FLIP FLIP HOORAY
Max factor is firing Newcastle
STEVE BRUCE gave Newcastle match-winner Allan Saint-maximin a huge hug, then got a rapturous ovation from the ecstatic Toon Army.
A fitting finale to a crazy afternoon of Var-fuelled drama on the south coast turned upside down by an early red card for the hosts’ Moussa Djenepo.
Newcastle boss Bruce has had his own rollercoaster ride in his first season in the St James’ Park hotseat.
And without back-infavour Saint-maximin’s late strike, it would have been another stomach-churning day for the Geordie gaffer.
Southampton had to play with 10 men for more than an hour after Djenepo’s Var-reviewed straight red.
But Toon looked like bungling the opportunity, courtesy of a sensational display from Saints keeper Alex Mccarthy – including a brilliant penalty stop.
The Toon chief Bruce, whose FA Cup quarterfinalists are now seven points clear of trouble, said: “In the end our fans got their reward. I just wanted to let them know how much they are appreciated.
“They’ve had flights cancelled but we had fiveand-a-half thousand at West Brom in midweek – and somehow they’ve all found the effort to get down here. God knows how they’ll get back. “We should never take these supporters for granted. They’re what makes this club unique. It’s been a decent week. They can enjoy it. “And 35 points gives us a platform. Nobody gave us a hope of getting that many.” Further improving Bruce’s mood was the impact of Frenchman Saint-maximin, dropped last week but back with a real vengeance. Bruce went on: “Their keeper’s made a treble save and then we miss a penalty. You’re thinking, ‘It’s one of those days’. But what a wonderful decision it was to leave Allan on the bench at Burnley! I’m delighted for him.”
Saints fans erupted in anger with ref Graham Scott after he used the pitch-side monitor to correctly dismiss Djenepo for a late, studs-up foul on Isaac Hayden.
Mccarthy, who had earlier denied Dwight Gayle and Miguel Almiron with an astonishing triple save, then flew to his left to keep out Matt Ritchie’s penalty – awarded by VAR for a Sofiane Boufal handball.
The second half was comparatively quiet – and the hosts, inspired by the heroics of their keeper, seemed destined for a vital point in the relegation fight.
You could only feel for the heroic Mccarthy when he was finally beaten by Saintmaximin’s low angled shot.
Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl said his squad would rally round Djenepo, who is just back from leave after his mother died.
Hasenhuttl said: “It will take a lot of work to lift his head and put a smile back on his face.”