Shola Ameobi was Newcastle United’s pre-season saviour yet again tonight after scrambling a 1-1 draw with a late leveller at Ibrox. The Magpies had looked likely to endure an embarrassing defeat against the Scottish third flight outfit. But the pressure finally told on the home side in stoppage time. Fabricio Coloccini’s rash challenge on Nicky Clark resulted in referee Steve McLean pointing to the spot on five minutes. And McCulloch stepped up to narrowly beat Krul low to his left just minutes into his comeback game after a shoulder injury. United responded with a Hatem Ben Arfa shot that was floated just over after a good run down the right. Then on 12 minutes after Jonas had won a corner kick down the left, Cabaye’s corner picked out Mathieu Debuchy who cracked a powerful volley at goal with Cammy Bell making a crucial stop to somehow keep it out. Cabaye sent an effort that whistled just wide of the goal frame before the half hour mark. Davide Santon must have thought he’d levelled the game up 15 minutes before the break when his long range shot was only just beaten away by Bell with Rangers just clinging on. On 35 minutes though Krul had to be alert to gather Daly’s stinging shot after the striker worked his way into the box. It was Rangers who went in at the break with the lead. The home side came close to doubling that advantage at the start of the second half when Clark powered down the right to test sub keeper Elliot with the Londoner having to flick the ball over the top. On 67 minutes Marveaux slipped in Debuchy after a fine overlapping run but he couldn’t match it with the right finish after blazing over from inside the box. United created half chances in the closing stages with Gouffran’s header with four minutes coming close. But with the game drifting into stoppage time the Ameobi brothers combined as Sammy’s fine pass to Shola freed the long-serving striker who chipped the ball over the keeper and rescued a draw. RANGERS: Bell 7; Foster 7, McCulloch 7 (Faure 46, 7), Mohsni 7, Wallace 7; Peralta 7, Black 7 (Murdoch 57, 7), Macleod 7 (Crawford 46, 7), Law 7; Clark 7, Daly 7 (Little 60, 7) UNITED: Krul 7 (Elliot 46); Debuchy 8, Coloccini 7 (c) (Yanga-Mbiwa 73, 7), S.Taylor 7, Santon 7 (Dummett 63, 7); Tiote 6 (Anita 73, 6), Cabaye 7 (Gosling 80); Sissoko 7 (Marveaux 63, 7), Ben Arfa 7 (Gouffran 46, 7), Gutierrez 6 (Sammy Ameobi 80); Cissé. 6 (Shola Ameobi 73, 7) /Loraine
Posted on: Tue, 06 Aug 2013 21:53:22 +0000
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