Late substitute goal snatches point for Newcastle

Leicester 1 Newcastle 1

Substitute Darren Ambrose chose the perfect moment to score his first Barclaycard Premiership goal to snatch a point for Newcastle at Leicester in injury-time.

Ambrose, who claimed the winner for former club Ipswich at Leicester last Boxing Day, pounced at the death to head past Ian Walker just when it looked as though the home side had clinched a famous victory in their 4,000th league match.

Paul Dickov had fired the Foxes ahead on 67 minutes and time was running out when Sir Bobby Robson sent on Ambrose and Michael Chopra for Aaron Hughes and Lomana LuaLua, but his gamble did the trick to just about keep the Magpies’ European challenge on track.

Leicester will feel hard done by after giving their all in a contest which was low on quality but high on commitment but the result was just about right after the visitors failed to make the most of their greater share of the possession.

The Leicester faithful arrived ready to party as a stadium record crowd of 32,148 hoped for a little Christmas cheer, and as their side left the pitch at the break, they would have been happy enough with what they had seen.

That is not to say that there was much attractive, flowing football on offer, but what they got from Micky Adams’ men was a committed display in which the Magpies were never allowed things their own way.

Even with the handicap of losing central defender Steve Howey with just 16 minutes gone when the gamble to play him after a late fitness test on his injured hamstring backfired, City were solid enough and limited United’s front two, Alan Shearer and Lomana LuaLua, to scraps of possession.

Newcastle looked the more dangerous when they were in possession, but a tricky wind, which might have made life difficult for defenders and goalkeepers alike, seemed to cause more problems for the men attempting to deliver the ball into the box.

United winger Laurent Robert belatedly used that uncertainty to good effect six minutes before the break when he sent in a dipping, swerving free-kick from all of 40 yards which Ian Walker had to tip over, but that represented the keeper’s only real problem of the opening 45 minutes.

Leicester’s approach in attack was perhaps a little more pedestrian as Titus Bramble and Andy O’Brien dealt comfortably with Les Ferdinand and Dickov, although they were at sixes and sevens on 29 minutes when Muzzy Izzet was given an opportunity to deliver the ball into the box from a corner.

James Scowcroft managed to get in a flick as the visitors’ defence slept, Olivier Bernard heading off the line before Shay Given bravely dived in front of Dickov’s feet as he attempted to hook a shot home, referee Chris Foy bringing the alarm to an end by awarding a free-kick.

The Magpies should have taken the lead within six minutes of the restart when Nolberto Solano combined superbly with both Shearer and LuaLua before sliding Robert in, but Walker raced from his line to block with his legs.

Full-back Olivier Bernard sent a long-range effort just wide as United increased the tempo and LuaLua was only just off target with a beautifully-struck drive which had Walker beaten.

However, as the game opened up, the Foxes too found their feet, and Given had to be sure on the hour to collect Izzet’s diving header after Jordan Stewart had crossed from the right.

The Turkish international also chanced his arm with a long-range shot, but it was Dickov who eventually broke the deadlock with 67 minutes gone.

Ferdinand flicked on Walker’s long clearance and as Hughes and Bramble dallied, the Scot made a nuisance of himself before prodding a shot past the stranded Given.

Things got worse for the visitors on 74 minutes when Bernard was pole-axed by a Robert clearance, although he was able to continue after treatment.

United continued to enjoy the lion’s share of the possession but were never able to create a meaningful opportunity in the face of a determined defensive effort, Jermaine Jenas and Robert both slicing wide from distance as the frustration grew.

Ferdinand might have increased his side’s lead with an 85th-minute header which flew just wide, but there was to be a late, heartbreaking twist in the tale for his side.

Bernard got in a cross from the left which reached Jenas and, when Walker blocked his shot, Ambrose stooped to head into the empty net to rescue a point.