TOON NEED WILL POWER
Super-sub Joe to rescue ... but boss Bruce warns: 35 points won’t save us
IF Joe Willock never kicks another ball for Newcastle, he’s earned the undying gratitude of the Toon Army.
The Arsenal loanee headed home an 82ndminute winner to all-but secure Premier League survival for the Geordies after it looked like they’d squandered a two-goal lead against 10-man West Ham.
The Hammers appeared down and out at half-time, after an Issa Diop own-goal, Craig Dawson being sent off, and then Joelinton pouncing on a howler from keeper Lukasz Fabianksi.
But with Newcastle sitting back after the break, Diop made amends by reducing the deficit on 73 minutes, and Jesse Lingard equalised from the penalty-spot seven minutes later following Ciaran Clark’s handball.
The Magpies were rocking, but after Ben Johnson brilliantly blocked a Jacob Murphy shot on his own goal-line, substitute Willock met Matt Ritchie’s cross with a bullet header.
Willock had scored in Newcastle’s last home win, against Southampton, and also earned a vital point with a late leveller a fortnight ago against Tottenham.
Toon boss Steve Bruce has endured a turbulent campaign – but landing Willock in the last transfer window is proving to have been an inspirational bit of business.
“We brought him here because of his ability to score goals and he’s certainly made quite an impact,” said Bruce. “Mind you, he won’t want to be known as a super-sub!
“I’m taking nothing for granted in terms of staying up because 35 points is not enough in my opinion.
“Getting back-to-back wins and playing like we did in the first half is pleasing, but now the aim is to beat last year’s points tally.”
Bruce could hardly have scripted an opening period this fruitful, though like every Newcastle fan his heart was in his mouth on 12 minutes when Allan Saint-Maximin was on the end of a feisty tackle by Vladimir Coufal.
For a few desperate moments, he must have feared the Toon talisman’s game was over
But the French magician recovered to unleash his full range of skills on an Irons defence that was in panic mode whenever he ran at it.
Saint-Maximin lasted an hour – and Bruce revealed afterwards that his star’s now-swollen ankle could make him a doubt for the trip to Liverpool next weekend.
Saint-Maximin had already tested Fabianski with one effort from outside the box, and then seen another goal-bound shot blocked by Diop, before he forged the vital breakthrough for Newcastle on 36 minutes.
Referee Kevin Friend had a key role in the hosts going ahead, playing an excellent advantage.
When Dawson failed to control the ball and compounded his error by hacking down Joelinton, the referee was about to blow his whistle. But instead, having spotted Saint-Maximin advancing on goal, he delayed taking action, enabling the Newcastle man to burst into the area.
Forced wide by Mark Noble, Saint-Maximin’s finish lacked power but Diop got himself in a terrible tangle as he tried to clear, only succeeded in putting off Fabianski, and then bundled the ball over the line. West Ham
were then dealt the double whammy when Friend gave Dawson his second yellow card after an earlier booking.
If Fabianski thought that was bad, there was worse to come when he failed to deal with a Ritchie corner – that allowed Joelinton to pounce from virtually under the bar and grab his second goal in successive home games.
The Toon’s record buy will never be a prolific marksman, but with his confidence high he might have had another before the break, only to see Fabianski partially redeem himself with a smart save.
For a team normally turbo-charged early on, the visitors were well undercooked through that first period, before hitting back strongly.
“The players showed great character coming back with 10 men,” said boss David Moyes (left). “The big disappointment was the last 10 minutes, when we couldn’t see the game out after getting it back to 2-2.
“But we’re not getting too down about it.”
Seasoned Magpies watchers won’t have been surprised when Newcastle didn’t go for the jugular in the second half, slipping into their bad old passive habits.
It might have had some really damaging consequences – but Willock saved the day again.