Nolberto Solano kept Newcastle's FA Cup dreams alive with a late strike to deny Aston Villa victory at St James' Park.

The Peruvian midfielder smashed home a wonderful volley 10 minutes from time to ensure a third-round replay at Villa Park after Tyneside-born Steve Stone had threatened to win the tie for the visitors.

Stone put the Midlanders ahead nine minutes after the break as they cashed in on some slick play, but United refused to lie down and die and managed to force their way back into a game which they rarely looked like winning.

Villa boss John Gregory may have settled for a replay in advance, but he will have left the North-East disappointed not to have won it and secured a fourth-round home tie with Leicester after Paul Merson and the excellent Gareth Barry, lining up in midfield, gave their side the upper hand.

Only Kieron Dyer, and later Solano, caused any real problems for the visitors, although Shola Ameobi saw a 63rd-minute shot come back off the woodwork.

Newcastle boss Bobby Robson fielded the same 11 which started the stormy 4-2 Premiership defeat at Tottenham on Tuesday night, with Dyer, who was sent off at White Hart Lane, again linking up with 19-year-old Ameobi in attack.

But Robson was at least able to name Spanish defender Marcelino on the bench after he recovered from a groin injury.

Opposite number Gregory was without the suspended Alpay and Lee Hendrie, and made three changes to the side which lost 1-0 at Chelsea on Monday.

David Ginola returned from a ban and Barry and J Lloyd Samuel were also included - the injured Ian Taylor, Mark Delaney and loan-signing Gilles de Bilde, who has returned to Sheffield Wednesday, making way.

The Frenchman arrives at St James' Park these days knowing that, whatever the colour of the shirt in which he runs out, he is always guaranteed a hostile welcome - and this time proved no different.

Young defender Andy Griffin was cheered wildly as he won his early clashes with Ginola, although the booking he picked up for a wild tackle on him with 25 minutes gone was to curtail his shadowing job to a certain extent.

Villa made more of their early possession as Merson and Stone linked well down the right.

And it was Stone, born in Gateshead, who was first to try his luck with a well-struck 20-yard effort which flew wide of Steve Harper's left post.

But the United keeper had to be at his best on 10 minutes when Merson was allowed to cross from the right and Dion Dublin got ahead of Aaron Hughes to power in a header which Harper did well to turn away.

Defender Alain Goma glanced a header wide from a Solano free-kick as Newcastle finally started to threaten.

But it was the fledgling strike-force of Ameobi and Dyer which could have put a completely different complexion on the game.

Ameobi dummied Christian Bassedas' 22nd-minute pass in an attempt to find Dyer when he really should have gone for glory, and the England international in turn delayed his shot too long after collecting his partner's pass and cutting inside Samuel.

Newcastle's problems increased with just 28 minutes gone when Gary Speed limped off to be replaced by Daniel Cordone, and it was several minutes before they were able to regroup, with the Argentinian pushing up alongside Ameobi and Dyer dropping into midfield.

The game deteriorated as both sides took stock, but the home side were almost caught out two minutes before the break when Cordone's ambitious cross-field pass to Warren Barton was cut out by Stone.

He set Merson away and, although Hughes made a good covering tackle, Harper had to get down well to keep out Dublin's shot.

Newcastle started brightly after the break, but their improved work was torn apart on 54 minutes when Villa stormed into the lead.

Inevitably, it was Ginola who started the move with a clever back-heel to send Gareth Barry away, and his cross was thumped past Harper by Stone after he got in front of Warren Barton.

But the Tynesiders were almost level within nine minutes when Dyer charged forward and laid the ball into the path of Ameobi, and the big striker was unfortunate to see his left-foot shot come back off the post.

Solano fired a curling free-kick just over after 69 minutes as United tried to step it up once again.

But his side were furious six minutes later when George Boateng seemed to block Clarence Acuna's shot with his arm, but referee Paul Durkin thought otherwise.

Ginola departed to a fresh chorus of boos a minute later when Darius Vassell was sent on in his place, and there was more than a hint of irony in his round of applause to the stadium.

However, the jeers turned to cheers four minutes later when Villa failed to deal adequately with a free-kick and Solano turned up on the edge of the box to hammer a superb volley past James and into the bottom corner.

Both sides went close in the dying seconds, but the game eventually finished all square.

Teams:

Newcastle: Harper, Barton (Glass 66), Goma, Hughes, Griffin, Acuna, Bassedas, Speed (Cordone 29), Solano, Dyer, Ameobi (Lua-Lua 66).

Subs Not Used: Given, Marcelino.

Booked: Griffin.

Goals: Solano 80.

Aston Villa: James, Wright, Barry, Staunton, Southgate, Samuel, Stone, Ginola (Vassell 76), Boateng, Merson, Dublin.

Subs Not Used: Enckelman, McGrath, Melaugh, Hitzlsperger.

Booked: Wright.

Goals: Stone 55.

Att: 37,862

Ref: P Durkin (Dorset).