Key events
Managerial verdicts to come … but Ben Fisher’s is already in. Here it is!
Player of the match Philip Billing talks to Sky Sports. “A good point but we can be a bit disappointed … we had chances … we should be disappointed not to take three points but Newcastle are a top side and one point will do … we knew we had to be up for it and match them, and we did that well … we looked dangerous going forward … we go again … we defended well and started to look like a proper team … we looked good … we take the one point and build on that in the next games.”
Both teams applaud their fans. Newcastle give theirs some extra love, because they’ve got a long trek home. Then all four corners of the ground rise to give Eddie Howe an ovation. A lovely moment for the erstwhile Bournemouth manager, for whom this reception clearly means an awful lot. He looks emotional, close to tears – good tears, the sweet sort – and it’s a really moving scene. He disappears modestly down the tunnel. His team won’t go above Manchester United, but they move a further point ahead of fifth-placed Spurs with a game in hand. Bournemouth, so close to snatching all three points, will be happy enough with the precious one they earned when it all comes down. They stay second from bottom but nudge a little closer to the safety line.
FULL TIME: Bournemouth 1-1 Newcastle
Probably the right result on balance, though the hosts came within inches of nicking it, Solanke denied on the line by Trippier. A better point for Bournemouth, who played above their recent levels, than Newcastle, who played below theirs.
90 min +7: Before the throw, Stephens is booked for kicking the ball away and wasting time. Anderson is then caught offside. That should be that.
90 min +6: Fredericks romps down the right wing but can’t quite get past Gordon and Burn. He settles for a throw, deep in Newcastle territory. From the throw, Solanke drifts in from the right wing only to slice wildly left of the target. That’s most likely Bournemouth’s last chance. Will Newcastle get one as they travel up the other end?
90 min +4: A Newcastle corner from the right. Trippier’s delivery isn’t all that. Tavernier heads clear. Newcastle come again. Tavernier clears again, this time by dribbling upfield. Joelinton scythes him down in the professional style, taking one for the team as Bournemouth threaten to launch a counter.
90 min +2: There will be seven added minutes. A lot of nervous fans watching on.
90 min: Solanke is this close to scoring a winner. Burn is robbed by Traore down the right. He crosses low. Semenyo dummies for Solanke, who backheels towards goal. Pope is beaten, but Trippier swishes off the line at the second attempt. The referee’s watch doesn’t buzz. Most of the ball went over the line … but not all of it. What an intervention by Trippier!
89 min: Newcastle pin Bournemouth back for a couple of minutes. The home side hold their shape comfortably enough. But then Anderson dribbles in from the left. He’s eased off the ball by Fredericks and Lerma. Newcastle scream for a penalty, but there’s no way it’s being awarded. Then Botman lunges in on Tavernier, and is extremely fortunate not to pick up a second yellow.
87 min: Before it can be taken, Botman shoves Lerma in the chest. Burn isn’t happy with the way Lerma crumples to the floor. For a second, it looks like kicking off, but Lerma eventually gets back up and Botman is booked. Finally Traore lashes a hopeless free kick deep into the stand. What a waste of everyone’s time.
86 min: Semenyo dribbles down the inside-left channel and draws a clumsy foul from Joelinton. A free kick in a dangerous position, just to the left of the Newcastle box, 25 yards out. Traore stands over it.
84 min: Saint-Maximin, grimacing hard, is helped off, hobbling. Anderson comes on in his place.
83 min: Isak crosses from the right. Saint-Maximin goes up with Fredericks at the far post. Fredericks wins a clearing header, then Saint-Maximin goes down having twisted his knee while landing. There was no contact with an opponent. Carabao Cup final injury concerns are suddenly piling up for the Toon.
81 min: Murphy comes on for an ailing Almiron, who landed awkwardly on his arm a couple of minutes ago. Lerma might also have stood on his hand in the same incident.
79 min: Bournemouth make a double change. Fredericks and Semenyo replace Smith and Ouattara.
77 min: Gordon cuts in from the left and takes a bash. The ball pings off Lerma and out for a corner on the left. Trippier takes. Lerma heads clear. Both teams are a little bit frantic at the moment. Neither look totally settled as they pursue a late winner – or try to avoid conceding one.
75 min: Trippier swings the resulting free kick into the mixer. An easy claim for Neto.
74 min: Gordon drops a shoulder with the intention of tearing past Smith along the left touchline. Smith drags him back at the expense of a booking.
72 min: Neto took a whack from Longstaff there, and requires a bit of treatment. The game restarts after he’s given the once-over and cleared.
70 min: Neto gets away with a big mistake. Saint-Maximin dribbles into the box from the left and hits a weak curler. Neto should gather, but spills the ball off his chest. Longstaff tries to prod the rebound home from six yards, but hits the keeper. The second rebound is poked wide left from six yards by Gordon. What an escape for the keeper!
69 min: The ball bagatelles its way down the inside-right channel. Suddenly it sits up for Isak, who lashes wildly over from a tight angle, ten yards out. The flag eventually goes up for offside. Bournemouth counter, Tavernier cutting in from the left and steering an effort towards the bottom right. He doesn’t quite catch it, and that’s easy for Pope.
67 min: Ouattara cops one in the face from Burn’s flailing arm. On comes the trainer. VAR takes a look, but just like the referee, shows no interest. The physio comes on, though.
65 min: Saint-Maximin dribbles in from the left then crosses deep to absolutely nobody. Goal kick. Speaking of Saint-Maximin, here’s Brian Robson: “If he’s trying to play himself into contention for a regular spot, he’s not doing anything to help his cause, neither effort, direction nor attitude are helping his cause. Please mention that I used nor in a sentence also.”
63 min: Tavernier takes a good whiff of smelling salts, then comes on to replace Anthony.
62 min: Solanke runs after a long pass down the right. He tangles with last man Botman and goes to ground. He wants a free kick, and possibly a red card for Botman, but there really wasn’t much in it, and it’s not even a foul. The home fans aren’t happy, mind.
61 min: Traore curls the resulting free kick into the Newcastle box from a deep position on the right. Burn is forced to telescope a leg and deflect out for a corner, from which nothing comes.
60 min: Smith bursts down the inside-right channel only to be clipped from behind by Gordon, who goes into the book.
59 min: Traore pings a pass down the right for Ouattara to chase. Pope again denies Ouattara by striding out of his box and belting the ball into the stand.
58 min: All a bit scrappy and disjointed again. This hasn’t been a classic.
56 min: Zemura races with great purpose down the inside-left channel. He’s making good ground, only to be robbed elegantly by Almiron, who zips off up the other end. The ball’s given to Saint-Maximin, who glides in from the left and aims for the top-right corner. He only finds the top-right corner of the stand behind.
54 min: Gordon barges into Lerma and concedes a free kick near the centre circle. It’s played down the left for Zemura, who diddles his way past Almiron but can’t get around Trippier. Goal kick.
52 min: Senesi has taken a whack to the coccyx – that’s gotta hurt – and makes way for Mepham.
51 min: Burn is extremely fortunate not to go into the book for a frustrated bash at a ball that had gone out for a Bournemouth throw. The referee Stuart Attwell is in a mellow mood.
50 min: Isak competes for a long ball with Stephens. He spins away from his opponent and for a second looks to be clear on goal, but Senesi comes across to deal with the danger.
48 min: Lerma creams a pass down the right, nearly releasing Ouattara. Pope is forced to race out of his area to blooter clear.
46 min: Bournemouth fly out of the traps and instigate some head tennis in the Newcastle box. Nothing comes of it, but their intention to go again is writ large.
Bournemouth get the second half underway. No changes. “In a potentially awkward coincidence, Bournemouth defender Adam Smith shares his name with a renowned 18th-century economist and philosopher who wrote, ahem, The Wealth of Nations.” Peter Oh, there, ladies and gentlemen. He’s here all week. Try the unfettered free-market kool-aid.
Half-time schadenfreude. With apologies to Saints fans, here’s something to make Bournemouth supporters feel a little better.
HALF TIME: Bournemouth 1-1 Newcastle
Tough on Bournemouth, who were the better side. Newcastle had been awful. But cream has a habit of rising, and that was one heck of a swashbuckling equaliser just before the half-time whistle! All set up for a very interesting second half.
GOAL! Bournemouth 1-1 Newcastle (Almiron 45+2)
Newcastle have been poor during this first half, but they’ll get out of it on terms! Saint-Maximin drifts in from the left. He rolls a pass towards Longstaff, bombing into space down the middle. Longstaff pearls a low drive towards the bottom right. Neto saves spectacularly, only for the ball to rebound to Almiron, who opens his body and slots across the keeper and into the bottom left!
45 min: Ouattara dribbles down the right and crosses low for Zemura, who turns down the chance to get a quick shot away from the edge of the box. A decent half-chance passes Bournemouth by.
44 min: A little bit of space down the left for Isak, who goes on to dribble an extremely tame shot at Neto. Easy for the keeper. He’s had very little to do so far. Newcastle have been poor.
42 min: Stephens brushes Saint-Maximin off the ball with ease. About one second later, Longstaff comes clattering in by way of retribution. He arrived at just the right moment in pure comedic terms, but in relation to the laws of the game, that’s a no-no. Foul!
40 min: Saint-Maximin skedaddles down the left and nearly finds Gordon in the middle with his cross. Stephens is on point to deal with the danger.
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