Asprilla rescues Newcastle

A MOMENT of sheer class from Tino Asprilla ensured the draw that did neither side's European ambitions much good.

Joe Kinnear's men looked to be on course for only their second Premiership win of 1997 when Oyvind Leonhardsen's first half effort touched Darren Peacock to leave Shaka Hislop flailing.

Newcastle, who have still not earned a victory over the Dons in nine away trips to Plough Lane and Selhurst Park, might have been condemned to their fifth defeat in six games if Robbie Earle's luck in front of goal had been in.

But then David Ginola, roundly abused by both sets of fans, was brought down by Chris Perry 20 yards out.

And, with the travelling Toon Army chanting his name, Asprilla stepped up to caress the ball over the wall from 20 yards and leave Neil Sullivan for dead.

It was the Colombian's seventh goal of the season, although only his second in the league, and meant that Wimbledon had surrendered an advantage for the fourth time in six games.

Yet while they did have the better of things, a draw was perhaps the right result after a lively second half that partially buried the memory of an awful first 45 minutes.

Kenny Dalglish stuck with Ginola despite his transfer request leaving out Peter Beardsley to accommodate the return of Keith Gillespie but the Frenchman's wish to leave had clearly had its impact on the Toon Army.

Ginola was booed by his own fans when he received the ball, and that treatment was almost the only thing of note for the utterly woeful first 20 minutes as the Dons missed the suspended Vinnie Jones' sense of purpose.

Aimless, shapeless and pretty much hopeless, the absence of both Alan Shearer and Les Ferdinand so obvious, it was only after the Wimbledon fans joined in the jeering, when Kenny Cunningham was booked for a foul on the Frenchman, that either keeper was actually troubled.

It was Ginola, following a swift Rob Lee break, who had the shot, a cute chip headed for the top corner before Neil Sullivan's fingertips intervened.

Referee Steve Lodge did not spot that, stunning Ginola by awarding a goal kick, but when he did see Lee's handball in the 28th minute Wimbledon went in front.

It was a messy, scrappy goal, with Newcastle three times failing to deal decisively with the ball - after Alan Kimble had originally played into the box from the free kick.

Leonhardsen hooked the half cleared ball into the box, Newcastle declined to clear and, when Mick Harford beat Lee to lay off to the Norwegian, his striker gained topspin off Peacock to deceive Hislop.

That was effectively that before the break, although Warren Barton's Wimbledon return was marred by a booking for dissent, and Wimbledon might have sewn if up soon afterwards.

First Kimble's ball into the box flicked David Batty's head to whistle past the post.

Then, when the resulting corner reached Perry, he picked out the unmarked Robbie Earle, whose header lacked the power or direction to beat Hislop.

But it was Perry's indiscretion at the other end which was to prove costly, although Sullivan's positioning might come under question.

Wimbledon responded, Efan Ekoku working space on the right to centre for Earle again. This time the midfielder made the contact he had been looking for the first time, but Peacock rescued his keeper with a goal line clearance.

Both sides now seemed interested in winning the game, and both defences were being stretched.

Substitute Dean Holdsworth, on for old stager Harford, forced a great save from Hislop and Asprilla was not far away with a header from a Gillespie cross.

Philippe Albert nearly put through his own net alter an Ekoku header as the Dons looked for the winner but it was not to be. That UEFA Cup dream is looking less likely.