By Karl Wilkinson
December 6 2003

Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer smashed home his 14th goal of the season from the penalty spot to deny Liverpool victory at St James' Park. Shearers Goal cancelled out Danny Murphy's sixth-minute opener on an afternoon when we had to be content with a point despite creating lots of chances Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer smashed home his 14th goal of the season from the penalty spot to deny Liverpool victory at St James' Park.
Shearer struck a sweet penalty into the roof of the net after Laurent Robert was brought down after latching onto a lovely through ball from the ever energetic Kieron Dyer. Shearers Goal cancelled out Danny Murphy's sixth-minute opener on an afternoon when we had to be content with a point despite creating lots of chances.

An expectant crowd of 52,151 arrived knowing that the result could have a major say in the race for Champions League qualification at the end of the season.

Late on Kirkland pulled off a good save to keep out Shearer's potential match winner. Dyer easily beat Riise on the right wing and slid a lovely pass into the path of Shearer who smashed it towards goal to see Kirkland stick out a hand and put it over the bar.

Without the injured Michael Owen and Harry Kewell, Gerard Houllier's attacking options were limited, and his intentions were clear from the off when he lined up with Sinama-Pongolle playing as a lone striker and Emile Heskey helping out in a five-man midfield.
It was a system designed to stop goals at one end rather than score them at the other but, if that lulled Newcastle into a false sense of security, they were soon shaken out of it.

With six minutes on the clock, Jonathan Woodgate jumped to head Jon Arne Riise's long ball clear, only to collide with Titus Bramble and Sinama-Pongolle. The ball ran free and straight into the path of Murphy, who gleefully toe-poked it past Given to open the scoring.
Given was not to see much more action for the remainder of the first half as Newcastle dominated and the visitors soaked up the pressure.

With all our possession, we rarely threatened to equalize. We troubled Kirkland on only two occasions, the keeper coming from his line to block Gary Speed's shot from a tight angle on 23 minutes and then getting his legs to Shola Ameobi's effort after Kieron Dyer had sent him free six minutes before the break.
The Magpies hammered away at the Merseysiders throughout, but found space tight in central midfield as Gerrard and Hamann fought out a battle with Speed and Jermaine Jenas.

There was little more room on the flanks for Dyer and Robert, although they started to come into the game as the first half wore on.
However, with their team-mates guilty of squandering possession all too often, Shearer, who had powered a third-minute header just over, and Ameobi were seeing little of the ball in the areas where it mattered most.

But with Nolberto Solano having replaced Aaron Hughes at the break, we looked like we had a more dangerous look about us, although the frustration continued in the early part of the half.

Ameobi wasted a good opportunity when he tried to turn Biscan once more than was necessary after Dyer had played him in and Robert smashed a 59th-minute free-kick inches wide.
But salvation was at hand and it came, as so often in the past, in the shape of Shearer, albeit with a helping hand from Robert.
The Frenchman's run into the box was expertly picked out by Dyer and Kirkland tripped him as he attempted to round him, leaving referee Poll little option but to point to the spot.
Shearer, who saw his last penalty saved by Aston Villa's Thomas Sorensen, did not shirk the responsibility and thumped the ball in off the underside of the crossbar to level.

Jenas passed up a chance to make a name for himself on 66 minutes when he miskicked in front of goal, but the Liverpool defence was creaking and it seemed only a matter of time before the Magpies got their noses in front.

Kieron Dyer had a lovely placed shot headed off the line from Jon Arne Riise and Titus Bramble also saw his shot blocked off the line. This all happened in a frantic finish to the game. Florent Sinama-Pongolle had a shot parried then Steven Gerrard struck a sweet volley which was well held by Shay Given. Then , six minutes from time, former Newcastle midfielder Dietmar Hamann, struck a left footed volley which was brilliantly saved by Shay Given with his right hand at the foot of the post.

All our hard work in the second half was almost undone when Bramble who seemingly had the ball under control let Smicer get past him and through on goal one on one with Given, luckily it was a tight angle and Smicer couldn’t quite curl it into the far post.
Given pulled off a stunning save to keep out Hamann's dipping volley six minutes from time, but Kirkland matched him at the other end a minute later to tip Shearer's drive over and then Woodgate fired wide in injury-time as a pulsating encounter drew to a close. A draw in my eyes not good enough when we had so much possession and the chances to finish the game off. Now 7h in the league we need to get back to winning ways in our next game against Spurs at home.