- Newcastle beaten by Bournemouth as they missed chance to rise up to sixth in the Premier League
- Dwight Gayle slotted home in the first half however it was ruled out for a marginal offside decision
- Callum Wilson missed great opening at start of second half, curling into the side netting for the visitors
- Bournemouth travelled up to the north east from the south coast as the second bottom side in the league
- They almost won the three points late on when Marc Pugh hit the post then had a shot cleared off the line
- The pressure finally paid off when defender Steve Cook slammed in the winner in injury time
By Craig Hope for The Mail on Sunday
Published: 12:52 EDT, 4 November 2017 | Updated: 14:15 EDT, 4 November 2017
Rafa Benitez chose the eve of this game to refute claims that his Newcastle side are boring. The response was a fourth 1-0 defeat of the season as Bournemouth’s Steve Cook stole a stoppage-time victory.
It was a deserved win for the visitors on the evidence of their second-half ambition, sensing that the hosts were a spent force and duly pressing for maximum points.
Indeed, Benitez’s team did not register an effort on target in the second half and would have been fortunate to escape with a point, as had looked likely when the contest entered injury-time – but it was defender Cook who intervened to meet Andrew Surman’s corner in the 92nd minute as he headed his first goal in 11 months.

Bournemouth gave their hardy travelling support reason to cheer with a late winner in the north east against Newcastle


Steve Cook powered in a header from a corner in the 92nd minute to earn all three points for the visiting side


Bournemouth had piled on the pressure in the late stages and the powerful headed winner from Cook was deserved
MATCH FACTS, LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE
Newcastle (4-4-2): Elliot 7; Yedlin 6, Lejeune 7, Lascelles 6 (Clark 55, 6), Manquillo 5.5; Ritchie 6.5, Hayden 6, Shelvey 6, Atsu 6.5 (Murphy 82); Gayle 6, Joselu 5 (Perez 68, 5)
Unused subs: Darlow, Gamez, Diame, Mitrovic
Bookings: Lejeune 64, Shelvey 84
Bournemouth (4-4-2): Begovic 7; Francis 6, Ake 7, Cook 7.5, Daniels 6; Ibe 5 (Defoe 76, 5), Arter 6, Surman 6, Pugh 6; King 5.5, Wilson 5.5 (Smith 75, 5)
Unused subs: Boruc, Gosling, L. Cook, Fraser, Mousset
Goal: S. Cook 90+2
Bookings: Surman 20, Francis 77
MOM: Steve Cook
Ref: P Tierney 6
Att: 52, 237
Season at glance
- Premier League
- Premier League
- Championship
- League One
- League Two
- Scottish Premiership
- Scottish Div 1
- Scottish Div 2
- Scottish Div 3
- Ligue 1
- Serie A
- La Liga
- Bundesliga


Steve Cook won the game in the second minute of stoppage time when he rose to power in a Bournemouth corner. For more stats and facts, visit our exclusive MATCH ZONE service by clicking here.
It had been put to Benitez on Friday that his team is uneasy on the eye and, while he rejected that accusation, he did start with two in attack for the first time this season. It was a tactic which worked, at least in terms of offensive intent.
It has been a frustration of home supporters this season that their side are too conservative, even if results have justified the means, but here was all-out attack from the off. The problem was they failed to convert their dominance into goals.
Matt Ritchie was involved in everything good about the Magpies during an energised opening in which his low blast was tipped wide by Asmir Begovic. He then provided the cross from which Dwight Gayle flashed a header on goal, only for the ball to hit Cook inside the six-yard area. Gayle – the man restored to the line-up to partner Joselu up top – appealed for a penalty. The effort, though, had crashed into the upper chest of the centre-back.
Christian Atsu, like fellow wideman Ritchie, saw a lot of the ball early on and he twice went close, first seeing a rising drive flipped over by Begovic before a measured curler was deflected wide off the impassable Cook. Those strikes came either side of Gayle's close-range poke which was disallowed for offside, although it looked a very tight call.


Newcastle striker Dwight Gayle had the ball in the net in the first half, however the goal was disallowed for an offside call


Gayle reacts after being denied a goal by the assistant referee's flag on a rare league start for the Magpies this season


Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson reacts after curling a great opening into the side netting at the start of the second half


Wilson curled the ball around Newcastle keeper Rob Elliot, but he could only hit the side netting and should have done better


In a game of few chances, Wilson's miss was a blow for a Cherries side who started the weekend in the league bottom three


Marc Pugh hit the post and had a shot cleared off the line as Bournemouth piled on late pressure, and made it count


Newcastle suffered a blow on 55 minutes when captain and centre back Jamaal Lascelles was forced off with an injury
Joselu then dragged a 20-yard shot wide of goal when he had better options around him, and there ended the home pressure for the opening period, which closed with Bournemouth front pair Callum Wilson and Josh King both being denied by fine saves from Rob Elliot.
The second half was six minutes old when King sprung Wilson clear. This time Elliot was not forced into a save and the striker steered into the side-netting, somewhat hopelessly given he had just the goalkeeper to beat.
Elliot had slightly more to do moments later when Marc Pugh – unmarked at the far post – headed towards the bottom corner from a Jordan Ibe cross but the custodian was equal to it with a flying save.
Newcastle offered little by way of response and it wasn’t until 10 minutes from time that Atsu lashed wide from 25 yards. Pugh then saw his close-range effort deflect off both Elliot and Ciaran Clark before clattering the post in the 88th minute and it looked as if the game would end in a stalemate. Cook, though, had other ideas.


Newcastle United's Javi Manquillo in action with Bournemouth's Wilson in the first half at St. James' Park


Wilson is tackled by Florian Lejeune during a tightly contested and competitive first half in the North East on Saturday


Newcastle striker Joselu holds his ankle after going down under a tough tackle during a combative opening period


Newcastle defensive midfielder Isaac Hayden brings the ball under control in the first 45 minutes, which was goalless


Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey tries to gain possession of the ball under intense pressure from Charlie Daniels


Rob Elliot had an impressive game in goal for Newcastle, making a number of crucial saves in order to maintain parity


Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez was hoping Newcastle could continue their good form on returning to the Premier League


Eddie Howe's Bournemouth began the afternoon second from bottom of the Premier League after a poor start to the season


Both sides stopped for a minute's silence before the game, in the final league match before Remembrance Sunday
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