Boro fight back to hold Magpies

Middlesbrough 2 Newcastle 2:Mark Viduka came within minutes of handing Newcastle a precious derby victory on his return to Middlesbrough.

The Australian claimed his first goal in a black and white shirt and his 150th in British football 13 minutes from time as the Magpies twice took the lead at the Riverside Stadium.

However, former team-mate and Sunderland old boy Julio Arca ensured the spoils were shared when he levelled three minutes later in an eventful game.

A fiercely-contested encounter — there were eight bookings — was not always of the highest quality, but that could not be said of the finishing on display with Charles N'Zogbia opening the scoring with a stunning 22nd-minute effort.

Mido cancelled out the lead within six minutes, expertly rounding Steve Harper after being played in by Fabio Rochemback, and although Sam Allardyce may have left Teesside bemoaning his side's failure to keep Boro out, the result was just about right on the day.

Newcastle started confidently, although Allardyce's 4-3-3 formation is still not firmly embedded and clear-cut chances were few and far between despite their early dominance.

Obafemi Martins blasted harmlessly wide after being played in by Viduka on 16 minutes and it took a vital block from George Boateng to deny Alan Smith a free shot at goal seconds later.

However, the visitors went ahead with 22 minutes gone when full-back N'Zogbia produced a moment of rare brilliance.

The Frenchman was picked out on the left by Peter Ramage, on after just six minutes for the injured Stephen Carr, and cut inside Boateng before unleashing a superb curling shot which was simply too good for keeper Mark Schwarzer.

But Boro responded swiftly and were back on terms within six minutes when Mido ran on to Rochemback's beautifully-weighted pass over the top, held off Steven Taylor and then rounded Harper to shoot into an empty net.

The goal gave the Teessiders fresh impetus as the Magpies wilted momentarily, Harper scrambling across his goal as Rochemback's deflected shot sailed just wide and then pulling off a fine one-handed save to deny Arca.

Martins found himself in the wars as the second half got under way, debutant Luke Young and Woodgate both clattering him with the latter picking up a yellow card for his pains.

Butt followed him into the referee's notebook for a rash challenge on Downing in a scrappy opening to the half, although it was Boro who settled the quicker.

Harper had to block with his legs on 53 minutes after Mido and Jeremie Aliadiere had played Rochemback in, and David Rozehnal hacked away Downing's cross seconds later with the Teessiders establishing a momentum.

Newcastle's woes increased on 59 minutes when Ramage was carried off on a stretcher to be replaced by Claudio Cacapa, Taylor taking over at right-back.

However, it was they who almost regained the lead on 61 minutes when Viduka just failed to get a touch to N'Zogbia's inviting cross under pressure from Wheater.

Milner failed to test Schwarzer with a 64th-minute drive as the visitors rallied, and Allardyce made his move with 19 minutes remaining when he replaced Martins with Michael Owen.

The change took place as Aliadiere received treatment after colliding with Taylor's elbow, and he was eventually carried off and replaced by Tuncay Sanli.

But Viduka's big moment finally arrived on 77 minutes when he accepted
N'Zogbia's pass, deftly turned Woodgate and after teeing the ball up, smashed a shot past the helpless Schwarzer.

However, Boro were not done and it was all square once again within three minutes when Arca latched on to a clearance and drilled a left-foot shot into the bottom corner.

Owen might have won it in a frantic finish, but his flick from N'Zogbia's free-kick fell into Schwarzer's arms.