Viduka spares Newc blushes

A Mark Viduka brace spared Newcastle's blushes as Derby came minutes away from securing an unlikely Premiership double over Newcastle at St. James' Park. It was an almost embarassing day after Giles Barnes and Kenny Miller put Newcastle in front twice.

Mark Viduka spared Newcastle's blushes twice to equalise - but it wasn't enough to see the Toon again booed off as they left St. James Park.

Derby will feel miserably unlucky as they nearly completed a memorable Premiership double over Newcastle.

The home fans could have been forgiven for anticipating a repeat of the debacle at Pride Park in September when, with just six minutes gone, Barnes drilled home a sweetly-struck right-foot drive on a par with Miller's stunning effort that night to give his side a shock lead.

It looked like it might be one of those days for Newcastle when Barnes cleared Obafemi Martins' header off the line on 22 minutes and Stephen Bywater got in a vital block to keep out Habib Beye's driven effort two minutes later.

However, the nerves were calmed on 27 minutes when Viduka benefited from Smith's determined foraging to set himself and drill a low shot inside the post to level.

The visitors were back in front on 52 minutes when Howard and Teale helped a long clearance into Kenny Miller's path. The striker needed no second invitation and calmly slotted past Shay Given to make it 2-1.

The Australian international Viduka saved the day as he equalised on 87 minutes to earn Newcastle a point - but very unlucky for poor old Derby who remain rooted at the bottom of the league.