By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
At St. James' Park
Newcastle United 1 (Mitrovic 83)
Sunderland 1 (Defoe 44)
Aleksandar Mitrovic's sixth goal of the season earned Newcastle United a share of the spoils in the Tyne-Wear derby, as they recorded a 1-1 draw with Sunderland.
The Serbian striker headed home with time running out at St. James' Park, to cancel out Jermain Defoe's first half opener and put an end to a run of six successive derby defeats.
And it was a deserved point for the Magpies, who created a host of decent opportunities in a frenetic, all-action encounter.
Sunderland created the opening chance with less than three minutes on the clock.
Wahbi Khazri's deep, drilled cross was nodded back into the heart of the penalty area by Fabio Borini and, although Defoe turned and fired goalwards, the former England striker was unable to keep his effort down as it flew harmlessly into the Gallowgate End.
United responded soon after with Mitrovic volleying an Andros Townsend delivery off target under pressure from Black Cats skipper Younes Kaboul.
It was end-to-end stuff. Rob Elliot had to be alert ot tip over Rodwell's looping header which was sneaking in under the bar, shortly before Shelvey drilled an ambitious half-volley wide from 20 yards.
On 19 minutes, Defoe came within inches of breaking the deadlock. DeAndre Yedlin and Rodwell combined down the right and Defoe met the latter's near-post cross with a first-time strike that rippled the side-netting.
Straight up the other end and Townsend, having cut in off the right-flank, was afforded time and space to stride towards the edge of the area before pulling the trigger with a fierce shot that Mannone could only fumble to safety.
On the half-hour mark, Shelvey curled a low free-kick narrowly wide of the upright following Kaboul's foul on Ayoze Perez, and following that the game settled down somewhat.
But a minute before half-time the visitor opened the scoring. Newcastle fell asleep at a corner, as the ball was worked to the unmarked Borini on the edge of the area.
Although the forward's drive was brilliantly kept out by a one-handed save from Rob Elliot, United were unable to properly clear their lines and Defoe pounced, volleying into the corner from close range.
That goal could have knocked the stuffing out of the hosts but they started the second period brightly and only a goalline clearance prevented an early equaliser.
Townsend's right-wing corner was helped on by Lascelles for Perez to hook goalwards, but M'Vila was on hand to volley clear from underneath his own crossbar.
Mitrovic then glanced Sissoko's inswinging delivery straight at Mannone, before Sissoko's tame volley was easy for the Sunderland stopper to gather.
But for all their early pressure, the visitors still looked dangerous on the break and Elliot had to be at his best to pull off another outstanding one-handed stop to prevent Patrick van Aanholt doubling the lead.
Just past the hour mark, Siem de Jong was introduced from the substitutes' bench in place of Jack Colback, and the Dutchman immediately played a key role in a well-worked move that ended with Mannone saving low down from Perez.
Vurnon Anita was next to enter the fray, replacing Janmaat, and it wasn't long before Mannone was called into action again, this time denying Shelvey, who had struck from 20 yards.
United's final throw of the dice came in the form of Papiss Cisse, for his first appearance in three months.
And with seven minutes remaining the Magpies got back on level terms.
Wijnaldum received the ball wide on the right and duly turned van Aanholt inside-out before delivering a cross to the far post where Mitrovic rose brilliantly to plant a powerful header back into the opposite corner.
Roared on by a sell-out St. James' Park crowd, the hosts went in search of a winner but were unable to claim all three points against their local rivals for the first time since August 2011.
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Rob Elliot; Daryl Janmaat (Vurnon Anita 71), Chancel Mbemba, Jamaal Lascelles, Jack Colback (Siem de Jong 62); Jonjo Shelvey (c), Georginio Wijnaldum, Andros Townsend (Papiss Cisse 76), Ayoze Perez, Moussa Sissoko; Aleksandar Mitrovic
Subs not used: Karl Darlow, Steven Taylor, Henri Saivet, Emmanuel Riviere
Sunderland (4-1-4-1): Vito Mannone; DeAndre Yedlin, Younes Kaboul (c) (John O'Shea 72), Lamine Kone, Patrick van Aanholt; Jan Kirchhoff (Lee Cattermole 84); Fabio Borini, Yann M'Vila, Jack Rodwell, Wahbi Khazri (Dame N'Doye 75); Jermain Defoe
Subs not used: Jordan Pickford, Billy Jones, Ola Toivonen, Jeremain Lens
Referee: Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire)
Bookings: Newcastle United - Colback (18), Janmaat (36), Shelvey (52), Mitrovic (84); Sunderland - Mannone (90)
Attendance: 52,311
