West Bromwich Albion 2-2 Newcastle United

The equaliser ensured that Rafael Benitez has still to lose to West Brom in his managerial career

West Brom conceded a two-goal lead to miss out on the chance of a first league win since August as Newcastle ended a run of four straight defeats.

Jonny Evans' own goal saw Rafael Benitez's side draw level after Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Field had put the home side ahead.

Newcastle improved after Ciaran Clark quickly pulled one back, with Salomon Rondon diverting a corner onto the unlucky Evans and then into the net for the equaliser.

West Brom, who will appoint Alan Pardew as their new manager on Wednesday, move up to 16th while Newcastle go 12th.

Gary Megson has been the Baggies' caretaker boss for the past two games since the sacking of Tony Pulis.

West Brom also conceded a lead in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham on Saturday and they looked to be firmly in charge when 19-year-old midfielder Field converted Matt Phillips' cross for his first goal for the club.

Newcastle hit back almost immediately when Clark headed in from a corner and the captain's goal transformed Benitez's side, who fought back to end the Spaniard's longest losing steak as a Premier League manager.

'One Gary Megson'

Megson, who was previously manager at The Hawthorns from 2000 to 2004, has overseen a change in mood even if he couldn't deliver a much-needed win.

Prior to the match, Megson said: "I'm just doing the job for as long as I'm told, and then we'll see what happens after that"

Ex-Crystal Palace boss Pardew will inherit an improved situation on and off the pitch thanks to Megson's brief tenure.

The chant of "one Gary Megson" could be heard several times from the home fans, grateful to see some spirit on home soil following the 4-0 capitulation to Chelsea 10 days ago.

The 58-year-old's two games in charge so far have only earned two points, but he has installed some of the hard-to-beat qualities normally associated with Tony Pulis sides that had evaporated before his sacking on 20 November.

West Brom had purpose going forward, with the recalled Robson-Kanu their most menacing threat, although Rondon had struck the bar from long range before the Wales international's header.

But they seemed to run out of steam after allowing Clark to rise to Matt Ritchie's corner, and spent most of the remaining half-hour firmly on the back foot.

Fighting spirit from Newcastle - at last

Benitez's reaction to Saturday's insipid 3-0 home defeat by Watford was to make five changes, including dropping goalkeeper Rob Elliot and bringing in Karl Darlow for his first Premier League appearance of the season.

Mikel Merino, recalled to the starting line-up, helped Newcastle take a grip and had 84 touches - the most of anyone on the pitch at The Hawthorns

He did not get a reaction in the first half and was furious when his side went behind in first-half stoppage-time.

The Spaniard's mood was not improved by Field's close-range strike, but Clark's quick riposte helped transform his side's approach.

The introduction of Aleksandar Mitrovic gave the Magpies even more bite, and in the latter stages they looked the likelier to grab three points, with 63 per cent of possession in the last 15 minutes.

What they said

West Brom caretaker boss Gary Megson: "Everyone will tell you 2-0 is a difficult scoreline. You need that third one to put it to bed.

"That's eight points we have lost from winning positions towards the end of a game and it is certainly not through a lack of fitness. Sometimes you can do too much running, daft running, rather than just keep position."

On fans chanting his name: "I thank the fans for that. It was like going back 14 years. It was terrific but what wasn't terrific was the result."

Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez: "We did well in the first half. We controlled the game. To concede a goal in this was was very disappointing, I was upset, but the reaction of the players, their workrate - these players care. They will try. In terms of effort they were really good.

"As soon as we scored the first goal we were back in the game. We are a young team and we are in a learning processes.

"We are where we are because we have what we have."

Man of the match - Hal Robson-Kanu

Brought in by Megson for Jay Rodriguez, he gave West Brom an edge up front and scored for the first time since their last league win in August

Megson ends his Benitez losing streak - the stats

• Gary Megson avoided defeat when managing against Rafael Benitez in a Premier League match for the first time. He had lost all of the previous six beforehand.

• Hal Robson-Kanu is the first Welshman to score under Megson in the Premier League since Jason Koumas in May 2003 against Blackburn Rovers.

• Since making his league debut for Newcastle in August 2016, Matt Ritchie has registered 12 assists for his side - four more than any other Newcastle player in that time.

• Only Arsenal (16) and Chelsea (13) have scored more headed goals in the Premier League than West Bromwich Albion in 2017 (11).

• Sam Field is just the second teenager to score a Premier League goal for West Bromwich Albion, alongside then-Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku.

• Field is the second player born in 1998 to score in the Premier League, after Everton's Tom Davies.

• West Bromwich Albion have now lost a league-high 10 points from leading positions in the Premier League so far this season.

What's next?

Newcastle travel to Chelsea at 12:30 GMT on Sunday, while Pardew's first game in charge of West Brom will be at home against his previous club, Crystal Palace (15:00).