Joe Kinnear may have been banned from the touchline here after a 2004 indiscretion, but United's interim boss was ultimately grateful to the Football Association for not leaving here with...sweet FA.

Forced to watch proceedings from the stand and consequently missing both Newcastle goals while on the "apples & pears" to the dressing room, Kinnear had been able to restore Guthrie to the side after his three-match ban.

And that not only allowed United to field something approaching a "square pegs in square poles" lineup, but saw them exploit space on the field caused by Tim Cahill's absence for the opposition - after his midweek appeal against a red card failed.

Despite that however, Newcastle still contrived to fall two goals behind for the sixth successive game to mediocre opponents and were apparently heading for a fifth straight loss on this ground as Kinnear left his seat.

Enrique's comeback had lasted 39 minutes and at that point things looked bleak indeed for United, with only an N'Zogbia cross-shot and a Taylor effort blocked by Baines to show in attack. 

It was our makeshift right back though who inspired an unlikely comeback, scoring one and making the other, his header on the stroke of half-time changing the complexion of the game. 

JFK also takes credit for another inspirational C word rant - the C word this time being confidence. 

Twice now he's spoken to the side at the interval and twice they've gone out and scored quickly - the goal here getting us back on terms rather than halving the deficit as it had against Blackburn. And when Duff put in a second, the confidence visibly returned and with it, the prospect of a win.

That didn't come to pass though, with N'Zogbia's close-range shot blocked and Kinnear trying to help conjure up a winner by defying his touchline ban to shouting instructions from the player's tunnel.

At the other end, Given made a superb save to deny James Vaughan and fellow substitute Victor Anichebe was inches wide with another effort. 

That caused home fans to grumble ever more noticeably, even though their side registered a first home point in four attempts this season - little comfort after surrendering a two goal lead just days after losing to your local rivals and then exiting the UEFA Cup to some Belgians.

In amongst the Tourettes talk though there were presumably some tactical words of wisdom from Kinnear, as he benefited from having something to work with on the field.

Guthrie's industry was welcome, Duff found some end product at last and Geremi looked a good deal brighter, partly because this was his first game in eight days after three starts in the previous week.

Someone had done some work on Everton and targeted Baines as being weak when balls dropped in behind him - we once targeted him in a different way; as a transfer possibility when at Wigan.

There's still plenty for Kinnear - and whichever man from the past he digs up as coach - to put right on the killing fields of Darsley Park though, specifically:

The set pieces, or rather the effete wafts that masquerade as corners. Fine whoever takes them for every attempt that fails to clear the first man - our delivery remains horrendous.  

And leading on from that, the ability to poach scruffy goals by getting the ball into danger areas and forcing it in. Some of our lot seem to think loading the box means putting a new game on their Wii...

Another typically manic week in the Magpie madhouse then ended with a morale-boosting point and JFK attempting to joke with some of the pressmen who he'd labelled "slimy c**ts" 48 hours earlier. 

His side had done enough to avoid yet more crisis club headlines during the international break and with the prospect of Gutierrez and Beye returning thereafter, there were hints that the corner could just have been turned after our Black September.

This point took us above Stoke into 18th, while Spurs remained bottom after losing at home to Hull City. And with those two sides meeting the day before we return to action at home to Man City, at least we can avoid sinking to rock bottom, regardless of what Robinho and his new pals conjure up.
 
Under those circumstances - and given what's gone on here lately - this draw felt like a win. 

Whether it's merely temporary respite or the start of a more solid resurgence though remains to be seen, but if nothing else it was nice to be able forget about takeovers, boycotts and whatever else and concentrate on our favourite F word - football.

Biffa