Aston Villa 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd - ALAN Shearer took a step nearer becoming the first player to score 200 Premiership goals at Aston Villa on Tuesday night - but his close range effort was not enough to secure a Newcastle United victory.

The 31-year-old struck his 199th after just three minutes of the encounter but a first goal in a Villa shirt for giant striker Peter Crouch ensured Newcastle were only able to close the gap on the top three by a point.

All three would have been gratefully received by the St. James' Park outfit to strengthen their push for a Champions' League place, and Shearer would have loved to have reached the milestone on Tuesday night to boost their target.

But the Magpies front-man, taking on a Villa side managed by the man who handed him his England debut a decade ago Graham Taylor, was never given the chance to add to his remarkable tally.

In fact Newcastle manager Bobby Robson, himself a former national team coach, will have been the more relieved of the two to hear the final whistle.

In a frantic last 15 minute spell, made more exciting by the heavy rain on a slippery turf, the hosts could have inflicted only Newcastle's second defeat in the Premiership on this ground.

Juan Pablo Angel, substitute Darius Vassell, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Steve Staunton all had opportunities to claim a deserved victory - but they, as many other teams have this season, found Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given in excellent form.

Newcastle striker Craig Bellamy was not included in the 16 after suffering an adverse reaction to the knee injury which has kept him out since the Sunderland win on February 24.

Robson had hoped to give the Welshman at least a bit part in the night's proceedings, but instead he stuck by the squad that hammered Everton 6-2 on Good Friday.

Villa chief Graham Taylor handed 6ft 7in forward Peter Crouch his home debut after his £4.5m switch from Portsmouth.

In the 17 Premiership games played between the two clubs at Villa Park prior to Tuesday night, Newcastle had won 12 and lost just once.

The Magpies were further buoyed by the fact their hopes of securing a top four place were boosted with both Chelsea, in fifth, and Leeds, sixth, failing to claim victories at Ipswich and Tottenham respectively.

And with just 122 seconds on the clock Newcastle showed how confident they were by grabbing the opener.

It was the visitors' first attack and it stemmed from good work down the right by midfield duo Jermaine Jenas and Kieron Dyer - playing only their second match together.

Jenas found Dyer and the England man's cross was only headed as far as Laurent Robert on the edge of the box by defender Staunton.

Robert's volley rebounded off Peter Schmeichel's left-hand post and Shearer was first to react to side-foot home number 199.

Newcastle could not have got off to a better start, but instead of building on their electric opening they allowed Villa to push forward.

Bean-pole Crouch was causing obvious problems in the air and he headed one effort wide and then put one straight into Given's arms - but the danger signs were there.

And the England Under 21 international made his height pay on 26 minutes to pull the score level.

Crouch, not for the first time, worked his way superbly in front of Nikos Dabizas and dived to head in a Gareth Barry cross from the left.

The same provider from the same side then delivered another inch perfect centre but this time a different man, in this case Juan Pablo Angel, did not connect properly and the ball flew wide.

All the early promise from Newcastle suddenly degenerated as Villa pushed forward at will.

Greek defender Dabizas made up for his earlier poor defending to expertly block an Ian Taylor effort when a second looked odds on.

And Taylor, a hard-working middle-man, had a terrific left-foot drive from 25 yards tipped over by the flying Given.

The Republic of Ireland 'keeper was forced into another fine save seconds later when he pushed a Mark Delaney shot around the post.

After the restart neither side were looking like adding to the scoreline as the rain suddenly poured down on the Midlands club's pitch.

Frenchman Robert, who had looked bright in the first half, fired a free-kick straight at the wall and when the ball rebounded back to him the £10m man lashed his shot over and wide of Schmeichel's goal.

Newastle needed to find some extra creativity in the opposing half as centre-back Olaf Mellberg, in particular, was finding most attacks easy to cope with.

Villa had many chances to score a winner - but Given was equal to them all.

And as the match headed for a draw Newcastle had one last throw of the dice when Dyer was afforded space in the box.

However, the £20m rated midfielder headed over a Nolberto Solano cross, had Mr Shearer been in the same place at the same time perhaps it would have been Number 200.

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