Newcastle United 2 Norwich 2If the talk on Tyneside was of Wayne Rooney at 8.0 p.m. last night, it was of anything but two hours later.
As manager Bobby Robson attempted to recruit one of Europe's most exciting prospects in a bid to compete with the best, their players were struggling to match Premiership newcomers Norwich.
The Magpies were booed off after surrendering a 2-0 lead. Craig Bellamy and Aaron Hughes had put the Magpies in the driving seat by the 50th minute, but the performance was never convincing and it was no real surprise when the visitors hit back.
Shay Given let David Bentley's 52nd-minute effort slip through his hands, but the United rearguard was at sixes and sevens 17 minutes from time as Norwich new boy Gary Doherty claimed a point from close range.
Had Bellamy not, with the help of a couple of deflections, fired home a 40th-minute opener after Shearer had headed down Stephen Carr's cross at the back post, the Magpies might have left the pitch at half-time to the sound of anything but the reserved applause they did.
United doubled their advantage five minutes after half-time when Laurent Robert's perfectly weighted corner enabled Hughes to pull away from his marker and send a downward header into the back of the net.
The scoreline remained at 2-0 for only seconds as Bentley cut inside and unleashed a 25-yard drive which Given looked to have covered but allowed to squirm out of his grasp.
Norwich were threatening on a more regular basis and Doherty was unfortunate to see a firm header fly just over from a 65th-minute Bentley corner.
The force, however, was very much with the improving home side, and Robert Green's goal started to live a charmed life. But just when Newcastle appeared to be on the verge of killing off the game, Norwich hit back.
Given and Olivier Bernard kept them in front when substitute Mattias Jonson got his head to Damien Francis knock back across goal, but, from the resulting corner, Given blocked Craig Fleming's effort but could do nothing to prevent Doherty slamming home the equaliser.
United huffed and puffed as the clock ran down, but never looked like snatching back a victory they scarcely deserved.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Carr, Hughes, O'Brien, Bernard, Milner (Ameobi 75), Dyer (Bowyer 84), Butt, Robert, Bellamy, Shearer. Subs Not Used: Elliott, Harper, Kluivert. Goals: Bellamy 40, Hughes 50.
NORWICH: Green, Edworthy, Fleming, Charlton, Drury, McVeigh (Jonson 67), Francis, Holt, Bentley (McKenzie 71), Huckerby, Doherty. Subs Not Used: Svensson, Ward, Helveg. Booked: Fleming. Goals: Bentley 52, Doherty 74.
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).
