Newcastle 2 Derby 2: Viduka double saves Toon blushes

The Australian, who had cancelled out Giles Barnes' sixth-minute opener with his fourth goal of the season on 27 minutes, struck again at the death just as it looked as though Kenny Miller's effort early in the second half would hand the Rams a double over the Magpies.

It would have been difficult to argue that Paul Jewell's men were not worth their win had they managed to hang on after Newcastle, Viduka apart, turned in a toothless display in front of goal despite dominating possession for much of the game.

Jewell will feel aggrieved not to have left Tyneside with more to show for the efforts of his players, who scrapped throughout and troubled their hosts repeatedly on the break.

Allardyce, who saw his side booed off once again by the majority of a crowd of 51,386, will at least be able to console himself with a run which has seen them take eight points from a possible 12 and establish a run of four games without defeat.

However, conceding twice against a club which had previously scored only one away goal all season and lost its last seven Barclays Premier League games illustrated the Magpies' enduring problems.

The home fans could have been forgiven for anticipating a repeat of the debacle at Pride Park in September when, with just six minutes gone, Barnes drilled home a sweetly-struck right-foot drive on a par with Miller's stunning effort that night to give his side a shock lead.

That attack was to prove a relatively rare occurrence as the visitors found themselves pinned back for long periods with Newcastle responding, albeit in laboured fashion at times, in determined mood.

Viduka, starting a game for the first time in a month, was denied a ninth-minute tap-in at the near post by Gary Teale, and his side were appealing in vain for a penalty seconds later.

Tyrone Mears' challenge on Magpies skipper Alan Smith as he prepared to launch himself at Habib Beye's cross bordered on common assault, but referee Andre Marriner saw no offence.

It looked like it might be one of those days for Newcastle when Barnes cleared Obafemi Martins' header off the line on 22 minutes and Stephen Bywater got in a vital block to keep out Beye's driven effort two minutes later.

The sense of foreboding increased when James Milner stumbled with the goal at his mercy.

However, the nerves were calmed on 27 minutes when Viduka benefited from Smith's determined foraging to set himself and drill a low shot inside the post to level.

From then on, it was largely all Newcastle, although burly striker Steve Howard more than once made his presence felt inside the home penalty area.

Beye flashed a header wide 12 minutes before the break and Joey Barton sent a long-range effort high over, but Derby held out until the break.

The Magpies returned determined to maintain their momentum, but they were served with an early warning when Lewis was given time and space to pick out Howard, although his header was off target.

It was a warning they failed to heed, however, and the visitors were back in front on 52 minutes when Howard and Teale helped a long clearance into Miller's path.

The striker needed no second invitation and calmly slotted past Given to make it 2-1.

Barton fired wide of the far post three minutes later with Newcastle facing another rebuilding job, and to that end, Allardyce withdrew Smith into central midfield and asked Martins, who had started wide on the right, to partner Viduka in attack.

But for all Newcastle were forcing Derby ever deeper, they could not find a telling final ball with both Viduka and Milner failing to get shots off inside the box.

Damien Duff's arrival as a 68th-minute replacement for Nicky Butt was greeted warmly by the home fans, and there were even louder cheers seven minutes later when Emre was sent on for Barton.

Bywater had to palm away Duff's 76th-minute cross as it flashed across goal, and just got to Milner's driven free-kick ahead of Viduka three minutes later.

But the Australia international did what he does best with just three minutes remaining, firing past Bywater from 15 yards to snatch a point and spark a late, but ultimately futile, search for a winner.

Emre curled a shot inches wide deep into injury time, leaving Allardyce with his head in his hands, but another late winner would have been too cruel on the visitors.

Newcastle: Given, Beye, Rozehnal, Cacapa, N'Zogbia, Smith, Butt, Barton, Milner, Martins, Viduka. Subs: Harper, Emre, Duff, Geremi, Taylor.

Derby: Bywater, Mears, Moore, Davis, McEveley, Barnes, Leacock, Pearson, Teale, Howard, Miller. Subs: Price, Earnshaw, Fagan, Lewis, Feilhaber.

Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands)