Joe blow takes the gloss off a five-star show for Mart men
STEVE BRUCE gave his Newcastle match winner Allan SaintMaximin a huge hug before receiving a rapturous ovation from the ecstatic Toon Army.
Which was a fitting finale to a crazy afternoon of VAR-fuelled drama on the South Coast.
After all, Newcastle boss Bruce has hardly been top of the popularity charts on Tyneside during a roller-coaster first season in the hotseat.
If not for back-in-favour Saint-Maximin’s late strike grabbing the points here, it would have been another tough, testing day for the Geordie gaffer.
Southampton had to play with 10 men for more than an hour after losing Moussa Djenepo to a VAR-reviewed straight red.
And courtesy of a sensational display from keeper Alex McCarthy – including a brilliant penalty stop – they managed to keep out the goal-shy Magpies until 10 minutes from time.
No wonder Bruce was both relieved and happy as he paid a glowing tribute to the club’s long-suffering fanbase.
The Toon chief, whose FA Cup quarter-finalists are now seven points clear of trouble, said: “In the end they got their reward. I just wanted to let them know how much they are appreciated.
“They’ve had flights cancelled but we had five and a half thousand at West
Brom
– and they somehow have all found the effort to get down here. God knows how they’ll get back.
“And 35 points gives us a platform. Nobody gave us a hope in hell of getting that.”
Further improving Bruce’s mood was the impact of Frenchman Saint-Maximin. He had been dropped last week but returned with a vengeance.
Bruce added: “Their keeper made a treble save that was ridiculous and then we miss the penalty. You’re thinking, ‘It’s going to be one of those days.’
“What a wonderful decision it was to leave Allan on the bench at Burnley.
“He’s always going to please people because he’s a natural footballer. He can be frustrating at times and still has to learn.”
Frustration was the name of the game for both sides in the opening 45 minutes.
Firstly, Saints fans erupted in anger at referee Graham Scott after he used the pitch-side monitor to correctly dismiss Djenepo for a late, studs-up foul on Isaac Hayden.
Then it was their rivals at the other end fuming as they watched McCarthy, who had earlier denied Dwight Gayle and Miguel Almiron with an astonishing triple save, fly 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, clearly inspired by the heroics of their England keeper, seemed destined for a vital point in the relegation fight.
One could only feel for McCarthy, though, when he was finally beaten by Saint-Maximin’s low angled shot at the death.
Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl admitted he was devastated by the result –
before promising that the club would rally around Djenepo.
The Saints star had only just returned from compassionate leave after his mother passed away.
And the Austrian coach said: “It will take a lot of work to lift his head and put a smile back on his face. It’s a very difficult time for him. We are all there to support him.”
STOKE boss Michael O’Neill admitted his side’s relegation battle triumph was tinged with sadness.
The impressive Potters tore the Tigers to shreds but talisman skipper Joe Allen was ruled out for the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles.
Wales international Allen was carried off on a stretcher at half-time after an awkward fall.
“I’m devastated for Joe, it’s a huge blow for us,” said O’Neill.
“His injury has taken the gloss off everything for us.
“Other than the situation with Joe it was the perfect day for us.”
Midfielders Sam Clucas and Nick Powell both bagged braces and striker
Tyrese Campbell was also on the scoresheet in a classy, dominant display.
Victory extended the Potters’ unbeaten run to four matches – and well and truly dragged the tamed Tigers into the relegation dogfight.
Leonardo Da Silva Lopes netted a consolation for the visitors with 17 minutes remaining but the damage had already been done.
And there was still time for Clucas and Powell to double up in the second half as the Potters climbed four places in the table, while the misfiring Tigers dropped four to 21st.
Powell headed the hosts into a deserved 11th-minute lead with a bullet header before the Potters doubled their lead from the penalty spot five minutes later.
Irish defender Sean McLoughlin inexplicably handled Jordan Thompson’s inswinging corner and Campbell made no mistake from the spot, lashing a shot into the bottom left-hand corner.
And it got even better two minutes later when Clucas netted against his old club by rifling into the top corner.
Hull went within a whisker of conceding a fourth goal when former Manchester United man Powell – signed last summer from Wigan Athletic – chipped inches wide of the right upright.
Keeper George Long thwarted Campbell from point-blank range and then produced a superb diving save to turn Clucas’ stinging drive past the post.
Clucas netted his second shortly after the resumption and Powell got his second with four minutes remaining to complete his great day at the office.
“We didn’t deserve anything, we were poor,” said Tigers boss McCann, whose side have not won in their last 11 league matches.
“The players need to find their inner belief and stand up, be manly and take that on the chin.
“It’s a first for me, fans singing to my players that they aren’t fit to wear the shirt.”
His Hull side are now hovering just one place above the relegation zone, two points clear of Charlton – who they meet in their next match on Saturday.