Stoke City were indebted to goalkeeper Jack Butland for their battling 0-0 Barclays Premier League draw with Newcastle United at St James' Park.
The England international pulled off a string of superb saves to keep the scores level while at the other end Jonathan Walters missed the best chance of the contest when he could not turn in a fine Charlie Adam cross. Newcastle are now unbeaten in five at home against Stoke but are without a win in their last four BPL matches with the Potters.
Mark Hughes welcomed back his captain Ryan Shawcross, who made his first league appearance of the season after a persistent back problem.
Aleksandar Mitrovic came closest for the home side when he hit the post with a glancing header but Steve McClaren's men remain in the bottom three.
Newcastle were looking for a reaction to last weekend's 3-0 derby defeat to Sunderland and they started well with Ayoze Perez and Mitrovic linking up but the Serb's shot was saved.
The visitors were seeking a third straight away league win and should have taken the lead after 15 minutes. Adam's superb cross evaded Chancel Mbemba but Walters was unable to get a telling touch.
Mitrovic was at the heart of Newcastle's best play and Butland was lucky to see the striker's header from Moussa Sissoko's cross bounce back off the post.
Perez went close two minutes into the second half but his shot from 20 yards curled just wide.
Georginio Wijnaldum - scorer of four goals for Newcastle in their last home game against Norwich City - then brought a smart save out of Butland with a free-kick.
Stoke were threatening on the break and Rob Elliot was soon called into action for the first time, saving superbly from a Walters header after a fine Marko Arnautovic cross. Walters hit the rebound over.
Butland, the hero in Stoke's League Cup penalty shoot-out win against Chelsea in midweek, was keeping his team in the match and he made an outstanding save to deny Sissoko after the France midfielder had been played in by Wijnaldum. From the resulting corner, Mbemba thudded a header narrowly wide.
In the 58th minute Butland was called upon once again, parrying a 20-yard drive from Perez around the post as Newcastle started to dominate.
Butland was the fixture's outstanding player and he showed razor sharp reflexes to tip over a drive by Sissoko with seven minutes to go, before palming over substitute Jamaal Lascelles' header as both sides settled for a point.
Newcastle United manager Steve McClaren: "Four great saves from Jack Butland denied us a win and got Stoke a point. He was unbelievable and the difference between us and three points.
"We are building, growing and progressing - the last five games - we are getting there. There were lost of positives and the only disappointment is not getting the three points."
Stoke City manager Mark Hughes: "We were a bit frustrated in the first half. We had plenty of possession around their area but didn't look like we wanted to shoot. Their keeper has made a great save from Jon Walters.
"As the away team you are going to give away a couple of chances and when we did Jack Butland saved. He is doing exceptionally well. Jack is a very mature individual and I think that helps him."
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