Football | Willock bags late winner as Newcastle deal Hammer blow

Newcastle United have taken a massive leap to Premier League safety after Joe Willock's 82nd minute goal secured a big win for Steve Bruce’s Magpies over West Ham in a 3-2 win at St. James’s Park.

Joe Willock scored an 82nd-minute winner as Newcastle beat 10-man West Ham 3-2 at St. James' Park to take a massive leap towards Premier League safety.

Steve Bruce's Magpies took a two-goal lead through an Issa Diop own goal and a Joelinton strike, before Diop and Jesse Lingard restored parity for West Ham in the second half.

The Hammers had a mountain to climb after Craig Dawson's dismissal for a second bookable offence in the 36th minute.

Newcastle took the lead after 36 minutes when Diop found the net at the wrong end after a comedy of errors at the back for West Ham.

Dawson's heavy touch saw him clatter recklessly into Joelinton on the half way line, allowing Allan Saint-Maximum to drive forward, with the winger twisting and turning past Mark Noble before firing a low shot across goal. Diop got his clearance all wrong, and ended up back heeling the ball into his own net.

Dawson, who was already booked earlier on in the game for a challenge on Joelinton, was then shown a second yellow for his aforementioned challenge on the Magpies striker.

Joelinton doubled the hosts' lead four minutes before the break after capitalising on a goalkeeping error from Lukasz Fabianski.

Fabianski fumbled a routine catch following a corner from the right, with Joelinton on hand to convert the loose ball from close range.

West Ham gave themselves a lifeline and a route back into the game as Diop made up for his own goal in the first half. Jarrod Browen crossed for the centre back, who steered in a firm header beyond the reach of Martin Dubravka.

The equalizer came from the penalty spot after Republic of Ireland defender Ciaran Clark was adjudged to handle the ball with his arm in an effort to clear a cross aimed for Tomas Soucek. After going to the pitch side monitor the referee award the spot kick which Jessie Lingard converted to the left-hand side of the goal.

The winning goal came eight minutes from time as substitute Joe Willock headed home after Matt Richie crossed in from the left.

The result takes Newcastle out of the bottom four and into 15th place, 10 points ahead of Fulham, while West Ham's Champions League aspirations have been dealt another blow.