45+1 mins: Albion found space down their left flank, DeAndre Yedlin misjudging the flight of the ball ball Kieran Gibbs outpacing him before crossing for Hal Robson-Kanu to get past Chancel Mbemba and head home from close range. 0-1 

Half time: Baggies 1 Magpies 0

56 mins: Sam Field netted with a first time effort from inside the six yard box, after Matt Phillips swung over a centre from close to the right hand touchline.

Yedlin looked culpable again, making a failed attempt to head clear as Academy product Field converted from close range for his first-ever senior goal. 0-2

59 mins: Matt Ritchie's corner kick reached an unmarked Ciaran Clark to head home in front of the travelling contingent. 1-2

83 mins: Yedlin was upended on the right hand edge of the box and Ritchie fired the free kick in for Evans to unwittingly beat Ben Foster at his near post with a Rondon flick doing him no favours. 2-2

Full time: Baggies 2 Magpies 2

 
Rafa:

“A very good reaction by the team and as I said before, these players care. They were giving everything and trying to get back in the game.

"We conceded a goal late in the first half that was avoidable, but the reaction of the team was very good.

"We were in control for a while, they had a couple of crosses and we conceded the first goal which was disappointing. You have to make sure you are more focused in the last minute of the half.

"The reaction of the team was good, but then another cross and we had another lack of concentration, but still I could see the team fighting.

"And after we scored the first goal, you could see they were a little bit under pressure and we were getting better.

"The second goal gave us belief and you could see they were a little bit scared this time.

"There was a little bit of a lack of luck in our finishing and we had two or three situations that could have gone a bit better for us.

"This group of players work really hard. OK they can make mistakes, starting with me, but we try our best and they did really well.

"Everybody was talking too much, but we did not deserve to lose the four games we lost and today could be the same.

"But we did well, the reaction was so good and they deserved a draw, if not more."

“We are a young team and we are in a learning processes. We are where we are because we have what we have."

Gary Megson said:

"It’s a right kick in the whats-its.

"It’s our fault. I don’t think it was anything that Newcastle particularly did.

"We’ve scored two really good, well-worked goals, had other opportunities as well and passed the ball fine.

"They swung a corner in and scored from six yards and spanked another free-kick in that ends up with an own-goal.

"It’s difficult to take but it’s not anything that the opposition have done.

"Everyone will tell you 2-0 is a difficult scoreline. You need that third one to put it to bed.

"That’s eight points we have lost from winning positions towards the end of a game and it is certainly not through a lack of fitness. Sometimes you can do too much running, daft running, rather than just keep position."
 

Newcastle ended a run of four successive defeats by taking a point from their visit to the Hawthorns - but had to recover from going two goals behind in order to do so.

Conceding in first half added time for the third time in as many games, United fell further behind after the break before Ciaran Clark reduced the arrears when heading home a Matt Ritchie corner.

And Ritchie claimed a second assist when drilling a free kick into the box that was diverted into the net by a combination of Solomon Rondon and Jonny Evans, the latter being credited with the OG.

The blue-clad Magpies pressed for a winner but were unable to claim maximum points against a Baggies side now winless in their last 12 Premier League games and under the temporary charge of former Magpie Gary Megson.

No less than five changes were made to the starting lineup by Rafa Benitez: Karl Darlow, Chancel Mbemba, Isaac Hayden, Mikel Merino and Ayoze Perez recalled while Rob Elliot, Javier Manquillo, Jonjo Shelvey, Mo Diame and Dwight Gayle all dropped to the bench.

However that reshuffle made little obvious difference during a low-key opening 45 minutes when goalmouth incidents were in short supply from either side.

Only an off-target free kick by Matt Ritchie threatened the home goal, while Darlow was almost caught out when Rondon's dipping effort clipped the crossbar.

Albion found space down the left in the first minute of added time, Kieran Gibbs outpacing DeAndre Yedlin before crossing for Hal Robson-Kanu to head home.

United's misery then deepened 11 minutes into the second period, Sam Field doubling Albion's lead after Matt Phillips swung over a centre from the right.

Yedlin looked culpable again, making a failed attempt to head clear as Academy product Field converted from close range for his first-ever senior goal.

At that point another defeat looked inevitable, but stand-in captain Ciaran Clark halved the arrears just three minutes later, left totally unmarked to head in a corner for A second goal of the season.

The introduction of Rolando Aarons and Aleksandar Mitrovic boosted United's attacking options but the arrival of Jonjo Shelvey was to have greater impact.

An equaliser arrived with eight minutes of normal time remaining, Yedlin up-ended on the right hand edge of the box and Ritchie firing the free kick in for Evans to unwittingly beat Ben Foster at his near post and provoke further celebrations in the away end.

A marginal offside decision then halted another promising United attack, while four minutes of added time saw the visitors dominate possession but prove unable to work a viable shooting position.

There's obvious frustration that a second away win of the season eluded us, but that has to be outweighed by the positive of recovering from a two-goal deficit - simultaneously calming nerves and lifting spirits.

The point took us up one place to 12th, with a favourable set of results on Wednesday meaning we remained there ahead of Saturday's trip to Chelsea. 
 

Biffa