Alan Pardew may have gone but the problems many blamed him for remained yesterday as Burnley grabbed a spirited draw, dashing John Carver’s hopes of a winning start to his audition for the Newcastle manager’s job in the process.

Despite the overcast sky and no doubt more than a few hangovers, the mood around St James’ in the first game of the post-Pardew era was buoyant. Before the match, Geordie Carver invoked the memory of his old boss Bobby Robson, hinting perhaps that the new era should have local foundations.

And it was a local lad who opened the scoring on the 15-minute mark when Steven Taylor, a fan favourite recalled by Carver, latched on to an inch-perfect corner from Jack Colback. 

The Toon Army was still celebrating when Burnley got back on level terms. Paul Dummett found his own net with a looping header intended for Jak Alnwick that in reality gave the keeper no chance to collect.

The home side were soon back in front when Moussa Sissoko and Daryl Janmaat combined well down the right before the Dutchman laid on a perfect ball for Colback. The midfielder, who is fast becoming one of the Premier League’s most consistent performers, grabbed his second in two games with a low, left-footed drive into the bottom right hand corner of Tom Heaton’s goal.

Clarets boss Sean Dyche named the same starting 11 for the sixth game in a row and the physical toll of the congested Christmas period overtook them here. Injuries forced the use of all three substitutes before the 40-minute mark, leaving Dyche’s plans seemingly in disarray at the break.

But Burnley came out fighting and Danny Ings, Ashley Barnes and Ben Mee all saw efforts rattle off the woodwork before Mee found Ings at the far post and he was able to cushion a header past Alnwick for a deserved equaliser.

The Magpies looked to have stolen a win on 77 minutes when Ayoze Perez and Adam Armstrong combined to set up Sissoko who slammed home Newcastle’s third but still Burnley would not lie down.

With four minutes left Ings wrong-footed Fabricio Coloccini and Dummett allowing George Boyd to burst into space and fire home an equaliser.

A low boo rumbled around the stadium after the final whistle, but who is to blame now?