A tight game at St James' Park ended in ecstasy for Eddie Howe and his visiting AFC Bournemouth side, as a stoppage time header from defender Steve Cook secured a 1-0 victory against Newcastle United.
Rafael Benítez's side got off to an absolutely storming start at St James' Park with chances for Matt Ritchie, Dwight Gayle and Christian Atsu which was rounded off by Ritchie hitting the post, but they had nothing to show for their persistence.
Bournemouth began to creep into the clash as the first half drew to a close with good opportunities for both Callum Wilson and Joshua King but remained goalless at the break.
The second half carried on where the first had left off with early chances for both Joselu and Wilson but to no avail for either side, as time went on it didn't look to be either of the sides days as Danny Pugh's effort came off the inside of the post but Cook's header in the last minute pulled The Cherries out of the relegation zone.
Going for the jugular from the off
It had been a good start to life back in the Premier League for the Magpies as they headed into this clash inside the top-ten in the Premier League, but with fixtures against Manchester United and Chelsea coming up they realised Howe's side would be a great chance to get some points on the board and that showed in their relentlessness inside the opening 20 minutes.
Ritchie has become a firm fan favourite since making the move from The Cherries last summer and looked to get one over his old side inside five minutes, there didn't looked to be much on as he picked up on the right but decided to follow the cry of shoot, hitting a sweet effort from 30 yards with only a fingertip save from Asmir Begović denying him.
The home side didn't look in the mood to show mercy to their South Coast counterparts as they continued to pepper their goal with opportunities, an excellent block denied them in the 12th minute as Gayle looked certain to turn in Ritchie's floating cross into the back post but Cook was there brilliantly to put it behind.
It was Atsu's turn almost instantaneously to have a crack, the former Chelsea winger did well to bring the ball down on his chest before hitting a half-volley from 25 yards but Begović was there again to deny The Geordies an opener.
The best chance of Newcastle's period of dominance arrived in the 16th minute and it was former Bournemouth man Ritchie who looked to cause damage, Isaac Hayden ignored the shouts of shoot from The Toon faithful to play into the Scotsman who curled an excellent effort which had Begović beaten but clattered back off the upright. Not surprisingly Gayle was waiting in the shadows to gobble up the loose ball, but celebrations were short lived as the flag was raised for offside.
Starting to assert themselves on the clash
Howe will have been impressed to see his side manage the Newcastle onslaught early in the first period but hadn't yet produced anything of note for themselves, but as the half entered its final ten minutes the visitors had two decent opportunities to sneak what would have been an undeserved lead.
The first arrived in the 35th minute as skipper Simon Francis looked to redeem his misplaced pass seconds earlier as slid in to get a cross into the area from the byline, the floated effort found the head of Wilson whose looping header certainly troubled Rob Elliot as he took precaution to tip it over the crossbar.
They were at it again moments as a long punt from Charlie Daniels managed to find King, despite protest for offside the Norwegian international continued to push into the area but the tight angle worked against him when it came to final product as Elliot took into his body.
Starting off as more of an even affair
It would have been difficult for both sides to recreate the entertainment that they managed to produce inside the first 45 minutes, but as referee Paul Tierney blew for the beginning of the second period it looked like the half would be much more of an even affair.
The first chance fell to the home side much like in the first period, the corner in from Jonjo Shelvey managed to miss the swarm of players inside the area but was enough for Joselu to get a faint touch to it. The Spaniard's influence proved to be enough as it bounced up off the turf which forced Begović to tip it over the crossbar.
The pendulum then swung in the favour of The Cherries and Howe will have been left scratching his head to how his side didn't find themselves ahead, King did well on the left to flick the ball into the path of Wilson whose pace took him one-on-one with Elliot. The striker took his time and it seemed certain that he would be sending the visiting fans into a frenzy up in the heavens of St James', but they were left disappointed as he could only managed to put into the side-netting.
Lick of paint from clinching it
After the bright start to the second period neither side really produced another chance of real recognition as the seconds continued to tick by, but Bournemouth came within inches of snatching it in normal time.
The ball back in from the Bournemouth corner was poorly cleared as it fell into the feet of Pugh, he did brilliantly to weave his way into the area as he sent a defender flying with his fake shot. He finally managed to get one away which was through the feet of Elliot and looked to be heading in, but was cruelly denied by the inside of the left-hand post and despite his appeals to the goal-line technology not even the robots could save him.
Jermain Defoe received a warm reception as entered the field of play due to his Sunderland connections and he looked to thwart his former foes once again in extra-time, the veteran striker showed that he still had it as he turned brilliantly before getting the shot away but Elliot did well to beat it away.
Taking all three points back to the South Coast
It hadn't been the start to the campaign that Howe would have been hoping for as his side entered this clash in the relegation places, but they were rewarded in the final minute of time added on as they stole the only goal of the clash.
It was inswinging corner from Andrew Surman and it was simple enough for The Cherries, as Cook rose highest and his bullet header past Elliot sent both the Bournemouth bench and away section into complete euphoria.
There was still some time left for a little controversy, Tierney certainly hadn't been making friends of the Newcastle fans throughout the contest but riled them further as Cook clearly looked to drag back Gayle right at the death but the three points somewhat deservingly belonged to Bournemouth.