A Temuri Ketsbaia rocket ensured that Newcastle and Tottenham shared the
honours in the first half of their double showdown.
The Georgian blasted home a 30-yard shot 12 minutes from time for his eighth
goal of the season to secure a point after Darren Anderton had put the visitors
ahead from the penalty spot.
Tottenham will feel aggrieved that they enjoyed the better of the game for
long periods and but for the heroics of 'keeper Shay Given, could have wrapped
up victory before the break.
If anything, Spurs will have left St James's Park with the slightest of
psychological advantages ahead of Sunday's FA Cup semi-final between the sides,
although it will be a major surprise if either club puts out even a similar
starting 11.
Neither manager disclosed his hand six days before their Old Trafford
reunion.
Ruud Gullit was again without skipper Alan Shearer and German midfielder
Dietmar Hamann, both out with ankle injuries, but he sprang a surprise by
handing 19-year-old Jamie McClen a first-team debut in place of Rob Lee.
Opposite number George Graham left out former Magpies duo David Ginola and Les
Ferdinand and made six changes to the side beaten 2-0 at home by Leicester City
on Saturday.
But if Graham had saved his big guns for the weekend, the men who took their
places did enough to cause concern for Newcastle throughout the first half.
Had it not been for the excellent positioning of Given, Newcastle could have
found themselves going in at the break 2-0 down and deservedly so.
Steffen Iversen had already flashed a low cross across the face of goal which
was just too strong for Chris Armstrong when he repeated the dose on 21 minutes,
Given scrambling Armstrong's shot clear with his legs.
Five minutes later, it was full-back Steve Carr providing the ammunition for
Iversen, and although he had time to measure his attempt, Given was again equal
to the task.
Tottenham pressed United in all areas of the pitch, starving strikers Ketsbaia
and Silvio Maric of any meaningful service and never allowing central
midfielders Gary Speed and McClen to build any momentum.
Newcastle's best chance came from an 18th-minute Nolberto Solano free-kick
which dipped just too late to trouble Ian Walker, and McClen shot high over
after Aaron Hughes and Maric linked well down the right.
Didier Domi and Maric combined well six minutes before the break to create a
half-chance, but the Frenchman dragged his effort wide.
Spurs continued to exploit the space down the Newcastle left, and Carr got
free on the stroke of half-time to cross for Armstrong at the near post, but he
could only direct the ball into the side-netting.
Gullit replaced Andy Griffin with Warren Barton at the break, and it did not
take the former Wimbledon man to make an impression, although it was not the one
he would have liked.
Anderton slid the ball inside the full-back for Carr to chase on 49 minutes,
and when the Spurs man went down under Barton's sliding challenge, referee Mike
Riley pointed to the spot.
Both Barton and the section of the crowd nearest the incident voiced their
disapproval. Anderton opened the scoring from the spot although his strike was
too close to Given for comfort.
Defender Laurent Charvet was denied a 54th-minute equaliser by a fingertip
save from Walker as he met Solano's corner with a powerful header, and Ketsbaia
fired wide from 25 yards seconds later.
The Georgian passed up a golden opportunity when he stabbed a shot straight at
Carr inside the box on 56 minutes, and Charvet went just wide with a volley
after Sol Campbell's header came back off Ketsbaia.
United were finally enjoying the better of the play, but it took a piece of
magic to claw Spurs back.
Domi fed the ball to Ketsbaia 30 yards out with 78 minutes gone, and it looked
as if there was little on until he blasted a shot past Walker's outstretched arm
and into the top corner.
Both teams pushed for a winner in the later stages but neither came close.
Teams:
Newcastle: Given, Hughes, Charvet, Dabizas, Griffin (Barton 46),
Solano, McClen (Georgiadis 56), Speed, Domi, Ketsbaia,Maric (Saha 56).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Brady.Booked: Speed.Goals: Ketsbaia 78.
Tottenham: Walker, Carr, Nilsen, Campbell, Taricco, Sherwood,
Freund, Sinton, Anderton, Armstrong, Iversen.
Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Nielsen, Fox, Dominguez, Young.
Booked: Nilsen.
Goals: Anderton 50 pen.
Att: 36,655
Ref: M Riley (Leeds).
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