Monday 2nd January 2006
NEWCASTLE UTD 2 MIDDLESBROUGH 2
NEWCASTLE UTD: Given, Ramage, Bramble, Boumsong, Elliott (Babayaro 45), Solano, Faye, Clark, Ameobi (N'Zogbia 45), Shearer, Luque.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Chopra, Brittain.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Parnaby, Riggott, Southgate, Pogatetz, Morrison, Doriva, Mendieta (Bates 69), Cattermole, Viduka, Yakubu (Hasselbaink 74).
Subs Not Used: Maccarone, Jones, Johnson.
Att: 52,302
If the rumours are right, and Geordie boy Lee Clark saved his manager from the sack with a last-gasp derby equaliser against Middlesbrough, pehaps Freddy should swing the axe NOW rather than later. It is only a matter of time before he ends his St James' nightmare, and Shepherd knows it too. But STILL the chairman remains the Jock's only 'champion', standing by his decision to appoint him in the first place.
Nolberto Solano had fired the Toon ahead with a superb 27th-minute free-kick, but Aiyegbeni Yakubu's 53rd-minute strike had dragged the visitors back into it.
Newcastle were unable to take advantage of a series of second-half chances to win the game, and looked to have lost it when Hasselbaink slid the ball past Shay Given, but Clark rescued his side - and his manager - with his first goal for his home-town club since January 1997.