Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth: Matt Ritchie scores late equaliser

Not because he doesn’t rate or value the experienced forward – but because his last goal came almost four years ago in July 2020,. What a time to end that long, long wait. And although Newcastle’s wait for a home win goes on, they’ll be boosted by their late show against the Cherries, who were the better team and will undoubtedly feel they should be making the long trip back to the South Coast with three points rather than one.

It was goalless at half-time but it was never going to end that way. The second half was dramatic and chaotic – as is the case whenever this Newcastle side currently take to the pitch. That’s now 21 goals in the last four games the Magpies have been involved in. And they've conceded 20 in their last seven outings.

The control that Eddie Howe craves was once again absent – as was cutting edge, inevitable, perhaps, with no natural striker in black and white. Newcastle had 17 shots but their only goal before Ritchie's late heroics came from the penalty spot. How Howe would love Dominic Solanke leading his line, but Bournemouth’s form striker looked set to be frustrated when he was twice denied by Dubravka in the first half before disaster struck for the keeper six minutes after the restart and the Cherries were gifted the opener.

Gordon got the goal his tireless display deserved from the spot before Semenyo – who troubled Dan Burn from the off – looked to have won it for the visitors. That was before the surprise stoppage time hero struck.

Bournemouth swatted Newcastle aside with ease when the sides met back in November, the start of a stunning run in which the Cherries picked up 19 points from a possible 21 – but that momentum disappeared and Androni Iraola’s side headed for St James’ Park winless in five.

They didn’t look shy of confidence early doors, though. It was the visitors who were far brighter and crisper in the opening exchanges. They moved the ball with pace and purpose, Semenyo was a threat down the right and three set-pieces asked questions of Dubravka.

Dubravka came to Newcastle’s rescue just after quarter of an hour when Justin Kluivert beat the offside trap and squared for Dominic Solanke, who looked certain to score but was denied by the home keeper. That save was good but there’d soon be better, for just 10 minutes later the Newcastle keeper again frustrated Solanke, making a stunning pointblank stop with his feet after the striker met a Marcus Tavernier cross from the left.

Iraola will have undoubtedly been the happier of the two bosses at the midway point of the first half but Newcastle had had their moments. As lively as Gordon was, if he possessed the natural instincts of a striker perhaps he’d have buried an early chance when he headed a Trippier cross wide. There was no faulting the effort of the makeshift frontman, mind, and it was his tireless running that almost made a fool of Neto, who very nearly paid the price for his pondering indecision when the visiting keeper’s attempted pass from his own box was charged down, the ball flashing just wide of the far post.

Come half-time, there was both encouragement and frustration in the home stands. Newcastle had improved as the half went on. They upped the intensity, Almiron had flashed a shot just wide and Schar had stung the hands of Neto. But their rhythm was disrupted by the niggly visitors, who committed 11 fouls but only had one player booked – Ryan Christie.

Unlike the first half, it was Newcastle who were the more positive of the two teams after the restart and Almiron wasn’t far away from finding the opener when he was set away by a brilliant Longstaff pass and fired just over.

But calamity then struck in the cruellest fashion for Dubravka, who gifted Solanke the opener when he slipped at the worst possible time, allowing the striker a tap-in.

Bournemouth were ahead for just seven minutes, although the halt in play for VAR deliberations after Fabian Schar tumbled in the penalty box was almost as long.

After a check for the foul and an offside in the build-up, Michael Salisbury was sent to the monitor and the home fans knew what was coming. So too did Anthony Gordon, who made no mistake.

Iraola was furious with the decision but his players didn’t feel sorry for themselves. Kluivert twice went close, as did Bruno at the other end. There was no way it was finishing 1-1.

Gordon was chasing his and Newcastle’s second and had a glorious chance when he ghosted in behind the Bournemouth defence and attempted to round Neto, only for the keeper to snatch the ball from the forward’s grasp. It was a missed opportunity Newcastle would immediately regret, for they were ruthlessly punished by Bournemouth on the counter. Semenyo was set away down the right, Burn backed off and the winger fired low into the far corner.

Ritchie was introduced alongside Joe White after one of 10 added minutes at the end of the second half and immediately struck from close range to snatch a point.