Newcastle snatch late draw

London - Shola Ameobi scored an injury-time equalizer as Newcastle United drew 1-1 with 10-man Sunderland in the Tyne-Wear derby on Sunday.

The point leaves Newcastle five points behind Arsenal in the race for fourth.

Nicklas Bendtner put Sunderland ahead with a 24th-minute penalty, but Stephane Sessegnon was sent off for elbowing Chiek Tiote 13 minutes into the second half.

That prompted a siege, and Simon Mignolet saved a Demba Ba penalty with eight minutes remaining. The equalizer finally arrived in injury time, though, Ameobi heading in at the back post.

The first booking of a feisty game came after only 33 seconds, Lee Cattermole perhaps fortunate not to be sent off for a dreadful lunge on Cheik Tiote, and five more followed in the opening quarter of the game.

In that spell, there was also a mass confrontation after Danny Simpson reacted angrily to a foul by James McClean as well as angry words between the two managers.

The away side took the lead after 24 minutes, Bendtner becoming the first Sunderland player to score a penalty this season after referee Mike Dean had penalised Danny Williamson for pulling the shirt of Michael Turner.

Sunderland were on top at that stage, minding to play a little football between the stoppages, but Newcastle rallied towards the end of the first half and enjoyed a spell of protracted pressure.

Mignolet made a fine save to keep out a Fabricio Coloccini header and then Demba Ba headed against the crossbar.

Newcastle continued to apply pressure early in the second half, but it took a superb double save from Tim Krul to deny first Seb Larsson then McClean as Sunderland broke.

The game tipped decisively Newcastle's way 13 minutes into the second period, though, as Sessegnon was sent off for swinging an arm at Tiote.

Tiote went down clutching his face having been hit in the chest, but there was no doubting that the decision was correct.

Newcastle piled on the pressure, and were awarded a penalty with eight minutes remaining as Fraizer Campbell fouled Shola Ameobi.

Mignolet, though, made a superb save to deny Ba.

Newcastle's pressure told eventually, though, and Ameobi headed in to ensure Sunderland's 12-year run without a win at St James' Park goes on.