#PLStories- Gary O’Neil says Cherries ‘delivered exactly what we asked’ at Newcastle #NUFC #AFCB

INTERIM boss Gary O’Neil said he was “pleased with big parts” of Cherries’ 1-1 draw at Newcastle and his players “delivered exactly what we asked”. The visitors took the lead at St James’ Park when Philip Billing fired them in front in the 62nd minute. The Magpies had failed to convert their territorial possession into chances but seized a lifeline three minutes later when VAR ruled a handball against Jefferson Lerma allowing Alexander Isak to slot home the equaliser from the penalty spot. A draw puts Cherries on to eight points from seven league games this season. Since taking interim charge after the sacking of Scott Parker, unbeaten O’Neil has five points from three fixtures. Assessing the display as a whole, O’Neil told the Daily Echo: “I’m pleased with big parts of it. I think there’s a slight disappointment because I thought the goal was harsh on us. “But I tend to try and judge it on what I’ve asked the boys to do and if they deliver, and they did. “They delivered exactly what we asked. So pleased, with a slight tinge of disappointment we didn’t get all three points.” Cherries weathered a wave of Newcastle pressure in the latter stages on Tyneside. Quizzed on whether he was fearing the worst at 1-1, the former Portsmouth midfielder said: “Not fearing the worst, because we went to Nottingham Forest two weeks ago and we suffer a huge blow with a VAR penalty just before half-time, that sends us 2-0 down. “Anyone watching that thinks the lads are dead and buried and they respond. “And then when it goes 1-1, you hear the place rocking and I’m thinking, ‘come on then lads, what have we got? They’re coming, it’s definitely coming’ and they stood up, they were excellent. “They were chucking balls in the box, it was a little bit scrappy, but no real scary moments for us. I thought we defended really, really well.”