City had to settle for a share of the spoils following an entertaining encounter against Alan Shearer's Newcastle United at the Britannia Stadium.

Abdoulaye Faye came back to haunt his former club for a second time this season to head the hosts into a first half lead, before substitute Andy Carroll secured a point for Alan Shearer's side late on. The result means the Potters remain in 13th position, six points clear of the Magpies and Middlesbrough who currently occupy 18th and 19th position.

Ahead of the game manager Tony Pulis kept faith with the same starting eleven which disposed of West Brom seven days earlier, whilst the visitors were dealt a double late blow with the news that Steven Taylor and Obafemi Martins had failed to recover from minor knocks in time for the clash.

An electric atmosphere swept through the Britannia Stadium as the two sides entered the field, and it appeared to give the hosts a huge lift as they started the game far the brighter of the two sides, winning an early succession of throw-in's and corners, with the latter almost resulting in an early opening for the hosts.

Matthew Etherington whipped in a delightful centre and Ryan Shawcross rose highest to meet the ball but his glancing header flashed across Steve Harper and inches wide of the keeper's left hand post. Moments later the visitors responded with an equally threatening set-piece of their own, but once again it came to nothing as Owen mistimed his header and the ball cannoned wide off of his shoulder.

The Potters continued to look the more dangerous and twice went close in a 30 second spell in the 14th minute. Firstly, the in form James Beattie reacted quickest to a goalmouth scramble which Harper did well to block with his legs, before Whelan whipped the ball back into the penalty area only for Fuller to nod over the bar from 8-yards.

An uncharacteristic moment of hesitancy from Shawcross midway in his own half could have been catastrophic for Pulis' side had Owen been able to pick out the unmarked Ameobi inside the 6-yard box, however Sorensen was fast to smother the ball from under the England strikers feet at his near post.

The Magpies gradually began to grow in stature as the half wore on, but still without showing any real signs of that imperative cutting edge which will be needed if they are to claw their way out of the relegation zone.

And while they possessed the lions share of possession their frailties in the backline were evident in the 33rd minute as their former defender Faye stunned them for a second time this season. The Senegalese international, who was voted as man of the match, powered a run into the penalty area and met Lawrence's corner with aplomb and sent the ball crashing into the back of the net leaving Harper and Danny Guthrie helpless on the line.

The goal appeared to lift everybody's spirits and a 15 minute bombardment of the opposition's penalty area was to follow. Habib Beye and David Edgar had to be alert to thwart Fuller, whilst they had to defend bravely to ensure they entered the interval trailing by just one.

City picked up from exactly where they finished off at the start of the second half and could have doubled their advantage within one minute of the restart. A piece of individual brilliance from Jamaican international Fuller saw him burst through on goal and fire an effort goalwards, only for Harper to deny him.

However, the pacy striker picked the ball back up and whipped across an inch perfect ball in to Etherington who headed goalwards only to see Ryan Taylor clear the ball off the line. Minutes later the former Wigan defender again came to his sides rescue as he denied Faye a second goal of the afternoon by hacking his effort away from danger with a last ditch block.

An action packed start to the half then saw Fuller head just over before Delap lashed an effort over the bar from 18-yards. City looked rampant, and the impressive Glenn Whelan went close from range with a ferocious effort which flashed just wide.

Long range efforts from Shola Ameobi and Nicky Butt failed to trouble Sorensen midway through the half, while referee Chris Foy pulled up play with the Potters deep in the oppositions third to attend to Danny Guthrie, who was involved in a heavy challenge with Andy Wilkinson, much to the dismay of the vocal 24,000 City supporters.

Shearer introduced both Carroll and Argentinean Jonas Gutierrez in a late effort to try and pull themselves back into the game, and they added a fresh dimension to his side. Gutierrez looked lively and dangerous and he fired in a ball to fellow substitute Carroll who headed inches wide of the post.

Pulis then introduced both Richard Cresswell and Danny Pugh in an attempt to freshen things up late on and shut up shop. However, disaster struck with just under ten minutes remaining as City failed to clear their lines and Carroll made no mistake the second time round, guiding Damien Duff's dangerous centre over Sorensen and into the far corner to send the travelling army of supporters into delirium.

To their credit though, the hosts continued to take the game by the scruff of the neck and push up in search of what would have been a deserved winner. But despite the best efforts of Fuller and Whelan, who lashed over late on, the visitors hung on to claim a point from a pulsating encounter in front of the Setanta television camera's.