CHERRIES squandered an early lead to lose a scrappy clash 2-1 at Newcastle.

Harry Wilson fired the visitors in front with a crisp finish, but the game was level at half-time thanks to DeAndre Yedlin’s powerful header.

And Newcastle quickly turned the contest around after the restart through Ciaran Clark’s close-range effort.

Cherries switched formation in search of a leveller while tensions flared between both sets of players during a tetchy second period, but the hosts held on to condemn Eddie Howe’s men to a first defeat in four games as Joshua King missed a glorious late opportunity.

Howe made one change to the side which beat Manchester United last time out with Lewis Cook replacing the suspended Jefferson Lerma.

There was also a notable inclusion among the substitutes with Dan Gosling involved in a matchday squad for the first time since April following hip surgery. The only other change in the replacements saw Jack Stacey replace Lloyd Kelly.

Cherries made a lively start with Ryan Fraser twice going close. The Scot fired a rising effort just over the crossbar before latching onto a low cross from King to turn goalwards from four yards, but goalkeeper Martin Dubravka made the stop.

Newcastle quickly broke but Aaron Ramsdale got down well to tip away a Jetro Willems strike.

Back came Cherries with Callum Wilson connecting with a King cross, but Clark made the block.

And from that resulting corner, the visitors took the lead. Fraser played a short ball to King, who quickly returned it to the winger. Fraser picked out the run of Harry Wilson in the box and the Welshman found space to fire into the bottom corner for his fourth goal of the season.

Fraser had a chance to double the lead after skipping around Dubravka on the edge of the box, but the bouncing ball proved difficult to control with the eventual shot cleared away.

With the game entering the closing stages of the first half, Cherries began to become sloppy in possession. Steve Cook presented Allan Saint-Maximin with a glorious opportunity, but the Frenchman crashed a shot against the crossbar from 10 yards. Willems’ shot on the rebound was well stopped by Ramsdale.

But the Cherries goalkeeper was finally beaten for the first time in a run which stretched to 393 minutes when Saint-Maximin’s shot deflected towards Yedlin at the back post, who came flying in with a header to equalise.

King looked for a quick response before the half was out, firing into the side netting as the sides went in level.

But within seven minutes of the restart, Newcastle had completed the turnaround. A short corner routine of their own proved to be the route to goal with a ball into the box flicked on by Federico Fernandez for Clark, who ghosted beyond Steve Cook and slotted in.

Howe turned to his bench midway through the half, changing shape in the process with Dominic Solanke and Simon Francis replacing Diego Rico and Harry Wilson, with Cherries moving to a 3-4-1-2 formation.

But it was Newcastle who should have killed the game off. Saint-Maximin used his pace to burst past Francis but when faced one-on-one with Ramsdale, the goalkeeper slid out to make a vital stop. The ball fell to Miguel Almiron on the rebound, but his shot hit Saint-Maximin and went behind.

Howe turned to his bench again for the final time to introduce Arnaut Danjuma with Adam Smith withdrawn, while Newcastle replaced Joelinton with Andy Carroll.

Cherries had one final chance deep into the six minutes of added time. Fraser's whipped corner was flicked on by Francis to King at the back post, but the striker put his free header wide and the game was lost.

Cherries: Ramsdale; Smith (Danjuma, 78), S Cook, Ake, Rico (Solanke, 66); H Wilson (Francis, 66), L Cook, Billing, Fraser; King, C Wilson.

Unused subs: Stacey, Mepham, Gosling, Boruc (g/k).

Newcastle: Dubravka; Yedlin, Fernandez, Lascelles (Dummett, 20), Clark, Willems; Almiron, Hayden, Shelvey, Saint-Maximin (Atsu, 90); Joelinton (Carroll, 82).

Unused subs: Krafth, M Longstaff, Gayle, Darlow (g/k).

Booked: Hayden, Fernandez.

Referee: Martin Atkinson

VAR: Peter Bankes

Attendance: 44,424