Steven Taylor's second-half strike secured a point for
Newcastle United as Sam Allardyce's men came from a goal behind to
draw 1-1 with Arsenal.
The Gunners started brightly and took the lead early on through
Emmanuel Adebayor, but Newcastle drew level when Taylor netted on
60 minutes.
Arsene Wenger's men went ahead after just four minutes when
Adebayor finished beautifully from Emmanuel Eboue's deep
cross.
The Magpies were full of fight though, and eventually got what they
deserved when Taylor finished smartly in off the post.
Both sides continued to battle hard and push for a winner, but an
enthralling 90 minutes ended even.
Stunned
The home fans were stunned early on when Adebayor smashed in a
breathtaking finish.
The Togo striker controlled Emmanuel Eboue's cross on his chest
before thumping an unstoppable volley past Shay Given.
It was just what Allardyce and his players did not need, but to
their credit they fought back.
Skipper Geremi saw a looping header fall just wide with Manuel
Almunia beaten seconds after Adebayor's strike, and then sent the
keeper full-stretch to keep out his 28th-minute free-kick.
Almunia just managed to get a hand to Taylor's goal-bound header 10
minutes before the break and Obafemi Martins saw a gilt-edged
opportunity pass him by when Smith's 40th-minute flick-on skidded
across goal without the Nigerian getting a touch.
Stinging effort
Newcastle started brightly once again as Charles N'Zogbia warmed
Almunia's hands with a rising left-foot strike from distance which
might have caused him real problems had it been set off a yard to
his right.
But the threat posed by the visitors was reinforced on 50 minutes
when Tomas Rosicky effortlessly made space for himself to play in
Eboue down the right, although the full-back wastefully picked out
only Given at his near post.
Gilberto threw himself into the path of Geremi's 53rd-minute shot,
but it took some fine recovery work from Rozehnal and Barton at the
other end seconds later after Adebayor had flicked the ball around
the Czech defender and launched a lightning break with
Rosicky.
However, Newcastle got their reward on the hour when Smith flicked
on Habib Beye's cross and Martins dummied it for Taylor to fire
home off the foot of the post.
Arsenal were clearly rattled as the Magpies sensed the tide had
turned, but as time ran down, they started to find their feet once
again.
However, although they continued to play with a swagger as the
final whistle approached, it was the home side who came closest to
winning it at the death.
