Bristol City 2-2 Newcastle United
Adam Baker reports from Ashton Gate

City gave Championship league leaders Newcastle United a run for their money at Ashton Gate but let a two-goal lead slip to draw 2-2 in Keith Millen's first game in caretaker charge.

After a week of change at City - the end of Gary Johnson's four-and-a-half year reign - all the eyes of the country were on Ashton Gate looking for a response.

In front of a sell-out 19,144 crowd, by far the biggest of the campaign, a stunning first-half display saw Lewin Nyatanga and Nicky Maynard - with a screamer - shock the visitors.

Newcastle are promotion favourites for a reason and they certainly improved after the break, although they were given a helping hand back into the game when Dean Gerken's error allowed Jonas Gutierrez a simple goal.

And within five minutes they restored parity as Andy Carroll pounced inside the box on Wayne Routledge's cross.

Lewin Nyatanga celebrates his first goal for City

Millen opted to switch formation to 3-5-2, with Christian Ribeiro afforded a Championship debut at the back alongside Louis Carey and Nyatanga. Paul Hartley and Danny Haynes also earned recalls under the new caretaker boss regime.

City started with promise as Haynes - restored to the attack alongside Nicky Maynard - guided a Bradley Orr cross inches over the top with a flicked header.

Haynes broke the offside trap moments later but saw his shot deflect off Fitz Hall's leg and just wide of the far post.

The home side's impressive start finally paid dividends on ten minutes when a free kick on the edge of the box - awarded for Routledge's push on Cole Skuse - led to the opening goal. Maynard's low, driven shot was only parried out by Steve Harper and Nyatanga was the man on the spot to slide in the rebound.

The goal woke up Newcastle and Gutierrez's cross was nodded just over the top by Carroll, stationed at the back post.

City's biggest crowd of the season - 19,144 - watched on

Another clever free kick, this time from Hartley on 24 minutes, almost had City two-up. The former Celtic man's clipped pass found Carey at the back post and his header back across goal had to be hooked away near the goal-line by Hall.

Kevin Nolan whipped a left-foot shot wide from the edge of the box and then a misplaced clearance from Nyatanga afforded Leon Best a chance inside the penalty area. The £2m striker looked set to pounce but he was quickly closed down by Dean Gerken and Carey, with the later making a smart block to deny his marker.

Newcastle should have been level four minutes before half-time when a floated free kick towards the back post was headed back across goal by Best and perfectly into the path of Nolan. The experienced midfielder looked to have a simple task of beating Gerken but his downward header dropped straight into the waiting keeper's arms.

And the Magpies were made to pay on the stroke of the break. A raking pass forward from Orr was chased by Maynard and only just kept in by the touchline. The furthest man forward, Maynard embarked on a darting run goalwards and ignored team-mates getting up in support to send an unstoppable curler past Harper's diving body and in off the far post.

Nicky Maynard superbly puts City two goals to the good

There was still time for more drama as Carroll's pass in stoppage time put Danny Guthrie in the clear in the penalty area. The midfielder coolly rounded Gerken and looked certain to score but Hartley had raced back and provided a superb goal-line clearance before saluting the Atyeo Stand in jubilation.

Jamie McAllister was replaced at half-time by Evander Sno, who operated in midfield. Skuse was in turn asked to move across to left wing-back.

Sno almost enjoyed a dream first touch as Haynes' right-wing run and cross ran kindly into his path. The Ajax loan midfielder took his shot first time and struck it so well that the ball flashed into Harper's arms.

Newcastle responded through a substitute of their own as Hungarian defender Tamas Kadar advanced unchallenged and launched a low shot across the skiddy surface from 35 yards. Gerken did well to push out the shot and then recovered to pounce on the rebound.

Newcastle's second half fightback proved their credentials

Gerken produced a brilliant parried save to push clear a venomous Gutierrez shot from the edge of the box. But the City keeper soon went from hero to villain.

His throw out to Skuse left the midfielder in danger as Gutierrez was there to pick his pocket, run clear and score by rounding Gerken.

And that changed the flow of the game. Within five minutes the visitors were level as Routledge found space down the left side and cut the ball back for Carroll to finish six yards out.

Now the Magpies' tails were up and Gerken produced a stunning fingertip save to keep out a Best header from Fabrico Coloccini's pinpoint cross.

Gutierrez tested Gerken with a late angled shot but for once there was to be no last minute drama as the sides shared the spoils following the conclusion of a terrific game.