CHERRIES’ unbeaten run under interim boss Gary O’Neil continued after a 1-1 draw with Eddie Howe’s Newcastle on Tyneside.

Philip Billing’s close-range finish put Cherries in the box seat at St James’ Park before summer signing Alexander Isak’s 67th-minute penalty levelled up the contest for the hosts following a VAR review.

The result meant the Dorset club have picked up five points in three games, following the sacking of Scott Parker last month.

O’Neil made one enforced change to Cherries’ starting XI which began the 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest two weeks ago.

Lloyd Kelly was ruled out through injury, meaning Marcos Senesi returned for the first time since the infamous 9-0 defeat at Liverpool.

There was no Ryan Fredericks in the visitors’ matchday squad, also through injury, with Junior Stanislas and Jamal Lowe back on the bench.

A total of 784 days had passed since Howe’s final game in charge of Cherries.

Having guided them from the depths of League two to the Premier League across two spells, the 44-year-old was coming up against his boyhood club for the first time, in his 35th game as Newcastle boss.

He made two alterations to his line-up. Dan Burn returned at centre back, while Bruno Guimaraes was back in the line-up. Sven Botman and Sean Longstaff both dropped to the bench.

Ahead of kick-off, there was a minute’s silence in respect to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as well as the national anthem.

Cherries mustered the first shot on target with Ryan Christie’s low effort from the edge of the box comfortable for Nick Pope.

The hosts dominated the ball for the opening 15 minutes but it was the visitors who almost found the opener on the counter-attack. Christie’s flick allowed Jordan Zemura to get down the left and cross for Marcus Tavernier.

Formerly on the books on Tyneside, the Cherries midfielder’s header was wide of the far post.

Newcastle’s first shot on target came on 18 minutes. After a miskick from Senesi, Paraguayan Miguel Almiron drifted in off the right and forced Neto into a comfortable save.

Moments later, Fabian Schar’s back-post header was comfortable for the former Barcelona stopper.

Newcastle then came within inches of breaking the deadlock just before the half-hour mark. After a foul by Senesi on Guimaraes 25 yards from goal – home skipper Kieran Trippier’s free-kick clipped the outside of the post.

The Magpies then somehow failed to score just before the break.

After a corner was kept alive, Joelinton’s curling effort came back off the inside of the post – he and Fraser were then denied by two sublime double saves by Neto.

Fraser, who was getting booed and called all sorts by the away fans throughout the afternoon, had a glorious chance to find the opener three minutes after the break.

After a ball across goal fell to him, the diminutive wideman steered wide of Neto’s far post.

Cherries switched to a back five early in the second half, with Jefferson Lerma operating as a third centre-back alongside Chris Mepham and Senesi.

After soaking up an array of pressure, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock just past the hour mark.

Jordan Zemura’s devilish delivery from the left allowed Billing to steer the ball in at the near post for his second goal in as many games.

It only took Newcastle five minutes to restore parity from the penalty spot, however. After Trippier’s cross was blocked by Lerma, referee Craig Pawson consulted the pitchside monitor following a VAR review and penalised he Colombian for handball.

Up stepped Isak to smash home from 12 yards and make it 1-1.

Cherries began to sit deeper after conceding, with O’Neil switching Tavernier with Jaidon Anthony for the final 10 minutes.

And the Dorset club held firm in the final stages, which included six added minutes, to record a valuable away point.

Cherries: Neto, Smith, Mepham, Senesi, Zemura, Cook, Lerma, Christie (Stacey, 87), Billing (Stephens, 90+3), Tavernier (Anthony, 80), Solanke (Moore, 90+3).

Unused subs: Marcondes, Lowe, Stanislas, Dembele, Travers (g/k).

Booked: Christie, Tavernier.

Newcastle: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Targett, Joelinton, Willock, Guimaraes (S Longstaff, 71), Almiron (Wood, 90), Isak, Fraser (Murphy, 71).

Unused subs: Botman, Lascelles, Ritchie, Lewis, Manquillo, Karius (g/k).

Booked: Joelinton, Burn,

Referee: Craig Pawson

VAR: Stuart Attwell.

Attendance: 52,238.