Just as Bournemouth’s Alex Scott seemed to have succeeded in building a personal playground by the Tyne, another midfielder emerged from the shadows and ruined his afternoon.
Since Matthias Jaissle succeeded Eddie Howe as Newcastle’s manager, Jacob Ramsey has been largely shunted to the margins, but substitute’s superbly executed 88th-minute equaliser ensured Scott and his teammates had to settle for a point.
Like Jaissle, Marco Rose is a German graduate of the Red Bull school of management and a former RB Salzburg manager. Big on verticality, intensity and relentless pressing, both men have much in common, but systems are only as good as the players within them and, in Scott, Rose had a player blessed with the brain and vision to dominate central midfield.
By the time Ramsey rose from the bench, Bournemouth should have been certain of their first win under Rose, but once again they proved incapable of retaining a lead and, thanks to Ramsey, Newcastle secured a face-saving draw.
Marcus Tavernier gave Bournemouth a ninth-minute lead. Setting the tone, Scott had started well and, when he advanced into the box, his shot was deflected into Tavernier’s path. Before a rather slapdash Newcastle had time to clear, the latter’s rapid reaction saw his deft finish whizz past Lukas Hornicek.
Jaissle attempted to argue that the goal should have been disallowed due to what he perceived as a foul by Adrien Truffert on Anthony Elanga in the buildup, but a video assistant review detected no offence. Meanwhile, Newcastle’s rearguard continued to wobble with Sven Botman looking particularly vulnerable.
As Evanilson spurned a chance to make Rose jump for joy, Jaissle received a reminder why the name Bournemouth is synonymous with “banana skin” on Tyneside. Newcastle, after all, had failed to beat their guests from Dorset in any of their previous eight Premier League meetings.
It is, of course, no longer the “Eddie Howe derby” – Jaissle’s predecessor used to manage Bournemouth – but the new occupant of St James’ Park’s home technical area was confronted with many of the problems that became so painfully familiar to Howe against these particular visitors.
No matter that Rose had replaced Andoni Iraola in the away dugout or that Jaissle started three of his eight summer signings with a further four looking on from the bench, Bournemouth were, again, finding the north-east air hugely restorative.
Indeed as the half-hour mark passed it was possible to wonder if a malicious cyberhacker based on the south coast had somehow programmed Newcastle’s players to forfeit possession at every opportunity. Jaissle’s team appeared at once cowed and overwhelmed by Rose’s ruthlessly clever press.
At this stage the only puzzle was how Bournemouth, with Scott increasingly impressive, were not at least 3-0 ahead. After his teammates had failed to polish off a series of chances, Justin Kluivert took matters into his own hands, unleashing a high-velocity shot from distance that rebounded off a combination of a post and Hornicek before dropping to Scott.
All that remained was for Malick Thiaw to register an own goal by deflecting Scott’s cross-shot beyond Hornicek. Cue Rose racing down the touchline before exchanging high fives with members of the travelling party.
Pride has an unfortunate habit of preceding falls and, sure enough, less than two minutes later, Bournemouth’s celebrations were rudely interrupted when the previously frustrating Harvey Barnes cut inside from the left and curled a wonderful shot past Djordje Petrovic.
Perhaps galvanised by a Jaissle half-time homily, Newcastle improved a little after the break. They came tantalisingly close to equalising when Joe Willock’s glancing header flashed fractionally off target following Yoane Wissa’s excellent cross and Elanga’s flick. After seeing Bournemouth squander leads during his first two Premier League games in charge, Rose was starting to look distinctly nervous.
With just over an hour gone, Jaissle increased Rose’s growing edginess by introducing his new £51m attacking signing. This time last week Matias Fernandez-Pardo was a Lille forward but now he was making his Newcastle debut in the No 10 role behind Wissa.
Bournemouth, though, refused to fold and Jaissle received a yellow card for persistently stepping outside his technical area as well as, possibly, repeatedly offering the fourth official a piece of his mind.
His mood brightened appreciably in the 88th minute. When Bournemouth failed to clear the fallout from Jacob Murphy’s cross, the ball fell to another home substitute. Ramsey needed no second invitation to make his presence felt, striking the ball low and cleanly into the bottom corner.
