Tired Newcastle settle for share of spoils

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Newcastle United 1

Wolves will investigate exactly how a supporter came to be struck in the face by a firework minutes before the start of this thrilling contest, a game in which Dave Jones's side produced their best performance of the season, yet were unable to come away with three points.

Season-ticket holder Denise Butler, 37, from Telford, was yesterday released from Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital after receiving treatment overnight on a fractured cheekbone and eye injury suffered in a frightening moment.

One of four fireworks used as pre-match entertainment shot sideways into the family enclosure in the Billy Wright Stand and a total of eight fans, including children, required treatment for shock, although Mrs Butler was the only supporter taken to hospital.

Jez Moxey, the chief executive of Wolves, immediately launched an investigation along with Jubilee Fireworks, the company in charge of the display, into how the sickening incident occurred, but promised that pyrotechnics would not be used at Molineux at any time in the future.

On the field, it was second-from-bottom Wolves who shone as jaded Newcastle looked a shadow of their usual selves, having travelled to the Midlands just 36 hours after a Uefa Cup victory over the Swiss side Basle at St James' Park.

Jody Craddock, the Wolves defender, went close with an overhead kick before Nathan Blake seized upon hesitancy in the Newcastle rearguard to round the goalkeeper, Shay Given, who recklessly charged out of his area, and poke home his first goal of the season.

Blake, however, was then left bemused by the referee Steve Bennett's decision not to award a free-kick, or penalty, after being bundled over by Titus Bramble as he charged into the penalty area following further poor defending.

Earlier, in the 15th minute, Alan Shearer had struck the crossbar, but he did level matters before the interval with his 12th goal of the season, a neat turn and finish inside the area following an inch-perfect pass from Lomana LuaLua.

Further evidence that it was not to be for Jones and Wolves came nine minutes from time when the midfielder Johannes Gudjonsson curled a delicious free-kick against the upright with Given beaten, and Henri Camara headed another Alex Rae ball against the crossbar in the final minute.

"Everyone did their jobs and I can't take anything away from my players," Jones said. "We gave them a very good game and on another day the chances would have gone in. There are a lot of plusses to take and the only minus is that we haven't won."

Newcastle, however, will claim they were denied three points after Craddock handled the ball in the penalty area when attempting to head out for a corner. Bennett and his assistant did not spot it, the defender described it as "not intentional" and Bobby Robson admitted it would have been harsh on the home side.

Robson, who accepted that fourth place is the best Newcastle can now achieve, said: "There was no question about whether Craddock handled the ball. We might have got a fortuitous late penalty which could have won us the game, but overall a draw was about right."

Goals: Blake (27) 1-0; Shearer (31) 1-1.

Wolves (4-4-2): Oakes 6; Irwin 6, Naylor 6, Craddock 7, Butler 7; Rae 8, Andrews 6, Gudjonsson 7, Kennedy 7 (Miller 6, 76); Blake 7, Camara 7. Substitutes not used: Marshall (gk), Newton, Silas, Cooper.

Newcastle (4-4-2): Given 5; Hughes 6, Bramble 6, Woodgate 7, Bernard 6; Jenas 6, Dyer 7, Speed 6, Bowyer 6 (Ameobi 6, 78); Shearer 7, LuaLua 6 (Solano 6, 79). Substitutes not used: Harper (gk), Caldwell, Viana.

Referee: S Bennett (Kent) 6.

Bookings:

Wolves: Butler, Naylor; Newcastle: Bernard.

Man of the match: Rae.

Attendance: 29,344.