STARS IN STRIPES

Bruce’s battlers show they’re up for the fight

NINE men in black and white, stood defiant in a 4-4-0 formation.

Nine men raised their arms in triumph to herald one of the most remarkable wins of Steve Bruce’s reign.

It was a blood-andsnot victory, as gutsy as it was chaotic in a cracking second half.

Southampton found themselves with a twoman advantage for the last 20 minutes of play, a game after losing 9-0 to Manchester United, because they themselves went down to nine men.

But they also found Bruce’s men willing to run themselves into the ground, splashing around a waterlogged pitch, to protect a 3-1 half-time lead.

Jeff Hendrick was sent off for two silly yellows reducing Newcastle to 10 men for the last 40 minutes.

When Fabian Schar was carried off after a big-impact block tackle trying to shoot, Bruce had no substitutes left to make a replacement. So it was down to nine men for the last 15, plus five minutes of injury time.

Sub Paul Dummett headed everything away, Isaac Hayden hooked balls and hassled, Miguel Almiron, already a scorer of two goals, sped around disrupting.

There was a loud roar at the final whistle at St James’ Park, even though there were no fans in.

It was a second win in four games for Bruce (above), as his side slowly frees itself from a two-month rut and a run of 10 defeats in 13 games.

It leaves Bruce’s position strengthened.

But Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, with just one win in 10 games and leaking goals at a rate of 12 in two hours when Almiron scored the clincher just before half-time, are on the slide.

No wonder he threw his arms in the air, spun on his heels and bellowed: “Oh My God”. Several times. At the defending on show. And when Danny Ings was denied by the inside of a post which would have made it 3-3.

It wasn’t just resilience from Newcastle. They cut through Saints with attacking play that was quick-witted and ruthless to score three, two from Almiron and one from Joe Willock.

“The last half hour was awful,” admitted Bruce, a nod to the excruciating hold-on-job they executed.

“The way we concede is far too easy,” said Hasenhuttl. “One man more, two men more at the end. There is a difference between a good team and a team that wants to be good.”

The heat will stay on the Saints boss.

Bruce now seems safe in his position for the season at least, 10 points clear of the bottom three.

He’s got his squad fighting, and out of a miserable run. And Allan Saint-Maximin is back creating, with two assists.

Toon fans say they only want a team who tries, not necessarily one which will compete for titles.

Bruce’s men proved they are indeed battlers – all nine of them.