NEWCASTLE EDGE WEST HAM 4-3 IN INJURY-RAVAGED THRILLER

 

Harvey Barnes scored the winner for Newcastle

Substitute Harvey Barnes struck twice as Newcastle United fought back from 3-1 down to beat West Ham United 4-3 in a thrilling Premier League match at St James' Park on Saturday.

Newcastle led through Alexander Isak's early penalty before Michail Antonio and Mohammed Kudus put West Ham 2-1 up at half-time.

The home side were on track for an afternoon to forget after they lost Jamaal Lascelles, Emil Krafth, Tino Livramento and Miguel Almirón to injury.

Jarrod Bowen extended the visitors' lead but Isak's second penalty 13 minutes from time gave Newcastle hope, and the livewire Barnes equalised with a clinical finish past keeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Barnes then lashed in a sweet shot from outside the box in the 90th minute to a deafening roar from the St. James' crowd, and although Newcastle forward Anthony Gordon was sent off in stoppage time, the hosts hung on for the win.

"It was one of the maddest games I have played in for sure. We are obviously disappointed to be where we are in the game and then we had a mountain to climb. This team is all abut team spirit and never give up and that showed in abundance today," Barnes told the BBC. 

"These are the games and moments you want to be involved in. Sitting on the sidelines, in the stands, it's the worst feeling so it makes you want to work even harder to get to stages like today and enjoy moments like today."

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe praised his side's character. 

"A lot of emotions in that game, we were swinging all over the place really, ups and downs, injuries, sending off but just brilliant from the lads, brilliant comeback when it was a real challenge at 3-1 down," coach Eddie Howe told TNT.

"When you're 3-1 down at home with the recent run we've been on and everything seemingly going against us, very, very difficult for the players to regroup and go again but they did second half and it was just a wonderful feeling at the end," Howe said.

West Ham manager David Moyes was disappointed after his team's third match without a win.

"We have lost a game when we should have won a game," Moyes told BBC.

"This is a tough place to come and for a long period we looked as though we were going to be the side who finished on top. We didn't see the job through and weren't tough enough."

Newcastle climbed to eighth in table on 43 points after 29 games, a point behind West Ham in seventh.

- Reuters