NEWCASTLE UNITED produced two goalline clearances to ensure they were able to claim a goalless draw with Brighton at the Amex Stadium.

Kieran Trippier and Fabian Schar both hacked the ball away from their own line to enable the Magpies to secure a point from their opening away game of the campaign.

Dan Burn headed over a corner in the second half, but Newcastle spent most of the game on the back as Brighton became increasingly dominant as time progressed.

The Magpies held firm, meaning they remain unbeaten after winning their opening game of the campaign against Nottingham Forest.

With Matt Targett unavailable because of a dead leg sustained in the opening-day win over Nottingham Forest, Eddie Howe handed a first competitive start to Sven Botman, with former Brighton defender Burn shuffling across to fill in at left-back.

Burn looked comfortable in the position, having previously played their for the Seagulls, and he helped Newcastle mount a solid defensive performance throughout the first half.

Brighton were equally well-organsied and resolute, which meant first-half chances were limited at both ends.

Leandro Trossard saw an early effort deflected wide after cutting in from the left flank, while at the other end, Callum Wilson had the ball in the net, only for the referee’s whistle to have gone long before he shot after he was adjudged to have used a high foot to control Trippier’s cross.

Trippier was involved at the other end shortly after the half-hour mark, producing a superb goalline clearance to ensure the scoresheet remained blank.

Solly March looked to have scored when he swivelled in the box and fired in a shot that beat Nick Pope, but Trippier had backed to a position next to the post and after controlling the ball with his first touch, he hooked clear with replays showing the ball had just failed to cross the line.,

Moses Caceido fired a long-range effort straight at Pope as Brighton tried to press, but the half ended with Wilson firing wide after Miguel Almiron had found him inside the penalty area. The flag went up for offside after Wilson shot, but replays showed the Magpies striker was onside and the goal would have stood had his strike found the net.

The second half began with Brighton in the ascendancy, and the hosts would have opened the scoring four minutes after the break had it not been for a brilliant piece of goalkeeping from Pope.

Adam Lallana rose unopposed to meet March’s cross with a downward header, but Pope flung himself to his left to claw the ball to safety.

Burn headed over midway through the second half after powering onto Trippier’s corner from the right, and the former Brighton defender was involved at the other end moments later, timing his challenge on Danny Welbeck perfectly as the striker looked set to score.

Lewis Dunk produced a fine last-ditch tackle of his own to prevent Joe Willock from getting a shot away, and with both sides unable to force a breakthrough, March was denied when his first-time effort from Enock Mwepu’s cross was saved by Pope.

Newcastle produced their second goalline clearance of the day with eight minutes left, with Schar hacking clear after Joel Veltman’s shot had deflected off Burn to wrong-foot Pope.

It was Brighton doing all the pressing in the closing stages, and the hosts should really have scored in the 85th minute. Substitute Kaoru Mitoma pulled the ball back to Pascal Gross, only for the Brighton midfielder to stab a first-time effort wide from the edge of the six-yard box.