Former Inter Milan team-mates Gianluca Festa and Alessandro Pistone brought some Italian style to a chaotic derby as they ensured a share of the points for Middlesbrough and Newcastle at the Riverside Stadium last night.
Festa snatched a late equaliser for Middlesbrough after Pistone - scoring his first goal for the club - had smashed Newcastle into a 2-1 lead in a pulsating game which will be remembered more for the passion running through it than the quality of the football.
On a night which most of the defenders on the pitch will be more than happy to forget, Brazilian Juninho headed Middlesbrough in front after five minutes, but Gary Speed levelled within five minutes as Kieron Dyer and Nolberto Solano ran the Boro defence ragged.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Fleming, Festa, Vickers, Cooper, Ziege (Stockdale 74), Juninho, Ince, Summerbell (Mustoe 14), Ricard, Campbell (Kilgannon 87). Subs not used: Beresford, Maddison. Booked: Vickers, Ziege. Goals: Juninho 5, Festa 78.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Barton, Hughes, Dabizas, Pistone, Solano (Griffin 86), Lee, Speed, Dyer (McClen 82), Ketsbaia (Maric 87), Shearer. Subs not used: Harper, Gavilan. Goals: Speed 10, Pistone 18.
Referee: M Riley (Leeds).
