.
47 - Pearce booked for foul on Robert.
48 - After Shearer's free-kick from 25 yards out is blocked, the Newcastle skipper's follow-up effort is deflected just past the post for a corner.
51 - Kanoute almost makes amends for his earlier misses as he collects a long pass and embarks on a mazy run into the area before hitting a low left-foot shot that is well held by Given.
53 - GOAL. Newcastle turn the match on its head with a goal that should easily have been avoided. A long ball over the top is headed back by Repka towards James but, rather than pull off a simple catch, the England keeper inexplicably decides to head the ball clear. However, Robert collects the loose ball and fires a fierce shot goalwards that James can only parry into the path of Lua Lua, who pokes home his third goal in four games. Newcastle United 2 West Ham United 1.
56 - Newcastle are beginning to show their attacking class, as Solano's clever pull-back is curled just over by Dyer.
59 - A third goal for the hosts looks likely as this time Robert goes close with a right-foot shot from just inside the area that is blocked by Dailly on its way into the net.
65 - GOAL. Another defensive mix-up gifts Newcastle their third, as Solano's driven pass from the halfway line isn't dealt with by Pearce or James, and Robert nicks in to the lift the ball over the Hammers keeper. The ball rebounds off the post and is gleefully tapped up by the Frenchman as he follows up his effort. Newcastle United 3 West Ham United 1.
66 - Distin booked for dissent.
72 - Substitution for West Ham, Winterburn replaces Sinclair.
79 - A clever exchange between Cole and Carrick sees Joe burst in to the box and get his foot to the ball first, but Given does well to block his effort.
82 - An excellent run and pass from Defoe sets up Kanoute, but Distin gets across to clear the danger in the penalty area.
83 - Substitution for West Ham, Garcia replaces Labant.
84 - Double substitution for Newcastle, Jenas replaces Dyer and Cort replaces Lua Lua.
86 - Cole's direct free-kick from the edge of the area curls harmlessly into the arms of Given.
90 - Kanoute booked for failing to retreat 10 yards at a free-kick.
Added time: 2 minutes.
Full-time: Newcastle United 3 West Ham United 1.