LuaLuala's last gasp goal foils Newcastle

BOBBY ROBSON admitted Lomana LuaLua was "the last player we wanted to score against us" after the on-loan Newcastle striker grabbed an 88th-minute equaliser for Portsmouth against the Magpies at Fratton Park yesterday.

Newcastle 1 Portsmouth 1

The Congo international, who was allowed to play in this Barclaycard Premiership match against his employers after Pompey paid a £100,000 fee for his 93-day loan, struck from a corner to wipe out Craig Bellamy's first-half strike.

And he admitted afterwards: "I was a bit surprised I was allowed to play against Newcastle it is not usual in these sort of deals nowadays."

The 24-year-old admitted he wanted do Newcastle some damage and celebrated his goal appropriately even Robson gave him a pat on the back afterwards.

But Newcastle boss Robson said: "I'm not going to comment about him playing in this game except to say it was not my doing and he was the last player we wanted to see score.

"His shot went through the legs of Aaron Hughes and the legs of Andy O'Brien and there were two players standing offside in front of Shay Given although nobody knows what offside is any more. So it is no good talking about that. But it is a big disappointment because it was a big three points at stake and we've lost two of them to another late goal.

"The team worked hard after a hard game in Norway on Thursday and a disastrous journey home. It is cruel luck and not a good day."

But Robson had to admit Newcastle are tossing points away after seven consecutive away draws in the Premiership. He said: "That's another late goal we've conceded after a late one against Blackburn and a late one against Birmingham. We are not helping ourselves and we have to ask ourselves whether Arsenal and Manchester United would let that happen."

Robson, however, congratulated skipper Alan Shearer on a "hard-working display" despite missing two good chances.

Shearer, 33, who created headlines with his "very disappointed" reaction to being rested in midweek in Norway, headed over in the second-half after completely miskicking from close range in the first period.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp insisted: "We showed once again we can compete with anybody on our day. We wouldn't be in this position now but for being decimated with injuries. We would be flying high. Newcastle are a top-five side but we played them off the park at times.

"I was pleasantly surprised LuaLua was allowed to play. He did a great job and rescued a point for us. But it was a point we deserved."

PORTSMOUTH: Hislop, Pasanen, Primus, De Zeeuw, Taylor, Quashie, Faye (Mornar 71), Smertin, Berkovic (Harper 90), LuaLua, Yakubu.

NEWCASTLE: Given, Hughes, O'Brien, Bramble, Bernard, Dyer (Jenas 40), Speed, Bowyer (Bridges 82), Robert (Viana 78), Shearer, Bellamy.

Referee: A D'Urso (Essex).