Instant Reaction: Newcastle see draw slip from their grip as "Hold on!" not effective

Sometimes it feels like being a Newcastle United supporter is like being Bill Murray in Groundhog Day (this is not the first time that has been noted on this site).  Yet again, Newcastle were by far second best in the first half, seeing Everton possession numbers living around 75% for a vast majority of the half.  Except for the Geordie chants, you would have been forgiven for thinking the match was being played at Goodison Park the way Everton were controlling the match.  The men from the blue side of the Mersey were unable to make the constant pressure pay off, however, and Steve McClaren must've been feeling like a genius as his team earned a first half draw at home.

The second half was a different, yet still familiar, story. (Stop me if you've heard this one.)  Coming out from halftime, Newcastle took control of the match, creating chances but once again wasting them all.  Mitrovic headed wide from an open header.  Gini put a header right at Tim Howard.  Ayoze Perez drug a shot just wide of the Everton goal.  In a second half that was equal parts attack and "hang on to your butts and hope for the draw", Newcastle did just about enough.  Until all the desperate defending didn't make it to the very end and Everton scored 14 seconds before the final whistle.

This wasn't progress.  We're going backwards... again.  Liverpool and Spurs were a false dawn and we're in trouble.  We'll most likely be in the relegation zone to start the new year, so that's probably a good thing.  Sigh.  And we get to do it again in two days.  Perfect.