Toon History At Pride Park

Newcastle reclaimed fourth place in the table thanks to a last-gasp winner from Lomana Lua Lua.

His strike completed a remarkable fightback from Bobby Robson's men who had been two goals down with 17 minutes to play.

But they fought back superbly and Lua Lua's goal has surely condemned Derby to the Nationwide League.

Derby manager John Gregory caused a pre-match surprise by leaving Italian striker Fabrizio Ravanelli on the bench.

His omission will no doubt fuel speculation that Ravanelli will leave Pride Park in the summer if the club are relegated.

Branko Strupar was recalled to the starting line-up and partnered Malcolm Christie up front.

Full back Luciano Zavagno was also dropped after the defeat by Southampton and replaced by Richard Jackson.

Newcastle began brightly and Laurent Robert got away from his marker asNolberto Solano delivered the cross.

However Robert couldn't get any power on his header and keeper Andy Oakes was able to save comfortably.

Robert then tried to release Kieron Dyer, only for Oakes to race off hisline and block the danger.

Newcastle came within inches of taking the lead in the 11th minute after a moment of magic from Robert. He sent in a 35-yard thunderbolt that had the vast travelling army on their feet. But Oakes somehow got up to push the shot onto the bar and away to safety and prevent Derby going behind.

It was a worrying time for the home side with Newcastle having the majority of possession.

Morris was looking Derby's best option at unlocking the Newcastle defence. He used his pace down the left to get in a good cross only for Sylvain Distin to clear as Branko Strupar was about to pounce.

Then Malcolm Christie got into a good position for Derby, only to hook his shot wide.

Derby were beginning to look a little bit more confident after a nervous opening to the game.

With Christie always willing to take on opponents, the home fans had cause for optimism.

There was a scare for Derby when Rob Lee carelessly lost possession to Solano in the middle of the park.

He skipped away and released Dyer but he had timed his run badly and drifted offside.

Derby opened the scoring in the 46th minute when Morris, who had been impressive in the first half, got on the end of a pass from Strupar andraced down the line.

He delivered a low cross to the back post, where Christie side-footed a shot beyond Given.

Shearer then saw a goal-bound shot cleared off the line by Chris Riggott, only for Derby to hit back and grab a second.

Morris sent a superb 12-yard volley in off the post after being released by Barton to stun Newcastle.

Derby fans could hardly believe what was unfolding before their eyes andscreamed for a penalty after 63 minutes.

Morris was jostled off the ball by Aaron Hughes but referee Rob Styles saw it as a legitimate challenge and waved play on.

Ravanelli was called up a minute later for Christie, who had put in a solid shift up front.

Shearer eventually got the ball in the net in the 66th minute when he lashed home a free kick from Robert only for it to be ruled out for offside.

The Newcastle talisman looked astonished at the decision, which prevented his moment of history.

Shearer and Lee were then forced to go off for treatment with blood pouring from the faces of both players after they collided in midfield.

Ravanelli then hauled back Lomana Lua Lua in the area and was lucky not to concede a penalty.

That seemed to spark Newcastle into action and they stunned Derby by pulling level with two goals in two minutes.

Robert got Newcastle's opener in the 73rd minute with a superb 35 yard free kick that flew beyond Oakes.

Derby's fragile confidence was then exposed by Dyer, who added the second, after being released by Solano.

Gregory lost his cool and was ordered out of the technical area by referee Rob Styles.

Ravanelli missed an easy chance while at the other end Gary Speed and Jermaine Jenas saw shots come back off the woodwork.

Lua Lua sealed a dramatic victory for Newcastle when he swept home Solano's cross in the 89th minute.

Horacio Carbonari and Deon Burton scored the goals which consolidated the Rams' climb out of the Premiership relegation zone and suggested a brighter New Year lies ahead.

But Bobby Robson's Magpies were outplayed for much of the match and festive frolics will be thinner on the ground at St James' Park.

The Rams capped one of their best 45-minute spells of the season when they went ahead through an unlikely source on 33 minutes.

Argentinian central defender Carbonari connected with Craig Burley's cross from the right flank and hammered a fierce shot past Shay Given for his first goal of the season.

And after coping with a bigger threat from the visitors in the early stages of the second half, Derby made the game safe after 73 minutes.

Malcolm Christie was fouled by Marcelino near the left corner of the Newcastle box and substitute Giorgi Kinkladze rolled the resulting free-kick to Burley, whose floated cross found Burton four yards out and with an unmissable opportunity to continue his side's dramatic recent revival.

It was no more than Derby deserved although after a first period in which Mart Poom did not have a single save to make they had had to live on their nerves as Newcastle threatened at the start of the second half.

Alan Shearer, so effectively marshalled by Riggott and Taribo West in the first period, was unfortunate after 50 minutes when his scrambled shot from inside a crowded six-yard box was fortuitously blocked on the line by Rory Delap.

And two minutes before Burton's goal Newcastle had two chances in a minute, with Riggott chasing back to head the ball clear of Kieron Dyer after his initial error had set Shearer free, then Clarence Acuna forcing a diving save out of Poom with his shot from the left.

Robson did have to cope without the considerable presence of Gary Speed and Nolberto Solano but the way his side finished up so undeserving of anything increased the questions which remain over some of his signings, such as Acuna and Bassedas, who failed to impress today.

Derby ran riot in the first half, with top scorer Christie wasting a glorious chance on the quarter-hour when he was put through by Riggott but fired across goal from the side of the box. And two minutes later Burton would have opened his account had his fierce right-foot shot not struck Marcelino in the Newcastle box.

Eranio and Burley also had their chances while Newcastle's solitary first-half chance saw Shearer head over.

Burton's second goal after an exciting second half left the Magpies with their wings well and truly clipped and they played out the final 15 minutes like a team already resigned to their fate. Once again it is the great management survivor, the Bald Eagle, who is flying high tonight.

Derby were able to celebrate safety at Pride Park even though results elsewhere rendered their point against Newcastle meaningless.

Starting the game needing a draw to maintain their Premiership status, the Rams controlled the contest for long periods and always looked likely to earn a share of the spoils.

It could have been more but Newcastle keeper Shay Given was able to pull off a superb late stop to deny Deon Burton's near-post flick eight minutes from time.

But while the Republic of Ireland man's own skill was responsible for keeping that effort out, he had to rely on good fortune to keep his goal in tact at the start of the game.

Giorgi Kinkladze has been frustratingly inconsistent since moving to the midlands on loan from Ajax.

But the magic remains in his feet and Newcastle were left trailing in his wake after just eight minutes when the Georgian took possession on halfway.

Jinking past two defenders, Kinkladze continued to advance as the Magpies stood off and from the edge of the area, lifting a chip over Shay Given and against underside of the Newcastle crossbar.

For a brief spell, it seemed as though the former Manchester City man might win the match on his own.

But wily Newcastle boss Bobby Robson withdrew Alessandro Pistone, threw on Didier Domi and put the message across to his midfield to make some tackles.

Former England man Rob Lee led the charge, booked almost instantly for a crunching challenge on Kinkladze inside the Derby half.

The after-effects of that tackle ultimately caused Rams boss Jim Smith to withdraw his star man at the break, a disappointing end to an afternoon which had promised much.

Lee could easily have seen red when he caught Burton shortly afterwards and, although his scheming was largely effective, it was a timely blast of the whistle for half-time which allowed him a chance to cool his temper after tugging Kinkladze to the ground just before the break.

Adam Murray should have given Derby the lead within the opening four minutes.

The youngster showed composure and and an excellent awareness of space to allow Burton's lofted pass to bounce on the edge of the area.

But his shot was too near Given, although the Republic of Ireland keeper did well to save and scramble the rebound away from his goal as the home attack scented blood.

Mart Poom accepted the Derby player of the year award shortly before kick-off but he didn't have to make any wonder saves in the first half to celebrate.

A push round his post from Temuri Ketsbaia and a save low to his right from Gary Speed was the sum total of his efforts, although Warren Barton did drill a fierce shot wide from the Newcastle right and Nolberto Solano flicked a free-kick off the Derby wall.

The withdrawal of Kinkladze didn't help Newcastle start the second half any better than they had the first.

With former Celtic man Craig Burley outstanding in the heart of midfield, much of the Magpies' most likely attacking moves were strangled far from goal.

Alan Shearer barely had a sight of Poom all afternoon and it was Lee who came closest to opening the visitors' account with a powerful right-foot drive which flashed over the crossbar.

Even the introduction of Kevin Gallacher failed to ignite his old Blackburn sparring partner and the speed of Burton, Malcolm Christie and second-half arrival Dean Sturridge ensured the visitors were usually stretched at the back.

Aaron Hughes made instant amends for what could have been a catastrophic blunder when he attempted to steer pressure away from his own goal by nodding a long ball from Burton away from Given at close range.

Unfortunately, Sturridge was in close attendance and reached the loose ball first, shooting first time towards an empty net only for Hughes to get a block in.

A rare Newcastle strike on goal left Stefan Schnoor clutching his stomach after taking the full impact of Temuri Ketsbaia's shot.

It was the visitors last effort worthy of note and greater reward than a point they did not deserve.