Sunderland 1 Newcastle Utd 1
IT wasn't quite the win Newcastle supporters had hoped for, but James Milner's 65th-minute equaliser at least ensured the black-and-white hordes left the Stadium of Light with their heads held high.
Newcastle have still not lost on Wearside for 27 years, although there were large chunks of this game where the Magpies' proud regional record appeared to be in jeopardy.
Sam Allardyce's side were second best for the majority of an opening 60 minutes in which Sunderland's players displayed a pride and commitment that appeared to unnerve a number of the visitors.
Alan Smith was all at sea in an unorthodox holding role in front of the back four - Allardyce appears willing to play the England international anywhere in an attempt to find him a place in the team - and both Joey Barton and Emre were eclipsed by Sunderland's stand-in skipper, Grant Leadbitter.
Danny Higginbotham's opener was no more than the home side deserved, and the centre-half's header might have opened the Newcastle floodgates following last weekend's 4-1 humiliation at home to Portsmouth.
Instead, the visitors responded with a vim and vigour that has been absent from the majority of their away displays this season.
Barton finally began to exert an influence at the heart of midfield and, with Milner and Charles N'Zogbia swapping roles on the left flank, the Magpies gradually gathered momentum as the second half wore on.
There might have been an element of fortune about Milner's equaliser when it eventually came - the England Under-21 international's cross-shot from the left crept into the far corner of Craig Gordon's goal - but it was no less than Newcastle's spirited second-half showing deserved.
11:22am Tuesday 13th November 2007
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