MIDDLESBROUGH 2
NEWCASTLE UNITED 2
Premier League
Riverside Stadium
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Kick-off 1.30pm

Craig Hope reports from the Riverside Stadium ...

MATCH REPORT

THE first North East derby of the season ended all square as Newcastle United were twice pegged back in an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Riverside Stadium.

It was Charles N'Zogbia (22) who opened the scoring in magnificent fashion, his right-footed curler from 20 yards flying into Mark Scwarzer's top corner after the Frenchman had cut infield from the left.

But it looked like Mark Viduka was going to enjoy the perfect return to Teeside when he restored the Magpies lead with 13 minutes left on the clock.

The Aussie striker holding off the challenge of Jonathan Woodgate inside the area before spinning and firing into the bottom corner for what was his 150th goal in British football.

But that advantage lasted just three minutes, Julio Arca volleying into the bottom corner from the edge of the area after Butt had headed clear Rochemback's cross.

Michael Owen, on for Oba Martins in the second period, had a chance to win it but was unable to get anything on N'Zogbia's delivery and Schwarzer was able to gather.

SECOND HALF

It's all over at the Riverside as the game ends all square.

90+3min - Cacapa cleans up at the back after Rochemback had tried to pick out Tuncay, and as the Brazilian tries to clear he is hacked down by the Turk -  a challenge which earns him a yellow card.

90+2min - Smith makes a late challenge on Arca and is next to enter the book.

The fourth official announces five minutes added time.

89min - Milner has space on the left and crosses into a crowded penalty area, Butt has peeled off and swings a left-footed shot goalwards which Woodgate blocks before forcing the ball clear for the hosts.

88min - Milner hacks down Tuncay as Boro break from United's attacking free-kick and rightly enters Dean's book.

87min - Mido flashes a header from Downing's cross but to be fair it's never troubling Steve Harper.

84min - Lee Cattermole replaces George Boateng with Woodagte taking over the captaincy.

83min - N'Zogbia lifts a ball into the area which Boro fail to deal with and Michael Owen has a great chance to restore the lead, any kind of connection from the England striker means a goal but he is unable to get anything on it and Schwarzer gathers - it's a real let off for the hosts.

82min - Wheater is late on Viduka midway inside the Boro half and goes into Mike Dean's book.

80min - BORO GOAL (2-2): Downing tries to cross from the left but Taylor charges down to concede a corner. The England winger takes but Smith heads clear, Rochemback retrieves possession and chips back into the area, Nicky Butt tries to power his header away but the ball drops for JULIO ARCA who controls on his chest before volleying left-footed into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

77min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-2): Geremi cuts infield and chips into the area, MARK VIDUKA has his back to goal but manages to hold off the challenge of Woodgate and controls on his chest before spinning and firing low into the bottom corner from 10 yards out to give the Magpies the lead.

76min - Owen's first involvement is to try and find strike partner Viduka with a chipped cross but Wheater is there to head clear from the Aussie striker.

73min - Aliadiere leaves the field on a stretcher after a collision with Taylor and is replaced by Tuncay.

72min - Obafemi Martins makes way for Michael Owen.

70min - Young is next to enter the book for a shocking, late challenge on Milner.

67min - Milner skips by Arca on the left and is tripped by the former Sunderland man. Geremi whips in and it looks like all Cacapa has to do is flick the ball goalwards for his first Toon strike but the ball cannons in the air off the back of his head and Viduka is penalised for a foul as it drops.

64min - Milner plucks N'Zogbia's long pump forward out the air and spins inside Woodgate, it opens up for the winger but his shot lacks height and Schwarzer saves easily.

62min - Milner's left-wing cross is charged down by Rochemback and the winger swings over the resulting corner kick, Butt challenges with Wheater with and the ball comes off the head of the Boro defender and behind for another corner. Geremi takes but Boro clear at the near post.

61min - N'Zogbia has space on the left and elects to cross, it's a great ball and Viduka is stretching to get on the end of it but Wheater does enough to put him off and the ball drifts wide.

59min - After a couple of minutes of treatment Ramage is replaced by Claudio Cacapa.

57min - Ramage appears to twist his knee in the turf and lands in an agonising heap on the turf. He receives treatement from the United medical staff but it looks as though his afternoon could be over.

54min - Rochemback goes for the return pass of Aliadiere inside the area and it take a combination of Ramage and Harper to deny the Brazilian with the ball being deflected behind for a corner. Downing's near post flag-kick is headed clear by Smith. Boro come straight back at United and Arca picks out Downing still in the left-hand channel, it's a neat cut back but Rozehnal reads and is able to clear.

48min - It's not long before Butt follows Woodgate into the book for a scything down Downing on the left.

47min - Woodgate goes into the book for a late challenge on Martins which leaves the Nigerian in a heap on the floor. N'Zogbia clips the resulting free-kick into the area and Schwarzer comes from his line to fist clear.

The Magpies get the second period underway attacking the end where the Toon Army are situated.

FIRST HALF ACTION

It's half-time at the Riverside with the game all square.

The fourth official announces two minutes added time.

45min - Rochemback dances inside Nicky Butt's challenge 20 yards from goal and with the whole goal to aim at shoots left-footed wide of Harper's goal and the Magpies survive.

43min - Arca looks to play the ball inside Ramage for Downing, it looks as if the Toon defender is going to cut it out but the ball slips under his foot, Dowing is poised to shoot until Ramage recovers to force the ball behind for a corner. And it is the Geordies defender who is on hand at the near post to head Rochemback's delivery clear.

40min - Downing goes by Geremi midway inside United's half and slips a pass wide for Mido, it's one touch out of his feet and wicked delivery across goal which Harper has to be alert to with the Toon stopper rushing from his line to gather.

38min - Young brings down Viduka just over halfway and N'Zogbia pumps the free-kick into the area, Schwarzer races from his line to claim from the head of Viduka on the penalty spot.

31min- Rochemback is in the thick of the action and he seizes upon a loose bal 30 yards from goal, his quick shot is deflected wide by Smith for the game's first corner. Boro work it short and Downing crosses deep, the ball is retrieved by Arca and he shoot low through a crowd of bodies, it looks like the hosts have scored their second until Harper gets down low to divert the ball just inches around the post. Downing's second flag-kick comes to nothing and United clear.

30min - Boro are on the front foot and Downing crosses from the left, Harper rushes from his line to claim with Boateng lurking.

28min - BORO GOAL (1-1): Smith loses out to Rochemback midway inside the United half, he clips a ball over the head of Taylor and into the path of MIDO, the Geordies defender tries to recover but the Egyptian nicks the ball clear before rounding Harper 10 yards from goal and rolling the ball into an empty net.

27min - Rozehnal and N'Zogbia get in a tangle and Rochemback is free on the right, with a host of Boro bodies to pick out the Brazilian's cross lacks quality and Taylor is able to hack clear.

22min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (0-1) Ramage has possession in the middle of the field and sprays it wide to N'ZOGBIA, the Frenchman receives on the left-hand touchline and cuts in-field, he ghosts by the challenge of Boateng and curls into Schwarzer's top corner with a sweet, right-footed strike from 20 yards - it's a fantastic goal and the Magpies left-back is swamped by his team-mates.

20min - Rochemback tries his luck from distance once again, but like his previous effort it clears Harper's goal.

18min - Viduka tries to go clear of Wheater 40 yards from goal and the pair tangle with the Aussie falling to the floor, Mike Dean waves play-on amid protests from the Magpie players.

17min - Schwarzer's weak clearance goes straight to Geremi, he holds up play and threads a pass through for Martins, the Nigerian then pulls it back and it looks as though Smith will get on the end of it but Boateng makes a great saving tackle to deny the United man on the penalty spot.

16min - Viduka gets the better of Arca just inside his own half and springs Martins clear with a high ball in behind Taylor, the Nigerian heads the ball in front of him and shoots right-footed from the angle of the area but unfortunately it goes wide.

10min - Viduka wins a header but the ball falls free and Boro break from inside their own half through Rochemback, the Brazilian carries the ball a good 30 yards before shooting from distance, the effort lacks direction however and flies wide of Harper's goal.

7min - Rochemback tries to open up the Magpies defence with a high throughball, Taylor and Rozehnal are there however to deny Aliadiere and Harper completes the clearance.

6min - Stephen Carr is forced to withdraw beacuse of injury and he is replaced by Peter Ramage making his 50th Premiership appearance for the Geordies.

3min - Nicky Butt switches play with a lovely, lofted pass into the path of James Milner, the young Magpies winger throws Luke Young a dummy and crosses from the left looking for Martins at the far post, the Nigerian tries to cushion the ball back across goal but there is no-one there and Wheater clears.

1min - A chorus of boos ring out as Viduka's first involvement is to the lay the ball into the path of Alan Smith, his former Leeds team-mate blasts goalwards from 20 yards but it's a rising effort which clears the bar by a good 10 yards.

It's a sunny afternoon on Teeside as Boro get the game underway attacking the end where the strong contingent of away fans are housed.

TEAM NEWS

SAM Allardyce names the same starting line-up for the Magpies first North East derby of the season following their goalless draw with Aston Villa last weekend.

That means Oba Martins, Mark Viduka and James Milner will again form a three-pronged attack with Geremi, Nicky Butt and Alan Smith in midfield.

Irish stopper Shay Given (groin) returns to the bench for the Magpies with Michael Owen and Shola Ameobi again taking their place among the subs.

While Jonathan Woodgate (knee) makes a surprise return to the Boro starting eleven to face his former club.

And there is also a return to their former employers for United skipper Geremi and Viduka - the striker looking for 150th goal in British football.

TEAMS

MFC: Mark Schwarzer, Luke Young, Julio Arca, George Boateng (Lee Cattermole, 83m), Jonathan Woodgate, Mido, Fabio Rochemback, Jeremie Aliadiere (Tuncay Sanli, 73m), Stewart Downing, David Wheater, Andrew Taylor
Subs not used: Dong Gook Lee, Seb Hines, Brad Jones

NUFC: Steve Harper, Stephen Carr (Peter Ramage, 5m [Cacapa, 57m]), Charles N'Zogbia, Steven Taylor, David Rozehnal, James Milner, Nicky Butt, Geremi, Alan Smith, Oba Martins (Michael Owen, 72m), Mark Viduka
Subs not used: Shay Given, Shola Ameobi

Referee: Mike Dean
Attendance: 28, 875