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Middlesbrough and Newcastle United played out a goalless Premier League draw in a low-key Tees-Tyne derby at the Riverside.

Both attacks were blunted in a game that had only occasional flashes of excitement on a cold, foggy afternoon in the North-East, with Boro's Afonso Alves (pictured, left) and the visitors' Obafemi Martins providing the brightest moments.

Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear was awraded a contract extension until the end of the season on Friday, but this result leaves him with just two wins from nine games in charge and the team remain mired in relegation trouble despite climbing one place to 17th.

For their part, Boro missed the chance to leap to the top of a congested mid-table pack and stay 11th.

Newcastle were without injury-prone pair Damien Duff and Shola Ameobi, who were consigned to the treatment room with groin and ankle problems respectively.

Thirty-five miles separate Middlesbrough from Newcastle, making it one of the longer-distance derbies in British football. The lack of genuine antagonism was clear from the outset, with neither side approaching the game with much gusto.

With a quarter of an hour gone referee Alan Wiley turned down a hopeful penalty appeal from the visitors after Michael Owen's legs collapsed underneath him.

The Newcastle captain was otherwise outshone by his strike partner Martins, whose pace and power unsettled Boro.

The Nigerian hit the woodwork in the first half when he received the ball on the penalty spot with his back to goal, turned and shot. His effort took a touch off a defender and clipped the top of the bar on its way over.

Nicky Butt nearly emerged as an unlikely set piece hero just before the break, when his strike from just outside the area dipped a foot or so over the bar.

Alves was Middlesbrough's biggest threat. He narrowly failed to redirect a diagonal Julio Arca cross inside the far corner in the first half, before he headed a Stewart Downing cross over.

After the break, the Brazilian saw a powerful low shot deflected behind from the edge of the box, then had a header cleared off the line as both sides showed more attacking intent.

But the visitors stood firm, with centre-backs Fabricio Coloccini and Sebastien Bassong (pictured, right) performing impressively.

Newcastle's Danny Guthrie fired wide from close range while Martins had a long-range effort deflected just wide.

Fog surrounded the playing surface as the second half progressed, and the gathering gloom may also spread to the Newcastle dressing room.

Midway through the second half Kinnear introduced Boro old boy Mark Viduka for his first action of the season. Not a bad move, but it beggared belief that Martins was taken off instead of the utterly anonymous Owen.

Martins reacted with understandable incredulity, but he may find himself on the receiving end of some trademark Kinnear four-letter words after storming straight down the tunnel after coming off.

Boro dominated in the latter stages, and might have nicked a goal with 16 minutes left had it not been right-back Justin Hoyte on the end of Jeremie Aliadiere's service. Hoyte did not get hold of the shot properly and Shay Given pulled off a fine save to deny him.

Alves had a goal disallowed for offside, while at the other end Charles N'Zogbia threw away a great position when he ignored the unmarked Owen and went for personal glory instead.

Alex Chick / Eurosport