Sunday, November 7, 1999 Published at 19:00 GMT
Campbell punishes Newcastle
Alan Shearer salutes his 12th league goal of the season
Newcastle 1-1 Everton
Newcastle's goal-scoring problems continued as only a spot-kick from England skipper Alan Shearer kept them in the points at St James' Park.
Shearer buried a penalty in the opening seconds of the second-half but Newcastle's defensive woes returned as Kevin Campbell levelled the scores and allowed Everton to escape with a point.
Shearer showed glimpses of the kind of form that gladdens the hearts of England fans.
But he also showed the kind of frailties which have been criticised by his rivals for the England No 9 shirt.
In parts the Newcastle captain was commanding, winning battle after battle with the Everton back line and showing a useful turn of pace to those who say he is too old.
But he wasted a glorious first-half chance to score that he - and envious rival Andy Cole - would have expected to bury.
He raced onto Nolberto Solano's long ball, muscling his way past Richard Dunne, but his fierce left foot shot was hit straight at Everton keeper Paul Gerrard, albeit with such power the sound of it thumping off his chest could be heard in the back row of St James' Park.
But few strikers miss from the spot and Gerrard presented Shearer with the chance to break the deadlock when he brought down Gary Speed just 60 seconds into the second half.
The striker smashed home his 18th goal of the season - twelve of them in the Premiership - to put Newcastle 1-0 ahead.
Bobby Robson had been desperate to find the goals to lift his side back out of the bottom three and had given Duncan Ferguson his second start in four days after his lengthy lay-off.
The Scot had an early chance when he rose to meet a Didier Domi cross but his header was straight as Gerrard.
Ferguson then proved why he should not be dismissed as simply an aerial menace.
A 10th minute shot grazed the post and he showed the deftest of touches to beat Gerrard with a delicate chip having worked a 25th minute opening himself from a one-two with Solano.
But the ball floated just over the bar onto the netting.
However it was the aerial threat of Kevin Campbell, the striker who replaced finally filled the cult slot vacated by Ferguson at Goodison Park, which proved the more productive.
Nicos Dabizas denied the former Arsenal man minutes before the break when he threw himself bravely into a challenge.
But Campbell was left free to do what he fancied with the ball when Nick Barmby floated a 62nd minute high ball into the box.
Campbell was off-balance but unmarked and managed to stay upright long enough to direct the ball into the far left corner for his seventh goal of the season.
Walter Smith's half-time changes - sacrificing full-back Michael Ball so that Newcastle-born striker Tommy Johnson could join Campbell up front and dropping Dunne back into the back four - began to take effect.
Everton looked much more threatening with a twin-pronged attack and while Newcastle's Kevin Gallacher hit the post with a late deflected shot the home side rarely threatened the visitors rearguard and the game ended in a draw.
Smith was left to rue the fact he did play more positively from the kick off.
Newcastle: Harper, Pistone, Dumas, Dabizas, Domi, Solano, Lee,
Speed, Gallacher, Ferguson, Shearer.