Coloccini spares Newcastle against Wigan

A 94th-minute equaliser by Fabio Coloccini earned Newcastle a 2-2 draw at home to Wigan on Saturday and prevented Charles N’Zogbia from enjoying a winning St James’ Park return.

Newcastle old boy N’Zogbia scored twice in two minutes mid-way through the first half to give Wigan a 2-0 lead at the break, before substitute Shola Ameobi sparked the hosts’ fightback in the 72nd minute.

Ameobi’s goal meant Wigan lost their record as the only Premier League team not to concede on their travels this season and worse was to come in the fourth minute of added time when Coloccini powered home from Andy Carroll’s flick-on.

The point provisionally takes both sides up two places in the standings, with Wigan now 12th and Newcastle 13th.

N’Zogbia’s first goal arrived in the 22nd minute, the French winger out-jumping Mike Williamson to dispatch Franco di Santo’s deflected cross with a thumping header.

Di Santo was again the provider a minute later. His ball found its way to N’Zogbia, who smashed a volley inside the near post from the edge of the area.

Chris Hughton’s home team did not gather their senses until the closing minutes of the half.

After Carroll won a corner with a dangerous volleyed cross, Williamson’s header from the resulting set-piece was scrambled off the line by Emmerson Boyce.

Newcastle have flattered to deceive since a 6-0 thrashing of Aston Villa in their second game raised hopes of a swashbuckling return to the top flight and they were booed off the pitch by the home fans at the interval.

It took a superb clearance from Gary Caldwell to prevent Newcastle reducing the arrears just before the hour, as Carroll looked to get on the end of James Perch’s inviting centre.

Hughton reacted by introducing Ameobi in place of Peter Lovenkrands and with 18 minutes remaining he brought the hosts back into the game by diving in to head home Jonas Gutierrez’s cross.

The goal re-energised the Magpies fans and moments later Carroll almost equalised when he glanced a header wide from Joey Barton’s corner.

Carroll thought he’d equalised in the 87th minute but the referee spotted a handball and duly booked the giant forward, who thrashed a volley wide moments later.

Newcastle would not give up, though, and in injury time Carroll touched on Gutierrez’s corner for unmarked Argentine centre-back Coloccini to snatch a share of the spoils.