McClaren none the wiser after stalemate

English FA Premiership/ Newcastle United 1 Everton 1: Steve McClaren was present yesterday apparently to watch the progress of Everton's Andy Johnson and to assess if the noise surrounding Scott Parker at Newcastle United was justified.

England's head coach may have left not significantly wiser given that both players were affected by an afternoon of scattergun football in which the officials played a role far too prominent for anyone's satisfaction.

The referee Steve Bennett and his linesman Barry Sygmuta combined to gift Newcastle an opener when the scorer, Shola Ameobi, was visibly offside. Everton's sense of injustice was great but it was partly offset by Tim Cahill's equaliser. However, Bennett then dismissed Titus Bramble 15 minutes from time, and Tony Hibbert two minutes later, when both could have been given final warnings.

There were six yellow cards to go with the two reds and it meant for a match all too bitty. Yet while Bennett and Co deserve the assessor's unpleasant report that doubtless awaits, they could not be blamed for both sides' inability to win and retain possession, and from there to impose a pattern on the game. The result, greeted by near silence on the final whistle, meant that Everton moved one place up the table to fourth, above Aston Villa, and Newcastle also moved up a place, above Manchester City, to 12th.

Everton's manager David Moyes said his dressingroom was equally quiet afterwards, a reflection of the opportunities created and not taken. Joleon Lescott missed a five-yard header from a Mikel Arteta free-kick and Leon Osman and Lee Carsley also wasted openings before half-time. Late on Osman was denied a winner by the legs of Steve Harper.

"Probably not," was Moyes's response when asked if he was happy with the point, only their second from the last six Premiership visits here. "We had enough opportunities, it was end to end, like a training game."

From there Moyes said his new-season resolution was to restrain from criticising officials, "but . . ." The Scot then ran through the process that led to Newcastle's goal. It began with a free-kick from Emre Belozoglu but with Everton's defence pushing out en masse, Ameobi was left offside and clearly expecting the whistle to blow. Everybody shared that expectation, but no whistle came and Ameobi eventually hit a half-hearted shot that burrowed under Tim Howard and struggled in. "Ameobi was the last man, you can't even say it was a mix-up," Moyes said. "What am I to do, stand back and say 'that's fine'?"

Newcastle's manager Glenn Roeder said he was "very conscious" of Everton's defensive tactic at such free-kicks and he was not complaining about receiving the benefit of the linesman's error. Roeder, moreover, had no complaints regarding Bramble's dismissal. Booked for a mistimed lunge at Johnson on 25 minutes, the defender was on red alert thereafter. His performance was responsible considering that until he slid in to tackle Osman on the edge of the area he was only a fraction of a second late but Bennett saw malice and Bramble, shoulders drooped, walked.

Roeder was presumably less impressed with the defending from Bramble and Craig Moore that allowed Cahill to jump unchallenged to meet Arteta's cross.

Hibbert's infringements were a 63rd-minute trip on Parker and, in an atmosphere of rising home annoyance, a routine foul on Antoine Sibierski. "Soft," was Moyes's description of that sending off.

Sibierski was on for Ameobi, who departed with ankle trouble. That adds to his long-standing hip defect but Newcastle will be hopeful he makes Sunday at Old Trafford. But Bramble and Celestine Babayaro, both suspended, will be missing.

Ameobi's starting partner was Obafemi Martins. The Nigerian again showed he was willing but his first touch is not of £10 million quality, yet. Martins's best moment was a chance he fashioned for himself through sheer persistence, but Newcastle need more from a number nine. Snapped-at snapshots may betray a lack of confidence.

With James Milner lively down the right, Newcastle had as many dangerous situations as their visitors. "I think we shaded it," Roeder said. Howard made a fingertip save from Parker midway through the first half and Milner was close on the hour after a one-two with Martins. After that it was like basketball: another blurred game from the best league in the world. It must have had McClaren lost in wonder.

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