Sam’s sermon still needs much work

IN a region where football is perceived to be a religion, it was perhaps fitting that former Prime Minister, and self-confessed Newcastle United fan, Tony Blair, confirmed his conversion to Catholicism at the weekend.

Whether his fellow United supporters follow similar suit and change their faith from the beautiful game to the downright ugly and worship at the temple of manager Sam Allardyce, still remains to be seen.

But if his side continues to serve up more turgid offerings similar to yesterday, he is more than likely to be crucified than to be hailed as the club's new saviour.

Newcastle had to come from behind - twice - in a game against the Premier League's worst side in a match they should have had in the bag before the first half interval.

But in the end the home side had to thank Mark Viduka for rescuing a point after he hit a brace to repay his manager's faith in restoring him to the starting line up - in place of his skipper Geremi - in the only change from the previous week's victory at Fulham.

The Australia international hit back after one time Newcastle target Giles Barnes put the Rams ahead in the fifth minute and the impressive Kenny Miller scored a fine individual goal seven minutes after the break to regain the initiative for the dogged away side.

But the home side have only themselves to blame for not securing a third consecutive Premier League victory - United made enough chances to win a month's worth of fixtures.

Allardyce lamented, in his match day programme notes, his side's inability to make the most of the opportunities that present themselves during matches.

And he cut a frustrated figure as he saw his charges dominate the proceedings, yet contrive to miss a series of gilt-edged goalscoring openings against a pedestrian Derby side, who on this evidence will be relegated despite their spirited show.

The fact the home side had five shots on target and six off when both teams trudged off at the break tells the story of who was bossing the contest.

However, such is the story of Newcastle United these days, it was of little surprise the visitors had only one shot on target in which to silence the St James' Park crowd - with only five minutes on the clock.

United may feel they were a little unfortunate to find themselves a goal down after dominating the play but they only have themselves to blame for not closing down the danger.

But the busy Barnes was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth and fired a low effort past Shay Given after being set up by Miller from 20 yards. It was only the second time County had scored away from home this season.

Newcastle's response was almost immediate and Viduka had an effort scrambled off the line before the home side had a good shout for a penalty turned down, when Tyrone Mears bundled over Alan Smith when he was shaping up to volley Habib Beye's cross from the right.

Barnes later kept his side in the contest when he cleared Martins' header off the line from Charles N'Zogbia's corner in the 22nd minute. And then Stephen Bywater saved a well struck effort from Beye soon after.

But United deservedly levelled the clash five minutes later when Viduka took advantage of good work from Smith and N'Zogbia to rifle an effort past Bywater from the edge of the box.

Yet Newcastle were once again guilty of being complacent with some slack defending when Paul Jewell's side regained the lead. But then again that would be taking away from what was in essence a fine goal from Miller.

The Scotland international superbly got on the end of Steve Howard's headed flick to skip past the weak challenges of both Claudio Cacapa and David Rozehnal to fire confidently past Given from 12 yards.

The impressive Miller nearly set up a third goal soon after when he combined with Howard once more just after the hour mark. Fortunately for the home side the former Hartlepool striker fired over from the edge of the 18 yard box.

The home side looked devoid of any ideas at this point but to their credit they kept pouring forward looking for an equaliser.

It eventually came three minutes from time, much to the home crowd's relief, when Given lumped a ball long and the visitor's back line failed to clear. Martins found Viduka and the Aussie smashed past Bywater from just inside the box.

Milner, Martins, N'Zogbia and Emre all had chances to win the game in stoppage time but County hung on to take their seventh point of the season.

It isn't all doom and gloom for Newcastle because despite the awkward nature of the team's lumbering performances, they are creating chances.

But it is hard to see how the club can claim a UEFA Cup place this term when they struggle to see off the likes Derby, Birmingham, Sunderland and Fulham - clubs all likely to be involved in the relegation battle come May.

Allardyce laments players' profligacy DISGRUNTLED Newcastle United manager Sam Allardyce could not hide his disappointment after seeing his side fail to overcome the Premier League's basement side in a match that looked, on paper, a home banker.

Derby arrived at St James' Park with only one league win to their name this season, ironically over Newcastle, and on a run of seven consecutive defeats. But they were only three minutes away from recording their second top flight victory this term, only for Magpies striker Mark Viduka to grab a share of the spoils.

The 2-2 draw may have extended United's unbeaten run to four games but it was definitely a case of two points dropped against the league's worst side.

And at the end of the season Newcastle may regret their inability to go for the jugular when the UEFA Cup places are up for grabs.

"It's disappointing we've had to come back from a goal down and then 2-1 down," lamented Allardyce. "We've clearly had enough opportunities to win any game.

"We gave the opposition something to hang on to right until the very end - even though we nearly won it 3-2 at the death."

Newcastle finally laid to rest the problem of keeping clean sheets when they recorded a 1-0 victory away at Fulham last weekend. It was the club's first shut out in 13 games and a first away from home in 12 months.

Allardyce finally thought he had resolved his defensive ills after a solid performance at Craven Cottage - only to see his back four punished for two moments of slackness. But that wasn't the only problem which annoyed the Magpies manager who regretted the inability to kill teams off.

"We still have one of two problems to resolve - our basic defending allowed the opposition to have two shots on target and score two," said Allardyce. "We have had numerous chances to convert, more than the two we have.

"Mark Viduka showed us the way forward with his finishing. He had three opportunities and converted two. And the first one he converted was our most difficult chance. But the others went begging.

"(Giles) Barnes gave them the lead when he put the ball in the bottom corner and then in the second half it was a long ball, where we just have to get the basic defending right, and Miller scored.

"We got a bit frantic after that, that's understandable, because we know we shouldn't have been in that position but ultimately we got something out of the game.

"We're disappointed in the result. The performance and creativity was very good. Their keeper and made numerous saves, we've missed numerous chances and we've not converted and won a game we should have.

"I think there are times on occasions when we look more resilient and then all of a sudden that problem pops up again.

We just have to continue to work on it. We now have more options to work on in defence, which we haven't had for a number of weeks. We have to now make sure we don't gift the opposition things that will make life difficult for us.

"I've very pleased with the attacking play, apart from the conversion of chances. We have to take that on the chin.

We've kept the undefeated record going which is important.

"Sometimes you don't get what you deserve but we got a point and move on."