Substitute Matt Ritchie came to Newcastle’s rescue as they fought back twice to snatch a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth in an incident-packed Premier League game at St James’ Park.
Ritchie had only been on the pitch for seconds when he scored in stoppage time, cancelling out Antoine Semenyo’s stunning strike just as it looked like the visitors would emerge with all three points.
Dominic Solanke’s 16th goal – and third against Eddie Howe’s men – of the season had given the Cherries the lead, but Anthony Gordon levelled with a contentiously-awarded penalty in front of a crowd of 52,224 which included sporting director Dan Ashworth, whose pursuit by Manchester United had thrust him into the headlines this week.
Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto enjoyed a stroke of good fortune when Gordon charged down his attempted clearance and saw the ball ricochet across his goal and wide of the far post, and his side might have gone ahead twice within seconds in the 16th minute.
First Martin Dubravka saved from from Marcus Tavernier’s long-range effort and then denied Solanke after Justin Kluivert, playing against one of his father Patrick’s former clubs, had carved his way into the Magpies penalty area.
The Slovakia international spared Newcastle once again with an instinctive 24th-minute block from Solanke after he had met Tavernier’s cross.
Miguel Almiron whistled a curling left-foot shot just wide after exchanging passes with Sean Longstaff and Fabian Schar warmed Neto’s hands from distance five minutes before the break, but there was to be no breakthrough before the half-time whistle.
In a scrappy start to the second half, Almiron drilled a 49th-minute attempt just over the bar after running on to Longstaff’s pass and side-stepping defender Illya Zabarnyi, but it was the visitors who took a 51st-minute lead thanks to a gift from Dubravka.
The keeper slipped after controlling Sven Botman’s back-pass and in the process served up a tap-in for Solanke.
Bournemouth’s lead lasted just seven minutes as the Magpies got themselves back on terms in controversial fashion.
Referee Michael Salisbury, who until that point had done little to endear himself to the home fans, was advised to review Adam Smith’s challenge on Schar inside the area and after a lengthy spell at the pitchside monitor pointed to the spot, much to Cherries boss Andoni Iraola’s disbelief.
In the absence of the injured Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson, Gordon took charge and dispatched his spot-kick firmly past Neto to level.
Kluivert fired wastefully over after Solanke had made a nuisance of himself and Marcos Senesi sent the ball inches wide of his own goal as he attempted to cut out Bruno Guimaraes’ cross with both sides going for victory.
The visitors regained the advantage with 21 minutes remaining when Semenyo picked up possession in space down the right and drew full-back Dan Burn before thumping a low shot past the helpless Dubravka.
Dubravka had to be at his best to claw away Lewis Cook’s deflected shot, setting the stage for Ritchie to level in the second of 10 minutes of added time, stabbing home from close range against his former club after his header from Guimaraes’ cross had been blocked by Cook.