EVERTON 2
NEWCASTLE UNITED 2
Premier League
Goodison Park
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Kick-off 4pm

Craig Hope reports from Goodison Park ...

MATCH REPORT

JOE Kinnear marked his first game in charge of Newcastle United with a point as the Magpies battled back from two goals down to claim a deserved draw at Goodison Park.

The Toffees - who had lost each of their home league games before today - must have thought that run was about to come to an end when Mikel Arteta (17) put them ahead from the penalty spot before Marouane Fellaini (35) got his first for the club with a near post finish.

But the Geordies were thrown a lifeline right on the stroke of half-time when right-back Steven Taylor somehow popped up at the far left post to head home Geremi's centre via the underside of the crossbar.

And the visitors were on level terms one minute after the interval when Damien Duff fired low past Tim Howard from close range after Taylor had crossed from the right.

Leighton Baines, having made a goal-line clearance from Taylor with the score 1-0, again came to the rescue of the hosts with 12 minutes left on the clock as he blocked inside the six-yard area after N'Zogbia had slid Ameobi's centre goalwards.

SECOND-HALF UPDATES (click refresh for latest) We apologise for the earlier break in coverage ...

Full-time, 2-2.

90+2min - That must surely be it as Felliani sees a weak header bounce wide of goal from Arteta's centre.

There will be three minutes added time.

89min - United survive another late scare as Yakubu turns Arteta's floated free-kick goalwards, Given needs two attempts to gather but eventually snatches the loose ball to his chest on the goal-line.

88min - At the other end Shola sees a curler of his own skip wide of Howard's far post - that was close.

87min - Anichebe comes within a whisker of snatching an Everton winner as his curling shot brushes Given's post with the keeper beaten.

85min - James Vaughan replaces Steven Pienaar.

84min - The home side's appeals for a penalty are waved away as Taylor and Anichebe clash in the area - never a spot-kick to be fair.

80min - Coloccini shows his class to stop a forward-galloping Yakubu in his tracks midway inside United's half.

78min - Leighton Baines somehow recovers to make his second goal-line clearance of the afternoon after Ameobi had spun away from Jagielka before rolling across the six-yard box for N'Zogbia to stab goalwards.

77min - "If Shola scores we're on the pitch" is the latest offering from the Toon Army.

75min - Geremi is going to be replaced by Shola Ameobi.

72min - Two bookings in quick succession, Felliani for Everton and Geremi for United - both fouls.

71min - Louis Saha makes way for Victor Anichebe. That sub was after Michael Owen had failed to react quick enough from Coloccini's downward header after he had connected with Geremi's corner.

70min - United are teasing short passes around the final third with the home support growing increasingly frustrated.

68min - Coloccini is tracking the run of Yakubu and blocks the Nigerian's attempted cross from the left at the expense of a corner. Arteta delivers and Taylor powers a header to safety.

65min - Given is again called into action as he dives to divert Leon Osman's top-corner bound strike around the upright - it's a great save. United clear from the corner through Butt.

62min - Arteta is allowed too much space on the right to deliver, his cross is good but Given has read the ball and dashes from his line to claim.

55min - Duff's low corner should mean a routine clearance for Yakubu but he slices wildly into the side-netting and United have another flag-kick. This time the Nigerian makes no mistake from Duff's delivery and clears downfield.

53min - The Magpies are right back in this having previously appeared dead and buried. Damien Duff is on the hunt for a second and sees his fizzing drive crash into the stomach of Lescott.

46min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-2): The linesman's flag stays down as Taylor gets in-behind the Toffees backline on the right, the Toon defender weighs up his options before pulling back for DAMIEN DUFF to turn home from eight yards out to spark mass celebration among the Toon Army.

United get the second period underway with no changes during the break.

FIRST-HALF ACTION

The half-time whistle has blown with United no doubt buoyed by Taylor's stoppage time goal.

45+1min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-1): STEVEN TAYLOR pops up in the unlikely position of the far, left-hand post to head home Geremi's deep, looping centre from the right.

There will be two minutes added time.

44min - Nicky Butt is outpaced by former Man Utd team-mate Louis Saha with the Magpie midfielder clipping the heels of the Frenchman at the expense of a yellow card.

39min - Sebastien Bassong replaces Jose Enrique.

35mins - EVERTON GOAL (2-0): Baines delivers a teasing near post cross from the left which is begging to be attacked, MAROUANE FELLIANI duly obliges and gets his foot between Given and Cacapa to poke the ball into the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar.

33min - Pienaar's whipped, low centre is turned goalwards by Saha at the near post but his flicked effort crashes into the side-netting.

29min - Coloccini is inches away from scoring an own goal as Cacapa's attempted clearance cannons off his defensive partner and shaves Given's upright. Fellaini can't get enough purchase on his header from Arteta's corner and United have a goal kick.

24min - Charles N'Zogbia is first man to see yellow for a foul on Saha.

23min - The hosts have Leighton Baines to thank as he clears from the goal-line after Steven Taylor had fired through a crowd of bodies inside the penalty area.

21min - For the first time this afternoon United manage to string a series of passes together with Geremi eventually teasing a ball over from the right, Owen tries his best to get on the end of it but there are too many Everton bodies in attendance and the skipper is crowded out.

17min - EVERTON GOAL (1-0): Howard Webb points to the spot as Nicky Butt brings down Leighton Baines just inside the area. MIKEL ARTETA steps up for the hosts and the skipper makes no mistake as he slots low into the bottom corner sending Shay Given the wrong way.

13min - Taylor is lucky to escape a booking for a late, sliding challenge on Osman.

10min - Jagielka's fresh-air shot from Geremi's centre allows N'Zogbia a crack on goal with the Frenchman's effort skidding low across Howard's target and away for a goal kick.

7min - Yakubu rides the challenge of Cacapa 10 yards out and manages to get a shot away despite the presence of the recovering Enrique, Given is beaten as the balls rolls to his left but luckily for United it also evades the upright - Everton have come out of the blocks at a ferocious pace!

5min - Coloccini upends Osman right on the edge of the area after loosing control of the ball. Howard Webb is quickly on the scene and awards the Toffess a free-kick. Arteta stands over the ball but the Spanish midfielder draws groans from the home crowd as he fires well over the crossbar - a waste of a good opportunity.

2min -Former Magpie striker Louis Saha is the first man to have a pop at goal but his screwed effort from 20 yards out is never troubling Shay Given.

The main stand here at Goodison has cast a shadow over half of the pitch with the sun beating down on Merseyside.

TEAM NEWS

JOE Kinnear picks his first Newcastle United side for Sunday's televised clash with Everton.

The Toon boss welcomes back Jose Enrique from a hamstring lay-off with Sebastien Bassong dropping down to the bench.

Steven Taylor will again operate in the right full-back position with Fabricio Coloccini and Caludio Cacapa completing the back four.

Danny Guthrie returns from suspension with Xisco making way meaning that Damien Duff will join skipper Michael Owen in attack.

Everton are without suspended midfielder Tim Cahill.

TEAMS

EFC: Tim Howard, Tony Hibbert, Leighton Baines, Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka, Louis Saha, Mikel Arteta (c), Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman, Yakubu, Marouane Fellaini
Subs: Carlo Nash, Joseph Yobo, Segundo Castillo, James Vaughan, Nuno Valente, Jack Rodwell, Victor Anichebe

NUFC: Shay Given, Steven Taylor, Jose Enrqiue, Caludio Cacapa, Fabricio Coloccini, Nicky Butt, Danny Guthrie, Geremi, Charles N'Zogbia, Michael Owen (c), Damien Duff
Subs: Steve Harper, Sebastien Bassong, David Edgar, Xisco, Shola Ameobi, Mark Doninger, Ryan Donaldson

Referee: Howard Webb
Attendance: tbc

FACTS AND FIGURES

Toon at Goodison - Premier Years

2007/08: 1-3 Owen (pen)
2006/07: 0-3
2005/06: 0-1
2004/05: 0-2
2003/04: 2-2 Shearer 2 pens
2002/03: 1-2 Robert
2001/02: 3-1 Bellamy, Solano, Acuna
2000/01: 1-1 Unsworth og
1999/00: 2-0 Hughes, Dyer
1998/99: 0-1
1997/98: 0-0
1997/98: 1-0 Rush (FAC)
1996/97: 0-2
1995/96: 3-1 Ferdinand, Lee, Kitson
1994/95: 0-1 (FAC)
1994/95: 0-2
1993/94: 2-0 Cole, Beardsley

For Everton;

1. Not lost back-to-back defeats in 34 Premier League outings, since losing to Manchester United (h) and Aston Villa (a) on 15 and 23 September 2007 respectively.

2. Lost all three home Premier League games this season with an aggregate of 2-8.

3. A fourth home defeat here will equal their total of home league losses for the whole of last season.

4. Not scored in two matches or 206 minutes Premier League football at Goodison Park, since Yakubu scored their second in the 2-3 defeat to Blackburn on the opening day, 16 August.

5. Won six of the last seven top-flight matches against North-East teams, including the last four with an aggregate of 13-2.

6. Won the last four against North-East clubs on Merseyside, and not lost a Premier League fixture at home to a North-East club in 16 since the 1-3 defeat to Newcastle on 27 October 2001.

For Newcastle;

1. Defeat will make it their worst start to a Premier League season since picking up just one point from the first seven games in 1999.

2. Lost the last four Premier League games with an aggregate of 3-10.

3. Not scored more than a single goal in any of the last eight league outings.

4. Kept one clean sheet in nine league matches; the 1-0 win over Bolton on 23 August, which was also their only win in nine Premier League fixtures.

5. Claimed one point from a possible nine on the road; the opening day 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

6. Their only win in 14 away Premier League matches was 1-4 against Tottenham at White Hart Lane on 30 March 2008; there was also only one clean sheet in that sequence (0-0 v Portsmouth, 12 April).

7. The maximum against Bolton in August was their only win in 13 league games against North-West clubs.

8. Gained only one win in 11 league trips across the Pennines; 1-3 against Bolton on the opening day of last season, 11 August 2007.

Referee

Howard Webb - First time this season for South Yorkshire official.

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