Newcastle United scrape through to FA Cup fourth round via 7-6 win on penalties against Bournemouth
What is it with Newcastle United and Bournemouth? We just cannot beat them in normal time, or indeed in extra time even when we're winning after 120 minutes.
As has been the tradition this season, Newcastle dominated possession and didn't do a great deal with it. It took until the second half to turn that possession into a goal.
Harvey Barnes picked up where he left off against Leeds by getting on the end of a sublime Nick Woltemade through ball and slotting it home for his third goal in two games.
Then, as we've done so many times this season, once the goal went in, the Magpies switched off, and it wasn't long before Bournemouth were back in the game via Alex Scott.
Bournemouth made life very difficult for Newcastle as usual
It took just another six minutes for Bournemouth to take the lead, and it was starting to look like that familiar tale of Newcastle's season.
Fortunately, Sandro Tonali was brought down in the box by Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, and Anthony Gordon was able to convert from the spot to restore parity.
The last thing Newcastle needed this month, with all of the games they've got to play, was another 30 minutes of football, but that's what we got, and on 118 minutes it looked like we'd at least be spared penalties.
Harvey Barnes is worth his weight in gold
Harvey Barnes was the hero again, bagging his second of the night with just two minutes plus stoppage time left to play. Job done ... or so we thought.
A defensive calamity as Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw failed to deal with Marcus Tavernier in the Newcastle box, and Aaron Ramsdale could do nothing with Tavernier's poke towards goal. Penalties it is then.
Of the initial five penalty takers for Newcastle, Nick Woltemade and Bruno Guimaraes saw their efforts miss, but Aaron Ramsdale was on hand to stop two of Bournemouth's, and we went into sudden death, where the standard of penalty increased dramatically.
Thankfully, Aaron Ramsdale was on hand to stop a third, and Newcastle put their name in the draw for the fourth round.
We are utterly confused by that game
We honestly don't know how to feel about that whole game. Newcastle were so poor on the whole, but they also never stopped trying to win. WE can't fault their commitment, but the actual play was awful at times. So many loose passes, and we hate to do it after last week, but we have to point the finger at Joe Willock again. Can we please move him on this month?
Newcastle also picked up another injury, with Tino Livramento withdrawn and replaced by Lewis Hall. Fingers crossed, it was just precautionary because the last thing we need now is another defensive injury.
Let's hope we avoid Macclesfield in the next round.
