ALL OUR YESTERDAY'S ....
OCTOBER 3rd 2004/5
BIRMINGHAM CITY 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 2
BIRMINGHAM: Maik Taylor, Melchiot, Cunningham, Upson, Clapham, Gronkjaer, Izzet (Clemence 36), Savage, Johnson, Dunn (Gray 83), Heskey (Yorke 9).
Subs Not Used: Bennett, Morrison.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Carr, O'Brien, Elliott, Bernard (Robert 64), Bellamy, Butt, Jenas, Bowyer (Hughes 81), Shearer, Kluivert (Milner 45).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Ambrose.
Att: 29,021
Nicky Butt preserved Newcastle's unbeaten record under new manager Graeme Souness with a stunning equaliser in a pulsating Premiership clash at St Andrews.
Blues defender Matthew Upson's first ever league goal looked to have earned Steve Bruce's side only their second win of the campaign when he put them ahead after 57 minutes.
But Butt, who will have a key role to play for England against Wales in next week's World Cup qualifier, struck a superb half volley from 15 yards out which flew past Blues 'keeper Maik Taylor.
A draw was a fair result over the 90 minutes and Birmingham were inspired by a fine performance from David Dunn in his first start of the season after recovering from his hamstring problems.
But he declined to shake hands with Souness when he was substituted after 80 minutes following the pair's much publicised fall-out at Blackburn.
Blues provided a performance full of passion and commitment although Bruce will be worried to see both striker Emile Heskey and Muzzy Izzet pick up first half ankle and leg injuries respectively.
But Newcastle also demonstrated that their revival under Souness has been no fluke and they look as if they will be challenging strongly for a ChampionsLeague spot.
Newcastle kicked off in torrential rain - and midfielder Jermaine Jenas breached the home defence after only three minutes.
Patrick Kluivert, bubbling with confidence after six goals in five starts, saw his shot from the edge of the Birmingham area cannon across the face of goal.
It fell into the path of the unmarked Jenas and he drilled a shot past Blues 'keeper Maik Taylor into the far corner of the net from eight yards out.
Newcastle were on top in the early stages but Blues slowly started to claw their way back into the game.
Dunn burst into the Newcastle area only to be denied Rob Elliott's covering tackle. A fine first-time pass from Alan Shearer played in Jenas but, after cutting past Jamie Clapham, he was denied by Jesper Gronkjaer who had covered behind his full-back.
Then in the 23rd minute Yorke brought Birmingham on level terms with his second goal since arriving on transfer deadline day.
It was Dunn who was the provider with a telling pass as Yorke managed to beat the Newcastle offside trap.
The Trinidad and Tobago striker powered into the area and as, Andrew O'Brien came across to cover, his low shot took a slight deflection before it flew past Shay Given.
Newcastle retaliated and a glancing header from Kluivert was saved away to his left by Maik Taylor from a Bellamy centre while Yorke appeared to be pushed when trying to meet one cross from Damien Johnson.
O'Brien brought down Yorke on the edge of the Newcastle penalty area in the last minute of normal time and Robbie Savage curled the free-kick over the defensive wall but into the side-netting.
Souness opted for a second half substitution, bringing on England Under-21 midfielder James Milner in place of Kluivert and pushing Bellamy up front alongside Shearer.
Elliott became the first player to be yellow-carded in the 48th minute for bringing down Dunn to the left of the Newcastle area.
But Dunn soon followed him into referee Howard Webb's note-book after preventing Nicky Butt from taking a quick free-kick.
Then after 57 minutes St Andrews erupted when Upson headed Birmingham into the lead.
Savage sent over another menacing free-kick from the left flank and this time Upson was the first to the ball and made no mistake from close range for his first goal of the campaign.
Tempers were boiling over and yet another yellow card was handed out for a challenge by Clemence on Elliott.
Souness made a second change after 64 minutes with Laurent Robert entering the action in place of Bernard.
The midfielder was quickly involved in the action but his low shot from the left of the Blues area skidded past Taylor's post.
But in the 66th minute Newcastle were back on level terms with Nicky Butt giving Taylor no chance with a superb half volley from 15 yards out.
Newcastle nearly regained the lead when Bellamy headed a corner from Robert back across goal but Elliott's close range effort was somehow kept by a pack of Blues bodies guarding the goal-line.
Back came Birmingham and Given made a superb save to finger-tip over a shot on the turn from Yorke after Savage had won the battle for a drop ball with Shearer.
Dunn nearly won the match for Birmingham with a far post header which was finger-tipped around the post by Given from a deep Johnson cross.
But Taylor was relieved when a long range free-kick from Laurent Robert thudded against a post and rebounded to safety.
ON THIS DAY - NU-MAD -