A thrilling encounter at Coach Lane saw the sides share the spoils after 90 minutes of dramatic Northern Alliance action.
The Saints came into the game with one win and one defeat at the start of the new season and handed a debut to Dale Hood in the midfield while there were also first starts of the season for Luke Taylor, Ryan Ferrier, Ross Thirlaway and goalkeeper Ellis Burns.
Jesmond had beaten the Saints 6-1 in the corresponding fixture last season and they almost went ahead inside the first five minutes when a corner was missed by Burns and the ball luckily evaded evaded everyone in the area and went out for a goal kick.
The Quay went ahead in the fifteenth minute after some fine football, Liam Taylor received the ball in the middle of the park and slotted a perfect through ball to forward Brandon Williams who timed his run to run through and coolly slot the ball low past Jesmond keeper Michael Hughes to open the scoring.
Thirlaway almost made it 2-0 to the Saints after a mix up in the Jesmond back line saw keeper Hughes rush out of his goal to clear but only to the feet of Thirlaway whose attempted lob was thwarted by the outstretched hands of the keeper who had returned to his area.
Jesmond should of levelled the game as Quay captain Stephen King was caught on the ball last man and Jesmond striker Stewart Wright ran clean through only to be denied by a smart save from Burns who tipped the ball wide for a corner.
The home side did get their goal in their next attack however as Wright was afforded way too much space 25 yards out and he made the most of it by firing off a strike that looped of a Saints defender and over the helpless Burns into the net to tie the game up at 1-1.
The Saints almost gifted Jesmond with a goal when Luke Taylor was robbed of the ball in the penalty area by forward Pemp Kalungama who was desperately unlucky to see his effort cannon back off the bar to the relief of Willington.
Seconds before the half time whistle Jesmond were awarded a penalty after the tricky Kalungama was brought down in the area by midfielder Hood, Wright stepped up to take the spot kick but was denied by a great save from Burns who guessed right diving to his left to keep the score level at 1-1 at the break.
Straight after the interval the Saints restored their lead with Williams again getting the goal as he pounced on a mix up in the Jesmond defence after Jack Renwick had headed the ball on to run through and finish clinically, curling the ball high into the corner from just inside the area.
Chances came and went for Jesmond with Kalungama wasting two glorious chances to equalize heading over from point blank range before a brilliant turn in the box was let down by a tame effort wide then their captain headed over from 4 yards with the goal gaping as the Quay just about held on to their lead.
The Quay looked like they were going to have a glorious chance to score again when midfielder Dec King ran on to his own through ball as two teammates returned from an offside position but the referee blew for offside to the dismay of the Saints management.
The pressure finally told with fifteen minutes to go as the home side equalized with a wonderful strike from Wright, a free kick 25 yards out was brilliantly dispatched into the top corner clipping the bar on its way in to the admiration of both sets of supporters.
Thirlaway had a glorious chance to win it for the Saints as he raced through only to be denied by a great save from Hughes before firing the rebound past the keeper but not past a heroic goal line clearance from a Jesmond defender
Defender Renwick was then the first Quay player to be sin binned since the new ruling came into place meaning they would have to play the final 8 minutes with ten men and they did with only one scare when Kalungama spurned another great chance as a long throw fell into his path but his poor touch took him away from goal and his effort went wide of the post.
A point a piece after a cracking game with both sides missing guilt edged chances to take more than a point, the two sides looking more than capable of launching a promotion push this season. The Saints take on Gateshead Redheugh on Wednesday before hosting Stobswood Welfare at the barking dog on Saturday 2.30ko.
