Newcastle vs Bournemouth match report: Cherries pile on misery on Steve McClaren's hapless side

The sword was there to fall on, when the supporters, exhausted from their football club and its failings, of singing for the first time for their latest head coach to be sacked, were trudging out of St James’ Park, down Barrack Road, to shield their agony from public view. Pain was everywhere. A support fed up with so many seasons of the monotonous grind of failure.

Steve McClaren had retreated to his technical area when the third, and final Bournemouth goal, went in, two minutes into injury time. Injury-time was about right. He looked exhausted. Eight months in charge of Newcastle is a lifetime.

He did not repeat his earlier season attempt at uniting a club by coming onto the field of play to applaud the supporters when the final whistle had been blown to end the misery.

Instead he left the stage. There was no umbrella but it felt as apocalyptic as that night with England, when at Wembley the weather turned against him and a nation failed, but it felt the same, like the end was nigh. He did not, however, fall on his sword. Indeed, he repeated himself when asked if he would quit. “No way,” he said. “No way.”

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It was a rare form of defiance, of belligerence. None had been seen from his team, an insipid bunch, bought for their cheapness, or their age, or their resale value, but never for their heart. They went down yesterday without a fight. There is no excuse for that.

There is no guarantee that it will not be McClaren’s last game as the Newcastle manager. It felt like the end.

Mike Ashley was not there, nor was Graham Carr, responsible for signing many of the players who are clearly not good enough for the Newcastle or the Premier League. Lee Charnley, the managing director who has spent a fortune since he took over the running of the club, was. He shrank into his coat with each goal.

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The first was an own-goal by Steven Taylor, just before the half-hour mark, but it was the second, 19 minutes from time, when Josh King crashed in a second, that confirmed the feeling of failure.

Newcastle sneaked a reply, in the 81st minute, when Ayoze Perez scored, but the final say was from Bournemouth, when Charlie Daniels drove in their third.

“We won’t stay up if we keep playing like that,” said McClaren. “That’s being brutally honest. It’s not good enough. I can understand the thoughts and frustrations of the fans. Damn right I did. Damn right I did. We’ve had ups and downs. This is the most frustrating team I’ve ever had.”

The Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, offered support. “Steve is an outstanding coach,” he said. “He will, given time, lead the club to better times.” His was a lone voice.

The usual names were bouncing around Tyneside last night as replacement, David Moyes, Brendan Rogers. More fuel for the circus. Whether they would be offered the position – it is not well paid – or accept the conditions were questions that were being ignored.

Newcastle: (4-4-2) Elliot; Janmaat, Taylor, Lascelles, Dummett (Anita, 32); Sissoko (Aarons, 69), Shelvey, Colback; Wijnaldum; Perez, Riviere (Mitrovic, h-t).

Bournemouth: (4-2-3-1) Boruc; Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels; Surman, Gosling; Ritchie (Distin, 90), Afobe (Grabban, 70), Gradel (Pugh, 60); King.

Referee: Paul Tierney

Man of the match: King (Bournemouth)

Match rating: 4/10