Middlesbrough 2 Newcastle United 2: Carroll saves leaders to earn a derby draw

Striker Andy Carroll denied the Teessiders victory with an 82nd-minute equaliser after Scott McDonald's first Boro goal looked like handing them all three points.

The draw left the Magpies four points clear of second-placed West Brom and nine better off than Nottingham Forest in third with a game in hand on both.

Hughton said: "What we have always had this season is we are never out of a game. I can think of games where we have lost – at Blackpool, where we were very much still in the game towards the end; Scunthorpe was a game we lost that we were still very much in at the end and had the better chances.

"That's one thing we have in this group of lads, a real desire not to give up, and you just hope among all that, you have a bit of fortune in front of goal."

Newcastle took the lead against the run of play when Peter Lovenkrands ran on to Jonas Gutierrez's superb reverse pass.

However, Boro deservedly levelled nine minutes before the break when Barry Robson combined neatly with McDonald before firing past the helpless Steve Harper.

The Teessiders dominated after the break and got their noses in front with 16 minutes remaining when McDonald turned smartly to prod home Chris Killen's knock-down.

Middlesbrough: Coyne; Naughton, McManus, Wheater, Taylor; Robson, Rhys Williams, O'Neil, Arca; Killen (Miller 87), McDonald. Unused substitutes: Jones, Hoyte, Riggott, Lita, Bennett, Franks.

Newcastle: Harper; Kadar, Hall, Coloccini (Ryan Taylor 50), Simpson; Gutierrez, Nolan, Guthrie, Pancrate (Best 78); Lovenkrands (Butt 70), Carroll. Unused substitutes: Krul, Jose Enrique, Routledge, Ranger.

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).

Man of the match: Barry Robson.