Taylor's free-kick earns Magpies draw

Ryan Taylor spared Newcastle's blushes with a fine free-kick to give them a slight advantage after they drew 1-1 in their Europa League play-off clash with Atromitos.

A year and three days after he fired the Magpies to derby victory at Sunderland, he produced a set-piece of similar quality in first-half injury time to cancel out Denis Epstein's 24th-minute opener and ensure that his side returned to Tyneside knowing a victory of any description, or even a 0-0 draw, will send them through to the group stage.

That may have been less than manager Alan Pardew's ambitions before kick-off, but having made nine changes to the side which beat Tottenham 2-1 at the weekend, he saw his side put in a distinctly ordinary opening 45 minutes after which a draw was not the worst result.

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