Wellbeing remains a lingering theme at St James’ Park, with Joe Kinnear’s weekend release from hospital followed by a pair of Everton players checking in, but Newcastle United have a somewhat healthier outlook this morning. This has been a pallid, sickly season, full of injury and insult, but contrary to the evidence of recent months, their decline may not quite be terminal.

A day that began with a rally of supporters in the city centre ended with a spirited draw earned against the odds and Nicky Butt stating that “everyone is happy.”

Butt’s enthusiasm could be excused as a result of coursing adrenalin, but it was certainly not shared by David Moyes, who declared that his patched-up, lopsided team were now approaching “breaking point.”

Everton were entitled to feel aggrieved by events on Gallowgate, their shape disrupted by the loss of Mikel Arteta and Victor Anichebe before half-time, the latter flattened by Kevin Nolan, who was promptly dismissed. Newcastle had been poor — Steve Harper mustered one brilliant save to repel a glancing header from Joseph Yobo — but their spirits were roused by the taxing circumstances.

Nolan may not be a vicious footballer, but his challenge on Anichebe in the 44th minute was impossible to excuse, a two-footed lunge that caught the Everton forward on his lower leg. It was the kind of tackle that shatters bones or severs ligaments and if it was out of character for Nolan, it also lacked context at the end of a first half which had grumbled benignly.

Everton had been distressed by the early departure of Arteta, carried from the field on a stretcher after seven minutes, but the Spaniard had merely landed awkwardly when confronted innocuously by Peter Lovenkrands. Arteta, who damaged a knee, was driven straight to Merseyside for a scan, again leaving his manager cursing his misfortune. Anichebe would soon follow.

The return of Marouane Fellaini and Louis Saha to active duty - both would appear from the substitutes’ bench - was balanced by two more injuries, another strain on a first-team squad that has been permitted little respite. It says something about Nolan that he waited in the tunnel to apologise to a limping Anichebe for his misdemeanour - the pair embraced - but it was a meagre consolation.

The disruption favoured Newcastle, who used the interval to regroup and scheme. “Chris Hughton [the caretaker manager] and Colin Calder-wood [the first-team coach] told us not to go gung-ho,” Butt said, “and hopefully get a goal from a set-piece. It was all hands to the pump. We’ve got a passionate set of supporters here who always want us to press forward, but we had to be disciplined. With ten men for so long, it’s a good point.”

Harper enjoyed a fine game, yet as the afternoon matured, he was more observer than participant. In the final moments, the goalkeeper flung himself at full stretch to block a low shot from Jack Rodwell, the 17-year-old, but aside from that, Everton were toothless.

“In the end, we were just too patched up to get any real rhythm or flow into our game,” Moyes said.

The best chance fell to Newcastle, but after a slick passing move that left Lovenkrands with only Tim Howard ahead of him, the ball skidded wide.

More than a single point would not have been warranted, but the commitment in evidence — allied to the return to fitness of Obafemi Martins, Alan Smith and Mark Viduka, all of whom were available — suggest that relegation should be avoided.

Ryan Taylor showed promise and a wicked delivery on the right flank, while Sébastien Bassong was again superb at centre half.

“I’m delighted for this group of lads,” Hughton said. “It was always going to be tough against Everton, but what happened meant that we’ve had to show a lot of character and resilience. It’s something to build on.”

Newcastle (4-4-2): S Harper 8 - S Taylor 6, F Coloccini 6, S Bassong 8, J Enrique 7 - R Taylor 7, K Nolan 3, N Butt 7, D Duff 4 - F Ameobi 4, P Lovenkrands 4. Substitutes: J Gutiérrez 5 (for Duff, 46min), O Martins 5 (for Ameobi, 58), A Smith (for Lovenkrands, 77). Not used: C Caçapa, Gérémi, M Viduka, T Krul. Next: Bolton Wanderers (a).

Everton (4-4-2): T Howard 5 - P Jagielka 6, J Yobo 7, J Lescott 7, L Baines 5 - P Neville 6, M Arteta 3, J Rodwell 7, D Gosling 6 - V Anichebe 5, Jô 4. Substitutes: S Castillo 5 (for Arteta, 7min), M Fellaini 5 (for Anichebe, 45), L Saha (for Gosling, 74). Not used: C Nash, A van der Meyde, L Jacobsen, J Wallace. Next: West Bromwich Albion (h).

Referee: L Mason Attendance: 47,683