LASCELLES POUNCES LATE TO HAND NEWCASTLE A LIFELINE

IF Newcastle are to survive this season, then it is going to be a painful process and most certainly a desperate watch.

This was a third draw on the spin but it is wins Steve Bruce’s side need given the form of rivals Fulham. The Magpies now have two victories from 17 in the Premier League.

A point edges them two clear of danger, but home matches against off-colour opponents need to be taken advantage of — and Newcastle just do not seem capable right now.

They needed a Jamaal Lascelles 94th-minute equaliser after Ollie Watkins put Villa in front four minutes from time.

This was Newcastle’s first game back at St James’ since the 1-1 draw against Wolves a fortnight ago that proved the catalyst for Bruce’s training-ground bust-up with Matt Ritchie.

Bruce earmarked a run of four matches against Wolves, West Brom, Villa and next weekend’s trip to Brighton as key to boosting their tally.

But it is now three points from the first three and you get the feeling their fate will depend as much on the results of relegation adversaries Fulham and Brighton.

When these sides met in January, it was a stroll for Villa. Jack Grealish had been the star but, without their injured talisman here, Villa’s first-half offering lacked the energy and invention of six weeks ago.

They saw a lot of the ball early on but did not seem too sure what to do with it.

Newcastle, meanwhile, are either too cautious or too careless when they do enjoy some attacking territory, and the inclusion of £40million club-record signing Joelinton continues to mystify.

A 60-second passage in which both sides then surrendered positions of promise — Newcastle’s Ryan Fraser slipped and Watkins overran the ball — were symptomatic of a game terribly low on quality.

The best effort of the opening hour was courtesy of Villa defender Matt Targett — but that was a headed back-pass that had goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez scrambling to spare his team-mate’s blushes. Newcastle survived a scare when Watkins’ cross evaded Dubravka but also drifted above the unmarked brow of Anwar El Ghazi at the far post.

Newcastle substitute Jacob Murphy then cracked the crossbar before the late drama of a goal for either side.