Everton Vs. Newcastle: Final Score 2-2 After Controversial Match

A controversial match at Goodison Park saw Newcastle and Everton split the points with a 2-2 draw. It was an exciting game -- four goals will do that -- but beyond the goals there were plenty of close calls and enough poor refereeing decisions that Everton fans are completely justified in complaints that they'd been well and truly robbed.

The hosts got off to a flying start, with Nikica Jelavic turning in a rebound in the second minute, but his goal was disallowed for offside and the Croatian managed to injure his knee against the post in the process of not-scoring. No matter (apart from for poor Jelavic, who'd eventually have to leave the game) -- Leighton Baines would give the Everton a deserved lead shortly there after, the left back combining with Steven Pienaar to slot past Steven Harper in the 15th minute.

The Toffees were dominating and should have added to their lead. Phil Jagielka hit the post, and Leon Osman, Pienaar and Kevin Miralles might all have done better with shots that fizzed just wide of goal. But Newcastle had their chances too -- Papiss Cisse sent a sizzling volley that shaved a coat of paint off Tim Howard's right hand post, and Baines was forced to clear off the line from a Vernon Anita effort.

And then things got crazy in the second half. Demba Ba came on at the interval, and immediately made an impact, beating Jagielka for pace before sending a low shot towards Tim Howard's goal. It should have been a relatively easy stop, but the goalkeeper was wrong-footed and allowed the effort to roll into the bottom corner. 1-1.

Everton then scored twice, only to be denied by the officials. Marouane Fellaini, his usual imperious form all match, was robbed by the linesman's flag, and then Victor Anichebe saw a header hit Harper, the crossbar and then Mike Williamson -- in the process crossing the goalline -- completely ignored by the refereeing crew.

It looked as though Anichebe would win the game anyway after the striker turned and fired home from a Pienaar feed, but an absolutely fantastic last-minute finish from Ba, who managed to nutmeg a leaping Howard with an exquisite bouncing shot, enabled the Magpies to emerge from Goodison with a 2-2 draw. That was, all in all, a very watchable game.