Newcastle United conceded a late goal to draw 1-1 with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday, dropping points from a winning position once again after taking a second-half lead.
Harvey Barnes came off the bench to put Newcastle ahead in the 74th minute, but former Magpie Elliot Anderson (ugh) equalized in the 88th minute to secure a point for the home side.
The draw further damaged the Magpies’ chances of qualifying for European competition, with NUFC now sitting clearly in the bottom-half
side of the Premier League table and, making it doubly damaging, two points behind Sunderland.
The match opened with limited chances for either team, with Newcastle controlling slightly more possession but struggling to create clear opportunities in a kinda-boring Sunday affair.
Newcastle’s first shot on target did not come until late in the first half, when new-Eddie-Howe-favorite Will Osula was denied by goalkeeper Matz Sels after being played in by Nick Woltemade, who somehow found a way to convince the gaffer to place him in the XI.
Osula came close again after the break, striking the crossbar with a free kick from distance, as Newcastle began to show more urgency, but the game didn’t truly shift until around the hour mark following substitutions, with Howe introducing Jacob Ramsey and Barnes to add some offensive firepower.
The changes surely helped Newcastle take the lead in the 74th minute. Ramsey played a through ball into Barnes, who held off a defender and finished past Sels for his seventh league goal of the season.
The visitors pushed for a second goal, with Bruno Guimaraes testing Sels twice, but Forest remained within reach and we all knew what was coming, as Newcastle were unable to extend their advantage… and the home side pounced.
In the 88th minute, Anderson combined with James McAtee before driving into the box and finishing from a tight angle to level the match.
Newcastle were unable to recover in time, dropped points from a winning position, as it’s been their undoing all season long, and still don’t know how to help themselves win games.
Newcastle are seven points off seventh place in the table and thus European qualification with two matches remaining, which means no dice for the guys. At least the boys know they won’t be leaving the country borders for a good bunch of months once the ball rolls for the first time in August.
Newcastle return to action for their final game of the season at St. James’ Park on Sunday, when they will host relegation-candidate West Ham in their second-to-last game of this year to forget.
