Source: Northern_Echo
Honours even as Tees-Tyne derby ends in a draw
THE Tees-Tyne bragging right were shared in a pulsating derby at the Riverside that did more to enhance Newcastle's promotion hopes than it did to assist Middlesbrough's dreams of making the play-offs.[LNB] Andy Carroll's 82nd-minute equaliser earned the Magpies a point after Barry Robson and Scott McDonald had fired Boro into the lead following Peter Lovenkrands' 16th-minute opener.[LNB] Boro dominated possession and territory for large periods, but Newcastle remained dangerous on the counter-attack and displayed the clinical instincts that have served them so well this season.[LNB] With Nottingham Forest losing at Preston, the result extends Newcastle's advantage over the play-off places to nine points.[LNB] Boro dominated the early stages, and the home fans were baying for a penalty when Fabricio Coloccini appeared to bundle McDonald over in the box in the second minute.[LNB] But while Newcastle struggled to gain a foothold in the opening quarter-of-an-hour, the visitors scored with their first meaningful attack moments later.[LNB] Jonas Gutierrez played a wonderful through ball between Boro's two centre-halves, and Lovenkrands swivelled in the area before firing a low finish past Danny Coyne.[LNB] Robson came close to grabbing an equaliser shortly before the half-hour mark, only for his 20-yard free-kick to be turned around the post by Steve Harper.[LNB] But when the former Celtic midfielder shot again in the 36th minute, his third goal in the space of three games drew Boro level. Robson played a smart one-two with McDonald before curling a precise low finish into the bottom left-hand corner.[LNB] Lovenkrands went close to restoring Newcastle's advantage with a lobbed shot in first-half stoppage time that crept narrowly over the crossbar, but with game flowing from one end to the other, Harper was forced into a fine save to thwart Julio Arca on the hour mark.[LNB] Boro dominated possession throughout the second half, but Coyne was also called into action in the 67th minute to keep out Tamas Kadar's close-range header from Danny Guthrie's corner.[LNB] However, the home side's pressure finally told as McDonald opened his Middlesbrough account with 16 minutes left.[LNB] Chris Killen headed Robson's free-kick back across the face of goal, and McDonald swivelled to hook home a close-range finish from no more than three yards out.[LNB] Newcastle have made a habit of scoring late goals this season though, and the visitors responded with eight minutes left.[LNB] Ryan Taylor drilled over a cross from the right, and after Stephen McManus failed to connect with a diving header, Carroll controlled the ball in the box and fired low to Coyne's right.[LNB] MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Coyne; Naughton, Wheater, McManus, Taylor; Robson, R Williams, O'Neil, Arca; Killen (Miller 87), McDonald.[LNB] Subs (not used): Jones (gk), Hoyte, Riggott, Bennett, Franks, Lita.[LNB] NEWCASTLE (4-4-2): Harper; Simpson, Coloccini (R Taylor 50), Hall, Kadar; Pancrate (Best 78), Nolan, Guthrie, Gutierrez; Lovenkrands (Butt 70), Carroll.[LNB] Subs (not used): Krul (gk), Enrique, Routledge, Ranger.[LNB]
