Newcastle 1 Wolves 1: Sean Longstaff sent off for horror tackle on Ruben Neves as visitors fight back to draw

WOLVES rescued a point at ten-man Newcastle thanks to their Jonny on the spot.

Steve Bruce’s Toon looked set for just their second win at St James’ Park this season when skipper Jamaal Lascelles headed them in front in the first half.

But Nuno Espirito Santo’s side came alive after the break.

And after Martin Dubravka flapped at Matt Doherty’s cross, Jonny volleyed into the empty net for the equaliser – the 13th of their last 15 league goals which has come in the second half.

The draw extends Wolves’ unbeaten run in all competitions to eight games.

While Newcastle, who had Sean Longstaff sent off late on, remain just one place outside the bottom three.

The Toon came into this game as the joint lowest scorers in all four divisions.

And Miguel Almiron, who has still not netted in 20 appearances for Newcastle, looks no closer to breaking his duck.

The Paraguayan sliced an early shot wide after the ball fell to him in the box.

And when he beat Romain Saiss for speed after Matty Longstaff launched a ball over the top, he took a heavy touch and smashed into the side netting.

Almiron looked like he was carrying the weight of the world as he hunched over the hoardings.

But he was given the perfect pick-me-up by his mates as Newcastle opened the scoring eight minutes before the break.

Diogo Jota carelessly gave the ball away just outside his own box to Sean Longstaff, whose cross was half-headed away by Saiss.

Yet defender Federico Fernandez – making his first league start of the season – hooked a cross back in from the right.

And Lascelles got in between Conor Coady and Saiss to powerfully head past Rui Patricio for his first goal in 57 games.

Bruce, who scored plenty in his days as a defender, would have been proud, especially given his front three have contributed just one goal between them this season.

Yet Wolves may have felt aggrieved as, earlier in the half, Fernandez floored Jota by blocking him with an upper arm to the face – and some felt it warranted a red card.

The sluggish visitors, though, deserved to go behind.

And, seemingly struggling from Thursday night’s Europa League exertions in Bratislava, it took them until after the break to wake up.

Perhaps that should have come as no surprise given Wolves are second-half specialists.

After a tactical tweak from Nuno, Adama Traore – whose last league away outing saw him score twice at Manchester City – was pushed further forward and started causing the Toon trouble.

One of the Spaniard’s sprints resulted in a cross which Jota headed over, then another mazy run and centre forced keeper Martin Dubravka to clear.

Jota tried his luck again after squirming into the box but his tame strike was saved by Dubravka.

But Wolves got their leveller after 73 minutes.

Doherty played a one-two with Traore down the right, then launched a cross into the box.

Dubravka, who signed a new six-year deal in the week, came out to punch clear.

Yet his weak hand fell straight to the unmarked Jonny ten yards out – and he steered in on the volley.

Newcastle had to play the last eight minutes when Sean Longstaff was sent off after he slid in with his studs-up and clattered Ruben Neves.

And Doherty – who scored a last-gasp winner here last year – missed the chance to win it in injury time, when he flicked a header wide from Raul Jimenez’s cross.