Ciaran Clark's last minute own goal robbed his side of victory at St. James' Park on Wednesday evening, as Ian Holloway's side twice came from behind to take a point back to London.

Clark had a night to forget as he left the field with physical and mental scars having played for 70 minutes with a bad cut over his left eye after an accidental clash of heads with Jamie Mackie.

But he appeared to have battled through the injury before inadvertently flicking Kazenga LuaLua's deep cross over Karl Darlow into the Leazes End net.

However the frustration of seeing his side turn three points into one wasn't all that was clearly vexing Rafa Benitez afterwards: an uninspiring display from his side on the field adding to evident frustration with events off it in the closing hours of the transfer window.  

Retaining only Isaac Hayden and Ayoze Perez from the side humbled by League One Oxford on Saturday, this lethargic performance did nothing to placate punters and pundits who had been critical of fielding that weakened XI in the FA Cup. 

Newcastle began the game in the best possible fashion, Jonjo Shelvey's pile-driver putting United ahead just 38 seconds from the first whistle. However that was the prelude to....very little.

A lack of penetration down either flank, the absence of service or support to Daryl Murphy and the sight of Shelvey dropping deeper to pick up the ball provided little reassurance to an anxious home support - and every encouragement to the visiting side.

Rangers found pickings down the left flank and had already come close to equalising before a 44th minute close-range effort from Conor Washington sent the teams in level at 1-1.

Despite spending much of the half being treated for that head injury and its bloody aftermath, Clark was probably our best player - indicative of QPR's threat and our lack of attacking creativity.

Normal service appeared to have been restored when Matt Ritchie headed in a Hayden centre on 54 minutes, but the reassurance that a third home goal would have brought was never to arrive. 

Ayoze Perez had two great chances to seal the victory but shot straight at Alex Smithies when a square ball to Ritchie was on. Clearly unnerved, the Spaniard then raced forward again, but chose not to shoot and instead crossed wildly to no-one. 

Moving up front to replace Murphy as Sammy Ameobi arrived from the bench (and Aleksandar Mitrovic was conspicuously overlooked despite warming up on several occasions), Yoan Gouffran was denied from close range by a double save from Smithies.

The visiting 'keeper also denied Ritchie and Gouffran in added time, the latter diverting the ball into the path of Mo Diame, just back from the African Nations Cup. Defender Jake Bidwell got there first and cleared behind although referee Robinson gave a goalkick. 

The sucker punch had arrived in the closing seconds of normal time, when former Magpie LuaLua lofted in a hopeful ball from the left. 

Clark's late intervention gave the R's a point they probably merited overall, but Newcastle's own shortcomings ultimately cost them a victory may have papered over some of the cracks emerging.

That they didn't collect three points increases the pressure on them and inevitably leads to speculation that boardroom issues are affecting the players. And even if that's not the case and they really do just exist in a headphones-wearing bubble, then the apprehension and doubt that seeps out of supporters during home games has a debilitating effect. 

Identifying the inadequacies of his squad after half a season of working with them, there was at least a reasonable expectation that Benitez would receive reinforcements in January - even if the main expenditure had been committed in the last window.

Instead though he's looked on helplessly as the teams in pursuit who already had momentum were able to freshen their squads for the remaining games. As was the case in 2012 when a fifth-place finish led only to some laurel-resting and the arrival of Vurnon Anita, the concept of adding to the squad at a position of strength doesn't occur to this lot.

And as for refusing to sign players because of perceived question marks over Rafa's judgment based on the last window; these are the people responsible for Cabella, Thauvin, De Jong, Marveaux etc.
Promotion should still be achieved, but an avoidable element of doubt now intrudes on proceedings 

Given the owner's evident dislike for one-off matches, he'd probably rather settle the third promotion spot by a game of scissors, paper, stone than a Wembley final....

And at the end of a desperately disappointing week when we bowed out of the FA Cup, were left high and dry on transfer deadline day and let two precious points slip away comes a first return for Steve McClaren - now rehabilitated at Pride Park as his ill-fated spell here recedes from view.

Just as a timid Rangers side have toughened up substantially under new management since our Shepherds Bush stroll, United will face a decidedly more combative Derby lineup than at Pride Park.

A convincing performance from Newcastle then seems just as important as a victory, providing reassurance that our promotion bid isn't on the verge of imploding. However they'll need to do something meaningful without the services of top scorer, Dwight Gayle.

Given the daunting away schedule we face in the coming weeks, the character of this team will be tested. Tonight didn't augur particularly well.  

Biffa