Cahill seals a point for Blues

Tim Cahill preserved Everton's unbeaten run as his side came from a goal behind at Newcastle to claim a 1-1 draw. The Australia midfielder powered home a 40th-minute header to cancel out Shola Ameobi's 14th-minute opener and ensure the Toffees headed home with something to show for their efforts.

{image[247076][right-half][]}But #10million Magpies striker Obafemi Martins was left to rue a series of missed opportunities to claim his first goal at St James' Park, perhaps the best of them on 71 minutes when he held off the hugely impressive Joleon Lescott, but shot straight at Tim Howard.

Titus Bramble and Tony Hibbert were both sent off for second bookable offences as the game reached a tense conclusion in which the result could have gone either way.

It might all have been so different had Scott Parker who, along with Everton striker Andy Johnson was watched by England boss Steve McClaren among a crowd of 50,107, not seen a first-half lob saved by Howard.

However, had Steve Harper not atoned for his slip at Liverpool in midweek with two fine saves from Leon Osman as the clock ran down, Newcastle might have gone away empty-handed after taking the lead for the second successive home game.

The major debate on Tyneside in recent weeks has centred around two main topics: the lack of firepower and the continuing fragility in defence.

In both cases, the first half provided no conclusive answer to either question.

Ameobi's 14th-minute strike, aided by an outrageous offside decision, was his fourth of the season and suggested there are goals in Glenn Roeder's new-look strikeforce.

However, his departure with an injury 10 minutes later again exposed the lack of strength in depth.

Partner Martins was again lively, but squandered a glorious opportunity to claim his first home goal three minutes before the break when he dragged a shot wide, and that was to become something of a theme.

By that time, Cahill had put the visitors back on to level terms, although the Magpies again contributed to their own downfall.

Having worked hard to keep Andrew Johnson at bay, the home defence wilted on 40 minutes.

Craig Moore sliced a clearance out for a corner under pressure from the in-form Everton striker and, although his side cleared the initial cross, Mikel Arteta was allowed to feed the ball back in and the Australian rose unopposed at the far post to head home.

In an entertaining encounter, both sides played enterprising and often attractive football, and but for a fingertip save by Tim Howard, Parker would have put Newcastle 2-0 up with 26 minutes gone with a delicious lob.

Joseph Yobo more than once found himself at full stretch in the attempt to keep fellow Nigerian international Martins at bay, but there was little to choose between the sides as they walked off at half-time.

Newcastle started at a brisk pace again, and Parker had strong appeals for a penalty waved away after he had wormed his way into the box on 47 minutes.

Martins climbed superbly to get his head to an Emre free-kick a minute later, but Phil Neville hacked his downward header away before the black and white shirts could pounce.

However, the visitors were looking dangerous on the break and both Arteta and Cahill only just failed to put Johnson in as Newcastle were stretched.

But James Milner, who had started the game well, fired straight at Howard after playing a neat one-two with Martins, and the Nigerian perhaps should have scored on 62 minutes after being played in by the former Leeds midfielder.

Milner tested Howard with a curling free-kick two minutes later after Tony Hibbert's nasty challenge on Parker, which earned the defender a booking.

Martins earned himself a showdown with Howard 19 minutes from time when he managed to hold off Lescott, but he hit his shot straight at the big American.

Both sides were reduced to 10 men within two eventful minutes when first Bramble was sent off for a foul on Osman, his second bookable offence, and then Hibbert followed him down the tunnel when, after being cautioned for a foul on Parker, he repeated the dose on substitute Antoine Sibierski.

Harper pulled off a superb save with his legs to deny Osman seven minutes from time after Stephen Carr's loose pass had put him in, and then kept out another effort from the midfielder a minute from time.

Substitute Giuseppe Rossi forced a good save from Howard as the game headed into injury-time, but there was to be no late winner.