Carsley keeps Everton on Euro course

Newcastle 1 Everton 1

Lee Carsley's 56th-minute free-kick gave the visitors their reward for a determined defensive display following Craig Bellamy's fifth-minute opener.

The Magpies trudged off the pitch as if they had suffered a fourth successive home defeat after turning in a display good enough to win but finding themselves denied by keeper Nigel Martyn on several occasions, the woodwork on two more and former Magpie Alessandro Pistone's back at the death.

But Everton rode their luck and might even have snatched all three points to strengthen their unlikely claims on European football next season.

"I am not going to set myself up but why would we now not try to be one of the teams who are challenging?" said Moyes.

"Newcastle, they will challenge for Europe, no doubt, and we are 10 points ahead of them at the moment, so we have got to think that we can do that as well.

"We have got a long way to go and we are just starting our re-building programme really, but the players are doing a great job of getting it underway, that's for sure."

The writing looked to be on the wall for the Merseysiders when Bellamy made the most of a supercharged start to fire his side in front and then Martyn saved from Laurent Robert and Jermaine Jenas before the England international hit the crossbar with an acrobatic volley.

They just about managed to survive until half-time and then, after Aaron Hughes had felled striker Marcus Bent 22 yards out, Carsley struck with the perfect free-kick to level.

Bent squandered a glorious opportunity to put the visitors ahead after rounding keeper Shay Given but his side had to defend for dear life as the clock ran down.

"We are pleased," said Moyes. "The players in the dressing room have given me everything they possibly can. They are doing really well. We were up against a fantastic team - what are they, the second top goalscorers in the Premier League?

"Yes, we rode our luck a little bit, but they rode theirs a couple of times when we didn't score. I thought we started quite well, and then we got caught. If anything, we were going for it too much in the opening 10 minutes and we got caught near enough the halfway line and Newcastle scored a terrific goal.

"We had to really batten down the hatches for half an hour after that but you've got to think about how well the boys blocked it, how well they defended.

"That is an art as well, that is what football is about as well. They defended really well and we had our chances."

Newcastle boss Graeme Souness could hardly believe his side's efforts had not been rewarded with a third successive victory and was furious referee Neale Barry had waved away appeals for an 84th-minute penalty after Kieron Dyer was upended by Kevin Kilbane.

"Other than 10 minutes before half-time, we have played very, very well today," he said.

"I think we have passed it around very well, we have defended very well and I think on another day, we would be going home with three points and no-one could argue with that.

"You can see why Everton are sitting third in the table. They work extremely hard and they enjoyed some luck that was going today.

"I think it is a great shout for a penalty for us. I have just seen it on the television and if you do not get a penalty for that, you are not going to get a penalty for anything."

NEWCASTLE: Given, Taylor, Bramble, Hughes, Bernard, Jenas, Dyer, Bowyer (Ameobi 81), Robert, Bellamy, Kluivert.

EVERTON: Martyn, Hibbert, Stubbs, Weir, Pistone, Cahill (Watson 86), Osman, Gravesen (Yobo 90), Carsley, Kilbane, Bent (Ferguson 88).

Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire).