Middlesbrough 2 - 2 Newcastle United

Middlesbrough 2-2 Newcastle

Updated: August 26, 2007, 3:47 PM UK

Mark Viduka came within minutes of handing Newcastle a precious derby victory on his return to Middlesbrough as the sides fought out a 2-2 draw.

The Australian claimed his first goal in a black and white shirt and his 150th in British football 13 minutes from time as the Magpies twice took the lead at the Riverside Stadium.

• Big Sam: This feels like a defeat

However, former team-mate and Sunderland old boy Julio Arca ensured the spoils were shared when he levelled three minutes later in an eventful game.

A fiercely-contested encounter - there were eight bookings - was not always of the highest quality, but that could not be said of the finishing on display with Charles N'Zogbia opening the scoring with a stunning 22nd-minute effort.

Mido cancelled out the lead within six minutes, expertly rounding Steve Harper after being played in by Fabio Rochemback, and although Sam Allardyce may have left Teesside bemoaning his side's failure to keep Boro out, the result was just about right on the day.

Newcastle started brightly and finished well, while the home side dominated in between to leave both sets of supporters in a crowd of 28,875 relatively satisfied.

Southgate took something of a gamble when he named former Magpie Jonathan Woodgate in his starting line-up only days after his return to training from knee surgery.

The logic of the decision was well-founded as Boro's leading scorer last season, Viduka, made his return to the Riverside, and Woodgate and central defensive partner David Wheater coped well with the Australian before the break.

Newcastle started confidently, although Allardyce's 4-3-3 formation is still not firmly embedded and clear-cut chances were few and far between despite their early dominance.

Obafemi Martins blasted harmlessly wide after being played in by Viduka on 16 minutes and it took a vital block from George Boateng to deny Alan Smith a free shot at goal seconds later.

However, the visitors went ahead with 22 minutes gone when full-back N'Zogbia produced a moment of rare brilliance.

The Frenchman was picked out on the left by Peter Ramage, on after just six minutes for the injured Stephen Carr, and cut inside Boateng before unleashing a superb curling shot which was simply too good for keeper Mark Schwarzer.

But Boro responded swiftly and were back on terms within six minutes when Mido ran on to Rochemback's beautifully-weighted pass over the top, held off Steven Taylor and then rounded Harper to shoot into an empty net.

The goal gave the Teessiders fresh impetus as the Magpies wilted momentarily, Harper scrambling across his goal as Rochemback's deflected shot sailed just wide and then pulling off a fine one-handed save to deny Arca.

Stewart Downing was finding space down the left as Boro began to dominate in midfield with Arca and Rochemback making life intensely difficult for Nicky Butt and Geremi.

However, James Milner was convinced he should have been awarded a 44th-minute penalty after Wheater appeared to wrestle him to the ground, the midfielder's disappointment being compounded by referee Mike Dean's decision to penalise him on the advice of his assistant.

Martins found himself in the wars as the second half got under way, debutant Luke Young and Woodgate both clattering him with the latter picking up a yellow card for his pains.

Butt followed him into the referee's notebook for a rash challenge on Downing in a scrappy opening to the half, although it was Boro who settled the quicker.

Harper had to block with his legs on 53 minutes after Mido and Jeremie Aliadiere had played Rochemback in, and David Rozehnal hacked away Downing's cross seconds later with the Teessiders establishing a momentum.

Newcastle's woes increased on 59 minutes when Ramage was carried off on a stretcher to be replaced by Claudio Cacapa, Taylor taking over at right-back.

However, it was they who almost regained the lead on 61 minutes when Viduka just failed to get a touch to N'Zogbia's inviting cross under pressure from Wheater.

Milner failed to test Schwarzer with a 64th-minute drive as the visitors rallied, and Allardyce made his move with 19 minutes remaining when he replaced Martins with Michael Owen.

The change took place as Aliadiere received treatment after colliding with Taylor's elbow, and he was eventually carried off and replaced by Tuncay Sanli.

But Viduka's big moment finally arrived on 77 minutes when he accepted N'Zogbia's pass, deftly turned Woodgate and after teeing the ball up, smashed a shot past the helpless Schwarzer.

However, Boro were not done and it was all square once again within three minutes when Arca latched on to a clearance and drilled a left-foot shot into the bottom corner.

Owen might have won it in a frantic finish, but his flick from N'Zogbia's free-kick fell into Schwarzer's arms.

Big Sam: This feels like a defeat

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce described the draw as feeling like a defeat after twice squandering the lead minutes after scoring.

He told Setanta 1: 'We feel like we've lost. We feel that having got the lead twice that should have been enough the second time around to win the game. It would have been a very precious three points.

'But unfortunately it was not to be and we switched off.

'Even after that I really thought we were going to win it.

'In realistic terms disappointment goes on further because of the two injuries - Stephen Carr has a hamstring (injury) and Peter Ramage looks (more) serious. I'll have to be busy next week to cover that.

'We are undefeated but a draw we are a little bit disappointed with but we'll look forward to Wigan next week.'

Viduka opened his Magpies account with a goal against his former club but kept his celebrations low-key.

Allardyce added: 'He knew a lot of people here and said if he scored the winner he wouldn't celebrate too much but he's done his job here today. He's as disappointed as the rest that it wasn't the winner.'

The former Bolton boss also believed Mido's goal was offside, saying: 'It's such a tight decision, sometimes they go for you and sometimes they don't.

'It's not an easy one for the assistant. I can understand why he didn't the flag up.'

Boro manager Gareth Southgate refused to condemn Newcastle's Steven Taylor after seeing his striker Jeremie Aliadiere carried off unconscious following an apparent collision with the centre-back.

'He is awake again,' Southgate said of the Frenchman on Setanta 1.

'He has taken a hefty whack but the only way my players wanted to come off the field today was on a stretcher

'You have to accept that at times there are challenges that are near the mark.

'But it's a man's game and you have to get on with it.'

Southgate was also delighted with his team's performance, and in particular with the fighting spirit shown to twice come from a goal down.

'We played really well,' he added.

'We played some good football at times and looked a threat when we went forward.

'We have shown great character.'