Gordon Strachan claims referee Kevin Friend failed to spot Shola Ameobi's push on Emanuel Pogatetz as he rose to head down Guthrie's free-kick for Marlon Harewood to opening the scoring with 16 minutes gone.

Gordon Strachan claims: "It's a blatant shove in the back, but that's what you get when things are against you. You get decisions going against you.

"When life is good for you like Newcastle, things will go for you.

"But you have got to change that yourself so you get into a position where you will get the breaks by playing better yourself."

The Teessiders were aggrieved once again 12 minutes before half-time when, after Steve Harper had beaten away Gary O'Neil's swerving free-kick, Isaiah Osbourne stabbed the ball towards goal, where Steven Taylor helped it on to the post with his arm, although to no response from the officials.

Strachan: "It was a penalty, there's no doubt about that. He actually stretched out his hand to get it, it wasn't like it happened quickly.

"He actually moves his hand to it and stretches out his fingers, so that was a good save from him, it was good defending."