Much-improved Newcastle stop the rot with a 1-1 draw at Fulham - but 'slapstick' defending and wasteful finishing will leave Matthias Jaissle rueing a missed opportunity, writes CRAIG HOPE

Just when Newcastle looked set for victory after Jacob Murphy had borrowed Amar Dedic's bow to arrow them into a late lead, they turned the weapon on themselves.

After a week in which Dedic, Bosnia's answer to Robin Hood, had made headlines when pursued by police for wandering around the Northumberland countryside with his hunting gear, the Geordies were ready to rob the good folk of west London after Murphy found the target ten minutes from time.

Less than three minutes later and they were picking the arrow from their own foot. William Osula failed to protect possession and allowed Fulham to enter the penalty area. Then, with the ball bouncing around the goalmouth, it was home substitute Rodrigo Muniz who pounced to punish Newcastle's scruffy defending.

'Slapstick', visiting boss Matthias Jaissle later called it.

The German also said that his team deserved to win but you got the impression he was relieved to emerge without defeat, especially as the performance was improved on the back of a run of four losses in five.

Newcastle's second-half spirit also showed a response to a week of noise centred on dressing-room unrest, not to mention Dedic's police drama.

Jacob Murphy thought he had won it for Newcastle after scoring late on at Craven Cottage

Rodrigo Muniz netted moments later after sloppy defending from Newcastle, earning a 1-1 draw

Matthias Jaissle's side were much improved but must cut out the errors to win matches

And Jaissle was right in that his team could have left with three points had master archer Harvey Barnes not missed a hat-trick of chances.

The winger is the player to whom they'd want those opportunities to fall, too. But twice before half-time, when denied by Bernd Leno from close range, and then again when lashing wide after the break, he failed to give his side the advantage.

Murphy corrected his team-mate's finishing when capitalising on a loose pass from Cesar Palacios and slamming into the bottom corner from 25 yards, but that joy was short-lived.

In truth, there hadn't been much joy to behold all afternoon. The draw keeps both sides in the bottom half of the table, and that is where they will likely stay.

The first half, in particular, had very strong last-on-Match-of-the-Day vibes.

Newcastle thought they had a 33rd-minute lead when Dan Burn stole in at the near post to flick home from Murphy's low cross.

What the officials had spotted at the far post was linebacker Yoane Wissa pinning defender Timothy Castagne, and so playing Burn onside. It was the right call, even if Jaissle disagreed

'I learned that word here, a 'soft' decision. In my eyes, it was not right,' he said. 'But I was pleased with our complete commitment and togetherness.

'We grew through the game and that was excellent, something to build on. We showed the fundamentals.'

Dedic twice came close to creating goals with teasing crosses from the right, and you wondered if he would have mimicked Barnes' trademark archer celebration had they been converted.

He was kept away from the media post-match, but Jaissle did say: 'He played well, right? It (the bow & arrow incident) didn't affect him. He was not aware of the rules. We don't need to make a big deal out of it.'

Fulham's Josh King was included in Thomas Tuchel's England squad on Friday, the club's first Three Lions call-up in eight years. He, however, now needs a scan on a tight groin before learning if he's fit enough to feature.

Did the 19-year-old play like a would-be England international? He was his side's best player in the first half, even if that was a low bar to hurdle. One volley would have raised the roof had it gone in, so sweet was the connection from 20 yards. Lukas Hornicek needed every inch of his 6ft 6in frame to dive and save. And that, too, was a recurring theme, Newcastle's reliance on the big Czech to bail them out when giving up chances.

Like Newcastle, however, Fulham simply weren't good enough to take them.