NEWCASTLE UNITED 2
DERBY COUNTY 2
Premier League
St.James' Park
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Kick off 2pm

Craig Hope reports from St.James' Park ...

MATCH REPORT

AUSSIE striker Mark Viduka was Newcastle United's saviour as his late strike rescued a point for the Magpies against bottom side Derby County.

The Geordies were trailing with just three minutes left on the clock when Viduka popped up to fire home from the edge of the area for his and United's second.

That was after 19-year-old Giles Barnes had opened the scoring with a low effort from 20 yards out after just six minutes.

United rallied and Viduka found the leveller on 27 minutes, rifling past Bywater from just inside the penalty box after being teed-up by skipper Alan Smith.

The black and whites should have been in front by the break with Barton and Beye both going close.

But the Rams were ahead seven minutes into the second period, Kenny Miller repeating his scoring feat against Newcastle as he finished cooly past Given after getting the better of Rozehnal.

Damien Duff and Emre were both introduced as the hosts went in search of a leveller before man-of-the-match Viduka netted his fifth of the campaign to prevent defeat and extend the Magpies' unbeaten run to four matches.

SECOND HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest)

90+4min - Surely that's it as Emre sees a 20-yard shot curl wide of Bywater's upright. Marriner blows for full-time from the restart and the game ends all square.

90+2mins - N'Zogbia goes in search of a winner as he bursts into the box but sees his shot from a narrow angle deflect back off himself and away for a goal-kick.

There will be four minutes added time.

90min - It's end-to-end stuff and N'Zogbia wins a corner off the shins of McEveley on the left. Milner takes high and the ball bounces around the penalty area before Taylor fires over from 8 yards out.

87min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-2): Given punts downfield and Martins flicks inside for MARK VIDUKA, the Aussie star fires first time past Bywater from the edge of the area for his and United's second.

82min - Duff breaks away on the left but is crowded out by recovering Derby defenders, the Irish winger lays back for N'Zogbia and the ball is worked wide right to Milner, he takes a touch and crosses looking for Viduka, the low ball is cut out at the near post and deflects behind off Smith for a goal-kick.

81min - Gary Teale makes way for Benny Feilhaber.

79min - Milner flashes a left-wing free-kick across goal, Bywater punches clear but only as far as Milner who immediately feeds Martins, he twists and turns but can only screw his shot wide from the edge of the area.

78min - Craig Fagan replaces Eddie Lewis.

76min - Duff forces his way past Mears on the left and zips a ball across goal, the delivery almost catches out Bywater who has to scramble to plam around the post. United work the corner short and Milner delivers at speed into the crowded penalty area, there are too many Derby bodies back and the Rams clear.

75min - Emre receives a great reception as he replaces Joey Barton.

74min - Viduka holds off the challenge of Moore inside the area but the Derby skipper does well to block his shot, the ball runs for Martins and the striker sees his first time effort deflect behind off Leacock. Milner takes and a combination of Bywater and Moore manage to clear.

72min - Derby break down the left and only the recovering Beye prevents Howard getting on the end of Miller's low cross from the left. Cacapa heads away Barnes' resulting flag-kick under pressure from Howard.

70min - Milner carries the ball down the right-wing before cutting inside McEveley, the full-back's outstretched leg catches the winger and United have a free-kick. N'Zogbia crosses but Bywater races to the edge of his six-yard area to claim.

69min - Miller sees yellow for dissent after Marriner adjudged the Scot to have handled on halfway.

68min - Nicky Butt is replaced by Damien Duff making his first appearance in over eight months.

62min - Miller has possession on the edge of the area and lays off for Howard who shoots just inches over Given's crossbar.

58min - David Rozehnal makes way for Steven Taylor.

57min - Cacapa does brilliantly to hook clear at the last minute as Teale looked to play in Miller with a chipped throughball.

53min - Joey Barton goes looking for a leveller and is unlucky to see a 20-yard shot skid wide of the target.

52min - DERBY GOAL (1-2): A long punt downfield is seized upon by KENNY MILLER who goes by the challenge of Rozehnal before cooly slotting past Given from 12 yards out to restore the Rams lead.

47min - The visitors are first on the attack after the restart and Howard heads over from Lewis' left-wing centre.

The Geordies get the second period started attacking the Gallowgate End with neither side having made any changes at the break.

FIRST HALF ACTION

45+1min - N'Zogbia's low cross is sliced behind at the near post by Pearson for a corner on the right. N'Zogbia takes and Derby clear with the whistle going for half-time.

44min - Milner invites the challenege of two Derby defenders and does well to flick inside for the supporting N'Zogbia, the ball is slighlty too heavy for the French star but Milner is caught by Teale and Marriner blows for a free-kick. Milner takes and Bywater rushes from his line to fist away.

42min - Barnes goes by Nicky Butt on halfway with the United midfielder tripping his young Derby opponent - Andre Marriner shows no hesitation and shows Butt is eighth yellow card of the season.

40min - Viduka tries to stand one up for strike partner Smith unmarked on the penalty spot but Moore has read the ball and heads away.

35min - N'Zogbia's long free-kick from halfway is headed clear only as far as Barton who catches the ball sweetly, the effort is zipping towards goal but unfortunately for United has too much height and clears the Rams crossbar by a couple of feet.

31min - Butt does brilliantly to slide and dispossess Miller before being taken out by Gary Teale for which the midfielder sees yellow. N'Zogbia clips the resulting free-kick to the edge of the area and the ball drops for Butt who sees his volley deflect behind off Moore. N'Zogbia takes from the right and Derby clear to the edge of the box, Barton does well to hook the ball back out wide to N'Zogbia and he fires low into the area, a a scramble ensues inside the area and the ball is again cleared back to N'Zogbia, this time his cross is high and Habib Beye flashes a header just inches wide of the Rams upright.

27min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-1): Milner hoists the ball forward to N'Zogbia, he cuts inside Leacock and plays a ball to the edge of the area where Barton dummies for Smith, he goes to ground under Moore's challenege but manages to hook to his left for MARK VIDUKA who rifles low past the despairing dive of Bywater to bring the home side level - you have to say it was coming and the pressure has paid off.

26min - Viduka is tripped on the edge of the area and United have a free-kick. N'Zogbia takes left-footed but the ball clears the Derby crossbar by a good couple of feet.

25min - The Geordies are bombarding the visitors goal and Milner is caught in two minds as Martins' low cross zips through a crowd of bodies inside the penalty area, the young winger tries to control when maybe the first-time shot would've been a better option but his touch is heavy and the ball runs through to Bywater.

21min - Martins dummies from Beye's pass down the right wing and gets away from Lewis, it's McEveley again who comes to Derby's rescue as he slides to block the NIgerian's attempted cross and United have a corner. N'Zogbia whips over and Martins heads at goal from six yards out, the ball strikes Giles Barnes on the line and the Derby midfielder doesn't know too much about it but saves the day for the Rams and clears.

19min - Milner has possession on the left flank and looks for Martins with a cross-field switch, it looks like the ball is going to set the NIgerian clear on goal but a backpedalling McEveley manages to head behind for a corner. N'Zogbia's delivery has too much weight and drifts away for a goal-kick.

15min - Lewis is late on Milner on the East Stand touchline and United have a free-kick. N'Zogbia takes but his in-swinging delivery is plucked from the air by Bywater under pressure from Viduka.

13min - There's a game of head tennis inside the Derby area from Beye's long throw, Martins eventually turns the ball goalwards from 10 yards out but his effort is weak and Bywater gathers with ease.

10min - Beye gets away down the right and attacks the by-line, the Senegal star pulls a high ball back for Alan Smith who is blatantly shoved by Mears, the home crowd appeal for a spot-kick but Andre Marriner allows play to continue, the ball runs for Milner but he slices his shot wide of the target from 10 yards out.

9min - N'Zogbia forces his way into the Rams penalty area and skips by the challenge of Mears, his low ball zips across the face of goal and it looks like a simple tap in for Viduka, McEveley reads the delivery and does excellently to slide in front of the United striker to nick clear.

6min - DERBY GOAL (0-1): Miller receives a throw-in on the left and does well to hold off the challenge of Beye before rolling into the path of GILES BARNES who fires low from 20 yards into Shay Given's bottom corner for his first of the season.

5min - Howard tries to work an angle for the cross on the right wing but Cacapa slides to challenge and concedes a corner. Lewis takes with Nicky Butt climbing highest at the near post to head clear.

3min - Milner darts inside and out of Moore on the left flank before seeing his low cross deflect behind off Mears for a corner. Milner takes and Bywater claims easily.

2min - Barton and Beye exchange passes on the right with the midfielder digging out a cross aimed at James Milner, the young winger challenges with Moore on the edge of the six-yard area and the loose ball drops for Viduka, the Aussie is going away from goal but manages to turn and hook towards the far post, the ball runs for Martins and he shoots wide of Bywater's target - it's an encouraging start by the Magpies.

Derby get the game underway attacking the Gallowgate End having been forced into a change before kick off, Claude Davis injuring a knee in the warm-up with Eddie Lewis coming in. Lee Holmes takes his place on the bench.

TEAM NEWS

DAMIEN Duff returns to the Newcastle United squad after more than eight months on the sidelines with a dislocated foot.

The Irish winger has to settle for a place on the bench with Sam Allardyce making just one change to the side which started at Fulham last weekend.

Mark Viduka comes in for his first start since last month's home defeat against Liverpool with skipper Geremi making way.

That means Alan Smith will lead out the Geordies for the second time having also taken the armband during the Carling Cup tie at Arsenal in September.

TEAMS

NUFC: Shay Given, Habib Beye, Charles N'Zogbia, David Rozehnal, Claudio Cacapa, Nicky Butt, Joey Barton, Alan Smith (c), Oba Martins, Mark Viduka, James Milner
Subs: Emre, Damien Duff, Steve Harper, Geremi, Steven Taylor

DCFC: Stephen Bywater, Jay McEveley, Dean Leacock, Kenny Miller, Gary Teale, Steve Howard, Eddie Lewis, Darren Moore (c), Tyrone Mears, Stephen Pearson, Giles Barnes
Subs: Lewis Price, Lee Holmes, Benny Feilhaber, Rob Earnshaw, Craig Fagan

Referee: A Marriner
Attendance: 51, 386

FACTS AND FIGURES

Derby @ SJP - Premiership Years

2001/02: 1-0 Shearer (pen)
2000/01: 3-2 Cort, Cordone, Glass
1999/00: 2-0 Eranio OG, Shearer
1998/99: 2-1 Dabizas, Glass
1997/98: 0-0
1996/97: 3-1 Elliott, Ferdinand, Shearer

Newcastle;

1. A 2-1 home victory over Birmingham, and 0-1 win at Fulham have followed a six-match winless run.

2. Not managed three consecutive Premier League victories in 39 outings, since Portsmouth (h), Reading (h) and Blackburn (a) were defeated between 26 November and 9 December 2006.

3. Won seven of 17 Premier League games under Sam Allardyce.

4. Failed to score in one of their last 12 league outings; the 0-3 home defeat by Liverpool on 24 November.

5. Unbeaten in six home Premier League matches against Midlands' clubs, and not lost at the highest league level at St James to a club from the region since Aston Villa's 0-3 victory on 2 April 2005.

6. Only two clubs have left St James' Park with maximum points so far this season; Portsmouth, 1-4 on 3 November, and Liverpool 0-3 on 24 November.

7. Visit Wigan on Boxing Day, and Chelsea three days later, before the home clash against Manchester City on 2 January.

Derby;

1. The only club with just one Premier League win (from 17 attempts).

2. Lost more Premier League matches than any other club (13), dropped an unequalled 45 points, and own the worst goal difference in English and Scottish league football of -33.

3. Scored fewer Premier League goals than any other club; six, at one every 255 minutes (four hours 15 minutes) on average. Also, conceded more than anyone else; 39, at one every 39 minutes.

4. Pressing for a first win in 12 league outings and a first point in eight, having lost successively to Everton (h), Aston Villa (a), West Ham (h), Chelsea (h), Sunderland (a), Manchester United (a) and Middlesbrough (h).

5. Picked up two points from a last possible 33, from a 1-1 home draw with Bolton and a goalless game at Fulham, since their only league victory of the season; 1-0, home to Newcastle on 17 September.

6. Steve Howard's goal against Manchester United is their only score in 881 minutes (14 hours 41 minute) of Premier League football played.

7. Failed to score in an unequalled 12 Premier League matches this season; and lost all 13 matches in which their opponents have scored the opening goal.

8. The current total of six points from 17 games is half as many as their previous lowest to this same stage of a Premier League season in 1999-2000; a campaign in which they finished 16th and survived.

9. Gained just one point on the road this season, from a goalless draw at Fulham on 20 October. Scored their first league goal away from Pride Park on the last trip; the 4-1 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford on 8 December, when they avoided becoming the first club to fail to find the net in the first nine away matches of a top-flight season.

10. Home to Liverpool on Boxing Day, and to Blackburn four days later, before the trip to Bolton on 2 January.

TICKET NEWS

With four points from the recent visits of Arsenal and Birmingham City, work is underway on rebuilding Fortress St. James' - but we still need YOU to play your part.