Alan Pardew said:

''It just got a little bit heated there (at full time), we were all angry, their bench and ours. I don't think there's any bad feeling, we shook hands after.

"Rob (Elliot) has waited a long time – since the Forest game, really – to stake his claim. We know him very well, myself and the goalkeeping coach (Andy Woodman) because of Charlton, and this is a shot-stopper, this is a great goalkeeper.

"He was outstanding, as well as the back four on a really difficult surface against difficult opponents.

"Maritimo are a team who are going to surprise teams here. They are very, very good – their record suggests that. Therefore, taking all that into consideration, I thought a draw was a great result.

"With the injuries that we had before the game, this will probably be the weakest that we’ve been this season. We’ve had three or four injuries that have been costly to us.

"Having said that, the performance of the team was outstanding I thought, a lot of players playing their first European game on a pitch which I have to say was of a poor standard for both teams.

"There was a great application and although we had a first ten minutes where I thought we struggled a little, after that we were in control of the game and I’m a little disappointed that we haven’t won it with the chances that we had.

"I don’t know what Dan Gosling’s mileage was tonight but I’d suggest it was over 13 kilometers because he was everywhere.

"Him and Bigi (Gael Bigirimana) tonight were terrific in there. Sammy (Ameobi) came on and looked like he was going to open the door so we had some real bonuses in terms of those young players."

Maritimo fans may have sung happy birthday to themselves on the occasion of their club's 102nd anniversary, but Alan Pardew's side missed out on a glaring opportunity to be party poopers, by beginning their Group Stage campaign with a victory on the island of Madeira.  

Both sides fired blanks, with United striking the goal frame on three occasions while a goal line clearance and some excellent saves from Rob Elliot kept the home side at bay.

There were seven changes to the side that started at Everton three nights earlier, with only the back four that had secured a point at Goodison retained. And while many of our big guns remained on Tyneside, Vurnon Anita was allowed beat a hasty retreat from Funchal before the game in order to attend the birth of his child in Amsterdam (a girl, apparently - not expected to be called Anita....)

After both Steve Harper and Tim Krul had seen service in this competition already, it was the turn of Rob Elliot to go between the posts and he made two notable stops in the first half that will have done his confidence the power of good.

On a pitch that looked in good nick but seemed to cause players from both sides problems in staying on their feet Shola Ameobi headed against the post and Dan Gosling hit the foot of the same upright in an otherwise lack-lustre first half.

Things livened up a little after the break though, when Shola strode into the box but could only curl his shot off the bar with home custodian Romain Salin beaten.

Obertan and substitute Sammy Ameobi both found time and space down the right to get in good positions but the quality of the crosses was poor and the home defence was able to clear.

And Davide Santon who rescued United when Roberge Valentin headed goalward only for the ball to hit the bar and be cleared off the line by the Italian's head to keep the game at stalemate.

The bookies - and most supporters - seemed to have taken the stance that this was a difficult place to visit and avoiding defeat would constitute a reasonable return. 

However this proved to be an even gentler experience than our recent Atromitos experience, with the overall atmosphere less threatening than some of our pre-season continental kickabouts. 

The Ultras presence here was restricted to one banner and a single piece of grafitti scrawled on the entrance to the away section. And at the risk of sounding like middle-aged bores (which we of course are...) those making their European spectating debut this season need to know that it does get (considerably) livelier than this. 

Nicknamed the Cauldron, Maritimo's ground proved to be more of a kettle on a camping stove, while news that they had drawn there with Sporting Lisbon the previous Sunday succeeded in raising questions about how rotten the men from the Arvalade must be. Maritimo were nowt flash at all. 

The manager may have talked up youngsters like Bigi and Sammy for their contributions (with the former responsible for taking all set pieces), but some of his other fringe players again failed to push their claims for inclusion in the domestic XI - with Gosling and Obertan again unconvincing and a full debut for Amalfitano seeing him worryingly fail to make any impression on the opposition. 

But a point on the board isn't the end of the world in our first taste of this type of competition and by the time we shiver our way out of Bordeaux in December, this game will in all probability be long forgotten. Onwards and hopefully upwards.

Biffa