Newcastle were left to rue Derby's resolute defending as Monday night's encounter ended in a goalless draw.
One win in three for Magpies after frustrating stalemate
Newcastle United were left to rue Derby County's resolute defending as Monday night's encounter ended in a goalless draw to prevent the Championship table-toppers from restoring their eight point lead at the summit.
As you would expect, league leaders Newcastle dominated the early goings against a goal-shy Derby in front of the St James' Park faithful and Ryan Taylor went closest to putting the home side ahead in the first half when he struck the cross bar from a free-kick on 11 minutes.
The visiting Rams grew in stature in the second-half, but they came within inches of seeing their solid defending come unstuck but for the heroics of goalkeeper Stephen Bywater to tip Nile Ranger's close-range effort onto the cross-bar before bouncing the right side of the goalline.
Derby saw Jay McEveley sent off for a second-bookable offence in stoppage time but it did not stop the away team gaining a point in the North East as Newcastle end the year six points clear at the top.
With West Brom having won at Scunthorpe earlier in the day, another bumper crowd of 47,505 left the ground reflecting on another two precious points which had slipped away after Saturday's 2-2 draw at Sheffield Wednesday.
Early scare
After surviving an early scare when Jose Enrique's slip allowed striker Campbell to run at the home defence, the Magpies might have been in front within two minutes.
Kevin Nolan's ball down the line was collected by Peter Lovenkrands, who picked out strike-partner Andy Carroll at the far post, but he directed his downward header well wide of the target.
Rams defender Jake Buxton steered a hurried fourth-minute clearance just wide of his own goal, and the visitors were spared only by the crossbar seven minutes later as Ryan Taylor's free-kick left Bywater rooted to the spot.
Carroll headed a 15th-minute Enrique cross wide and Lovenkrands volleyed across the face of goal seconds later with the home side dominating.
Bywater pulled off a vital one-on-one save to deny Ryan Taylor as he ran on to Jonas Gutierrez's superb reverse pass three minutes later, but opposite number Harper had to match his feat when Campbell turned Stephen Pearson's 25th-minute cross towards goal at the near post.
But for all Newcastle's pressure, they simply could not make the breakthrough and Derby somehow got to half-time on level terms.
Bright start
The visitors started brightly after the break with skipper Robbie Savage firing over from distance with 49 minutes gone, and with Carroll getting little change out of central defender Miles Addison, the Magpies' efforts became increasingly laboured.
They might have gone ahead with 57 minutes gone when Carroll crossed for defender Steven Taylor, but he headed straight at Bywater.
The keeper got down well to keep out Alan Smith's long-range effort seconds later as Chris Hughton's men started to turn the screw once again, but too often, they were let down by wayward passes.
Hughton sent on Shola Ameobi for Carroll, whose battle with Addison had become increasingly physical, with 25 minutes remaining.
But it was fellow newcomer Ranger who went desperately close with three minutes remaining, volleying Nolan's cross against the underside of the bar only to see his shot bounce on the line and drop into Bywater's arms.
