MAGAYE Gueye came off the bench to grab a dramatic late equaliser for Millwall as Cherries surrendered a 2-0 lead at Dean Court today.

First-half goals from defender Steve Cook and recalled striker Brett Pitman had put Cherries on course to mark boss Eddie Howe’s 300th game with a win.

See all the pictures from AFC Bournemouth v Millwall in a gallery here

But a stirring second-half comeback from the visitors saw them earn a share of the spoils thanks to goals in the final 15 minutes from Ed Upson and Gueye.

Cook gave Cherries the lead midway through the first half when he arrived at the far post to head home Andrew Surman’s exquisite cross.

And Pitman quickly doubled their advantage when he slipped the ball past the despairing dive of David Forde following a superb pass from Matt Ritchie.

Ed Upson’s header 15 minutes from time set up a grandstand finish and Gueye netted late on to salvage a share of the spoils for the Lions.

Leading goalscorer Callum Wilson failed a late fitness test and was ruled out due to his hamstring injury with his place in the Cherries starting line-up going to Pitman.

Cook went close to breaking the deadlock in the eighth minute when his unopposed header following a Pitman corner flashed past the post with Millwall goalkeeper Forde rooted to the spot.

Forde raced off his line to beat Pitman to Harry Arter’s raking through ball before Lions defender Mark Beevers sliced Ritchie’s dangerous cross sliced past his own upright.

Ritchie’s curling effort in the 16th minute had Forde beaten all ends up, only to fly narrowly past the post before Yann Kermorgant squandered a great chance to score.

The Frenchman climbed above the Millwall defence to meet a Simon Francis cross but his powerful header cleared the crossbar before Pitman’s downward header was pushed over the top by Forde.

Cherries were rewarded for their early domination when Cook arrived at the far post to nod home a dinked centre from Andrew Surman, the midfielder displaying some silky skills in the lead up to the goal.

Pitman doubled Cherries’ lead three minutes later when he finished with aplomb after Ritchie’s electrifying run and cleverly-disguised pass had teed him up for his sixth of the season.

Cherries went close to grabbing a third when Francis traded passes with Ritchie before rifling a venomous right-foot strike into the side netting.

Interval substitute Ricardo Fuller clipped a shot past the near post following a corner early in the second half before Martyn Woolford glanced a header past the post following a free-kick.

Upson nodded straight into the hands of Artur Boruc after getting on the end of a Woolford corner before Cherries’ on-loan goalkeeper parried Alan Dunne’s piledriver.

The visitors halved the deficit with 15 minutes remaining when Upson nipped in front of his marker to plant a header into the bottom corner after meeting Jermaine Easter’s high cross.

Cherries had an escape when Boruc almost carried the ball over the line after Lee Gregory had met an Easter corner before a Junior Stanislas effort was chalked out for offside.

Substitute Gueye drilled in the equaliser with an unstoppable strike after Cherries had failed to clear their lines with two minutes remaining.

Cherries: Boruc, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Ritchie, Arter (O’Kane, 65), Surman, Pugh (Stanislas, 61), Kermorgant (Fraser, 78), Pitman.

Unused subs: Gosling, Smith, Cargill, Camp (g/k).

Booked: Pugh.

Lions: Forde, Dunne, Webster, Beevers (Fuller, h-t), Malone, Martin (Easter, 19), Williams, McDonald, Upson, Woolford (Gueye, 75), Gregory.

Unused subs: Powell, Martinez, Shittu, King (g/k).

Booked: Upson, Woolford, Webster.

Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire).

Attendance: 10,016 (inc 991 away supporters).