Everton 2: Radzinski 66' Ferguson 87' (pen)
Newcastle Utd 2: Shearer 59' 81'(pens)

Latest Update: Full Time

United:Given, Griffin, O'Brien, Dyer, Shearer, Bellamy, Speed(Jenas 70') Bramble, Bowyer, Robert, Bernard Subs: Hughes, Ameobi, Caig, Viana

Everton: Wright(Martyn 25'), Watson (Ferguson 63'), Stubbs, Radzinski, Kilbane, Naysmith, Gravesen, Rooney(Jeffers 30'), Yobo, Linderoth, Hibbert Subs: Weir, Unsworth,

Referee: Rob Styles

Attendance: 40,228

Sir Bobby made four changes to the side that started against Birmingham a fortnight ago. Laurent Robert replaced Viana on the left wing with his fellow countryman Olivier Bernard returning at left back.

Craig Bellamy returned upfront alongside Alan Shearer replacing Shola Ameobi who deputised during his absence and Lee Bowyer returned on the right wing replacing Nolberto Solano who has just returned from international duty in South America.

David Moyes meanwhile included only one of his four transfer deadline day signings in the starting line-up with former mackem Kevin Kilbane coming in with Francis Jeffers and Nigel Martyn on the bench.

It was a busy first few minutes but the biggest cheer of the afternoon was not for the welcome of Francis Jeffers onto the pitch, instead the travelling Toon Army made their pleasure known when Kevin Kilbane first put the ball into touch then just minutes later had a penalty turned down when he fell in the box under the challenge of Andy O'Brien.

On 8 minutes Wayne Rooney made his first real incursion of the day when he broke away down the right but it was  a good tackle by Bernard that forced the ball behind . Joseph Yobo tested Given from the subsequent corner with the Irishman being forced into a low save to his left.

The game was brought to a halt in the twentieth minute when a tangle between Bernard and Rooney left the Everton youngster writhing on the ground. Most of the players took the opportunity to take on water on this really hot sunny afternoon on Merseyside.

Minutes later Newcastle earned a free kick on the edge of the area with Alan Shearer's customary low drive stinging the hands of Richard Wright who was substituted shortly after for Nigel Martyn. The heat of the afternoon found its way into a few tempers on the pitch, with Steve Watson and Laurent Robert both picking up bookings.

Wayne Rooney was substituted for another one of Goodison's favourite sons Francis Jeffers, the former seeming to struggle with an ankle injury following the earlier challenge from Bernard.

Things got worse for Newcastle five minutes before the interval when Laurent Robert was sent off for a second bookable offence following his shoulder charge on Linderoth. A minute later minute later Olivier Bernard received a very harsh yellow for his challenge on Watson.

If things couldn't get any crazier, they did. Linderoth blatantly pulled Dyer back after he had beaten his man and broken clear upfield - he was shown a yellow - then Griffin followed his team mates into Rob Styles book on the stroke of half-time.

And just to cap off a mad, mad, first half, Newcastle survived two goal mouth scrambles in injury time that involved so many players in the six yard box, that I defy anyone to describe who did what!

With the one man advantage, Everton pressed straight from the off and there were only two minutes on the clock when Radzinski made a run down the left beating O'Brien for pace he only had to round Given for a certain score but the Irish keeper pulled off a brilliant save to deny the home side a goal.

Tony Hibbert joined the queue for Styles notebook when he barged Craig Bellamy off the ball after the striker had him well beaten for pace down the left.

Styles' pencil was now down to quarter of an inch by the time Bramble went into the book for a challenge on Radzinski - nothing came of the free kick.

It was however the Black and Whites that took the lead when a lovely deft chip by Shearer over the top of the Everton back line found Kieron Dyer running full tilt onto the end of it. The result was a one on one with Martyn that Naysmith could only prevent by pulling down Dyer in the box - penalty for the Magpies, early bath for Naysmith. Up stepped Shearer and as if he was exorcising his Partizan miss, and banged the ball home into Martyn's top corner.

Everton pulled a goal back in the 66th minute when a cross into the box saw Bernard and Jeffers tussling for the ball, but as they both went down in a heap the home side appealed, the Newcastle defence watched and Radzinski popped up to fire the ball home low to Given's right - soft goal.

With both sides now down to ten men the contest seemed more even and it wasn't long before United's pace started to cause problems. As the pressure mounted , Olivier Bernard found himself with space to run at the Everton defence and the little Frenchman weaved his way into the box only to be brought down by Joseph Yobo - penalty. Shearer stepped up again and again he hammered the ball home, this time into the roof of the net.

In amongst all this, Bellamy was booked for dissent as was Jeffers and Duncan Ferguson was shown a yellow for his strange pogo dance in front of the referee. Players seemed not to want to miss out on the guest list for the ref's annual ball with Everton captain Alan Stubbs getting his name taken before the final whistle.

The home side piled men forward looking for the equaliser as the final whistle loomed and it paid off. In the 87th minute Radzinski made a run down the left that was tracked by substitute Jermaine Jenas, but as soon as the Everton striker made it into the area, he was looking for a penalty and Rob Styles was looking to balance the books - JJ leaned on him and the spot kick was given - plus the customary yellow card.

Who else should step up to take the kick, none other than former United old boy Duncan Ferguson and he duly rifled home the equaliser past Given's left hand.
In the end a great performance from Newcastle who went down to ten men early on and we should have won it. The game was only marred by the raft of yellow cards (and two reds), there were eleven yellows dished out  - I think, but I could not be sure as there were so many. Will someone please tell me what the record is?