Demba Ba struck two goals after coming off the bench as Newcastle United came from behind twice to get a hard-earned 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park.
Newcastle United came from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park thanks to two goals from second-half substitute Demba Ba.
Everton came out flying in the first half playing with vibrancy and intent and found a reward after 14 minutes. Steven Pienaar was the architect, brilliantly back-heeling into the path of full-back Leighton Baines who beat Harper with a low shot into the corner of the net.
Everton kept pushing for a second goal and moments moments later Baines picked out Kevin Mirallas who fired narrowly wide.
Newcastle were unable to stem the flow and Everton could have found themselves further ahead if shots from Phil Jagielka and Pienaar had crept inside a post.
Newcastle were poor in the first half and Alan Pardew brought on Ba at half-time, and the move paid immediate dividends when just five minutes into the second half when the striker nonchalantly slipped the ball past Tim Howard.
Everton pushed forward, looking for a second goal and should have got it, but both Marouane Fellaini and Victor Anichebe had goals wrongly disallowed by the officials.
Not to be denied, Anichebe thought he had scored the winner on 88 minutes after sending a low drive into the far corner but his joy was short-lived, as Ba combined with Shola Ameobi at the other end and poked the ball in.