An Alan Shearer penalty in time beyond the three minutes added on by referee Mike Riley threatened to give all the points to Newcastle from an exciting game at St James' Park. Fortunately for Town, Shearer put his kick wide of the post and a point was the least Town deserved after a battling display had twice seen them ahead through Marcus Bent. That the penalty had been awarded for an obvious dive by Clarence Acuna would have added extra salt to the wound, had Shearer scored.

Town lined-up as expected, with Sixto Peralta returning to the midfield instead of Jim Magilton and Marcus Bent coming in for Alun Armstrong. George Burley decided to use his 4-4-2 formation. Town's supporters were housed as usual very high up in the Sir John Hall Stand, which affords a poor view of the game. Apologies for inaccuracies in identifying players, they were a long way away.

Town were close to getting a goal within the first ten seconds. Jamie Clapham's 25-yarder was tipped round the post by Given and out for the first corner of the game. John McGreal's header was also dealt with by the keeper.

Newcastle's first opportunity came on seven minutes when Solano hit a shot across the face of Matteo Sereni's goal.

In the 11th minute there was a foretaste of things to come with Marcus Bent clear in behind the Newcastle defence from a Marcus Stewart through ball. This time, though the linesman raised his flag.

Matteo Sereni was at his best on 13 when he forced his way through a crowded box to punch a Robert cross away. The Town keeper was earning his substantial wage, and on 26 he made a fine save from a Solano header after Robert had crossed from the left.

Marcus Stewart was looking somewhere near his best in the Town attack and on 28 he had a shot which went wide.

Carl Cort held off John McGreal well on the half hour and got a shot in on target which Sereni saved. Newcastle had broken quickly after Mark Venus had harshly had a freekick awarded against him on the edge of the Town area. It was one of many highly debateable decisions Mr Riley was going to make. Two minutes later Cort headed over when well-placed from a corner.

On 36 Shearer was penalised for a foul on Hreidarsson causing hysteria amongst the Newcastle support, despite the rather obvious and pointless nature of the foul.

Sereni made a couple more excellent saves in the closing stages of the half with one Shearer effort hit particularly powerfully. A Cort header was also tipped from just under the bar by the Town keeper, while a Jenas effort was hit over the bar.

Newcastle, though, were to have the ball in the net before the break. A long Jenas ball forward was chased by Shearer and McGreal. The Newcastle striker impeded McGreal before lobbing Sereni. Referee Mike Riley had seen Shearer's foul and disallowed the goal, although he failed to show the yellow card perhaps expected by Town supporters.

The half ended with a Shearer header going over the bar and the Town supporters happy with their team's performance. It was much improved from the dreadful first half at Blackburn on Wednesday, vindicating the popular view that Bent and Peralta ought to have started at Ewood Park. Both were amongst Town's best players.

Town started the second half as they had the first, putting pressure on the home side. Within a minute Marcus Bent had laid a ball off to Marcus Stewart who had a shot deflected to Sixto Peralta. The Argentinian took the ball across the edge of the area and played the ball to Jermaine Wright who hit a shot just over the bar.

Not long afterwards Marcus Stewart pressured Aaron Hughes into giving him the ball wide on the Town left. He played the ball to Jamie Clapham who put a low cross which Dabizas just got to ahead of Bent.

Marcus Stewart went close a minute later when free on the Town right. As defenders closed in towards him he tried to lob Given, but he put the ball over the bar.

However, a Town goal was not long in coming. Stewart played in Bent, as he had in the first half, and this time the linesman's flag stayed down. Bet ran in on Given and slipped the ball into the net off the Irish keeper. It was all Town deserved after a solid performance in the first half and an explosive start to the second.

Newcastle gradually started to put pressure on, but without really creating too many chances. John McGreal was putting in some solid challenges as Town defended well.

However, on 59 Newcastle were back on terms. Sixto Peralta had got caught in possession and Newcastle brought the ball forward. Mark Venus was penalised for a foul, a decision he certainly didn't agree with. Shearer and Robert stood by the ball, about five yards from the edge of the Town area. Shearer pulled away into the middle and Robert curled one round the wall and into the left corner of Sereni's goal with the keeper unmoved. It was a fine freekick, streets ahead of Town's many efforts hammered into the wall at Blackburn on Wednesday.

Town needed to hit back quickly and within three minutes they were back in front. A long and high ball forward caused confusion between keeper and defenders and Bent was on hand to put the loose ball into the net from inside the area as Given tried to reposition himself.

From here Newcastle put the pressure on. Bobby Robson swapped Dyer for Jenas on 64 and the ex-Town man received a rapturous reception from his old supporters. Quickly there were a number of his trademark speedy runs.

Newcastle had the ball in the net again on 70, but once more Shearer fell foul of the official. This time a push on Makin caused Mr Riley to disallow the former England captain's header. At the other end Marcus Bent blazed over as Town broke quickly, as they had throughout the half.

Mark Venus was the first man to enter Mr Riley's book on 72 after arguing as another weak freekick was awarded. From the kick the ball ended up wide on the left. A cross flew in and Dabizas was given a clear opportunity in front of the Town goal, but put the ball wide.

Bobby Robson decided to make two more changes on 76. Off came Cort and Solano and on Ameobi and Lua Lua, not to unanimous approval from the home supporters.

Newcastle were having most of the possession as they sought an equaliser. Robert hit a couple of speculative efforts, while Lua Lua hit a cross shot which nearly fluked its way into the top corner of Sereni's goal.

Town were having the odd chance here and there too. Jermaine Wright scuffed an effort wide on 80 after good work from Bent and Stewart. Three minutes later George Burley decided to make a few changes. Off came Sixto Peralta with Jim Magilton replacing him in midfield. The Argentinian had had another fine afternoon and looks a certainty for a start at Portman Road next weekend. With four minutes remaining Burley brought on Alun Armstrong for Marcus Bent.

Town had defended well, but within seconds of the substitution, Newcastle were on terms. Lua Lua brought the ball forward unchallenged before Laurent Robert whipped in a cross to the near post and Alan Shearer headed the ball past Sereni. It was a cruel blow for Town after doing so well to hold on to their lead up to then.

But with four minutes still left it looked like it could get worse as the home fans started to get behind their side. Town continued to soak up Newcastle pressure, but were preventing clearcut chances being created. The referee added three minutes and as those minutes slowly ticked down the Blues were looking safer and safer for a point.

Then, with the added time already up, Clarance Acuna crashed to the ground as a ball was played across the box. John McGreal was behind the Chilean on the edge of the area but hadn't appeared to get anywhere near him as he fell to the ground.

Town fans looked aghast as the players discussed the issue with Mr Riley. Eventually, with the clock now ticked round a further couple of minutes, Alan Shearer stepped up to take the penalty, and hit it low and hard, to Sereni's right, and past his post. The Town crowd rose as if a goal had been scored and Riley blew his whistle for the end of the game.

A much improved 90 minutes from Town and an unexpected point. While it looked for some while that the Blues might get three we have to be grateful for what we've got and most of us weren't expecting anything from the trip to St James' Park. Had Shearer scored it could have been much worse.

Two well-taken goals from Marcus Bent, recalled and linking better with Stewart than earlier in the season. George Burley will perhaps now have a better idea who his best XI is ahead of the remainder of the run-in.

With Bolton losing Town are now a clear point ahead of the Lancastrians in the final relegation place. A win next week against Villa could improve Town's position even further.

Photo: Action Images

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