Sam Allardyce was a relieved man after seeing his Newcastle side claim a 0-0 draw with Stoke in the FA Cup at the Britannia Stadium.The Magpies manager will be grateful to Steven Taylor after the young defender denied Stoke with a number of last-ditch blocks and tackles to earn his team a replay with the Championship side.
Neither team dominated a scrappy opening period. Michael Owen, making his first start since November 10th, had the first real chance in the 25th minute when he took advantage of Ryan Shawcross's slip to latch onto Mark Viduka's pass. Steve Simonsen was quick off his line though to smother the bouncing ball as Owen tried to lift the ball over the on-rushing keeper.
Simonsen had to be alert again three minutes later to block Charles N'Zogbia's drive from outside the box following a neat Newcastle move as the visitors attempted to stamp their authority on the game.
Stoke were up to the challenge however, and could have taken the lead before half-time themselves when Alan Smith gifted the ball to Richard Cresswell on the left. The much-travelled striker bore down on Shay Given's goal but with support arriving in the centre, his mis-hit effort drifted harmlessly out for a Newcastle throw-in.
Allardyce's men were agonisingly close to snatching the lead 10 minutes into the second-half. N'Zogbia's free-kick from the left was bundled onto the post by a combination of Taylor and keeper Simonsen before Damien Duff's hooked ball back into the danger area was marginally too high for Owen.
The Potters, urged on by the vociferous home support, responded and should have been in front mid-way through the second period. First, Ricardo Fuller took advantage of a mix-up between Given and Taylor to cut the ball back to substitute Jon Parkin. With Given out of position, Parkin's side-footed effort looked destined to find the net before Taylor recovered to block on the line.
Parkin then headed the corner down to Cresswell whose miscued volley was smothered by Given.
The Irish keeper was then forced into a diving catch from another Parkin knock-down with Shawcross and Cresswell ready to pounce before Fuller's drive in the 75th minute was deflected inches wide by Taylor as Tony Pulis's side turned the screw on the Premier League side.
Given had to block another Fuller effort after Cresswell had out-muscled David Rozehnal in the final minute, but Newcastle could have snatched an undeserved win with two minutes of added time played when substitute Andy Carroll hit the outside of Simonsen's post following N'Zogbia's run and cross.
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