Leeds United missed the chance of escaping out of the relegation zone in a tale of three penalties on a crazy afternoon at Elland Road.
Patrick Bamford missed the chance from the spot of giving Leeds a 2-0 lead following Luke Ayling’s early goal and Newcastle took full advantage to turn the game on its head with two successful spot-kicks by Callum Wilson.
Rasmus Kristensen levelled the contest with a strike that deflected off Kieran Trippier and in a frantic finale Junior Firpo was sent off and a fan led away after getting into the technical area and pushing Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.
Allardyce has tried to get people smiling again at Elland Road and the crackling atmosphere went off the scale after seven minutes as the home side took an unexpected lead.
Patrick Bamford, United’s lone striker, popped up on the left and when his cross found Rodrigo the Brazilian’s header looked destined to find the net until Nick Pope stuck out a strong left hand.
Before the home support could vent their frustration, Ayling raced in to steer the rebound with his left foot.
The wild celebrations in the corner were enough to loosen Ayling’s man bun which he had to reapply to curb his long locks.
The bedlam rattled Newcastle who on league position alone – in a Champions League spot – should have been comfortable favourites.
Kieran Trippier playing a dangerous free-kick straight to the opposition was representative of their shaky start.
Allardyce’s line-up had caused a stir with Brenden Aaaronson, Willy Gnonto, Adam Forshaw and Illan Meslier on the bench but the tactic of playing Robin Koch as a midfield holder in front of the back-four was a shrewd attempt to tighten up the defence.
Newcastle, themselves under a bit of pressure to finish in the top four because of Liverpool’s winning run, kept the ball well on occasions but seemed to be flummoxed when entering the final third, with Alexander Isak going down cul-de-sacs.
Leeds waited patiently, and then should have pounced. After 28 minutes Junior Firpo broke into the box from left-back and Joelinton’s clumsy challenge failed to win the ball, leaving referee Simon Hooper with an easy decision to point to the spot.
There were anxious looks when out-of-form Patrick Bamford stepped up to take the penalty and the fears were realised when his left-footed strike was a decent height for Pope to parry and the ‘keeper scrambled away before the striker could get the rebound.
It was as if someone had popped the balloon inside the stadium and three minutes later Newcastle were level with a penalty of their own.
Isak and Bruno Guimaraes played a neat one-two and as the Swede surged into the penalty area Firpo slipped and Max Wober tried to make amends with a rash challenge that clattered into Isak.
Callum Wilson did what Bamford couldn’t and buried his penalty low into the corner.
The subdued nature in the ground quickly turned to anger as Leeds struggled to find their composure with the scores level.
Miguel Almiron was close to giving the visitors the lead when his curler drifted past the far post and Allardyce would have been relieved to hear the half-time whistle so he could get his players into the dressing-room to regroup.
The experience Forshaw was introduced at the interval for Sam Greenwood as Leeds tried to retain some degree of control in midfield. Newcastle still looked the tidier side but found it harder to get into dangerous areas.
The first real opening of the second period fell to Wilson’s whose first-time shot deflected for a corner. On the break, Jack Harrison’s dummy gave Bamford a shooting chance but Dan Burn got across quickly to block.
With the stakes raised, Bruno Guimaraes and Junior Firpo were booked in quick succession. Firpo’s tackle on Guimaraes was checked by VAR for being a red-card offence but the studs weren’t high enough.
Leeds fans were re-energised by Gnonto being sent on just past the hour, the Italian getting an encouraging slap on the back by Allardyce’s sidekick, Karl Robinson.
No sooner had he arrived however when Leeds conceded another penalty. In his attempt to cut out a cross aimed towards Isak at the far post, Firpo arched backwards and the ball hit his outstretched left hand.
VAR spotted what referee Hooper couldn’t and a penalty was awarded after the official visited the monitor.
Gnonto and Robles were booked before the penalty could be taken with the Leeds goalkeeper walking behind his goal to try and delay the take.
The Spaniard then pointed to his left in an attempt to put off Wilson but it failed with the striker drilling his finish down the middle.
Newcastle then put the ball in the net a third time through Alain Saint-Maximin. When it was ruled out for offside against Isak, the Toon bench questioned the fourth official if it had been checked by VAR.
In a crazy spectacle, Leeds then levelled after 79 minutes with a huge slice of fortune. Bamford had two attempts blocked and in a case of third time lucky Rasmus Kristensen’s shot from outside the box cannoned off Kieran Trippier’s head to wrongfoot Pope into the corner.
Firpo’s kamikaze showing ended with a red card when he was caught out by the run of substitute Anthony Gordon and sent him tumbling. From the dangerous free-kick on the edge of the box, Trippier hit the wall just as a fan was led away after encroaching into the technical area and shoving Eddie Howe.
Robles saved from Fabian Schar in seven minutes of injury-time as both sides left relieved to leave with a point – but frustrated they couldn’t take all three.
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