BOURNEMOUTH 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Gayle 2)
Dubravka, Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Dummett, Ritchie (Manquillo 84), Shelvey, Diamé, Kenedy (Atsu 64), Pérez, Gayle (Hayden 78)
Subs: Clark, Joselu, Merino, Darlow
Dan Gosling scored an 89th-minute equaliser as Bournemouth came back from 2-0 down to draw, after his old club Newcastle missed gilt-edged chances to kill the game off.
Dwight Gayle's double had given the visitors a two-goal lead at the break, and they were well worth the lead.
The striker's first came on 17 minutes as Jonjo Shelvey's wonderful through ball found Matt Ritchie, whose cross across the box was missed by defender Steve Cook and goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, allowing Gayle to finish at the second attempt with a backheel.
The second, just before half-time came from another Begovic mistake when Ayoze Perez's cross went underneath the Bosnian keeper and Gayle was able to tap in at the back post.
The Cherries could have had a case for a penalty soon after the interval as Jamaal Lascelles jumped into Ryan Fraser, but referee Roger East waved away their appeals.
But Bournemouth rarely threatened before Magpies keeper Martin Dubravka had to make a stunning one-handed save to deny Cook's header on 75 minutes.
Well in control Rafa made substitutions that upset the apple-cart.
Perez and Shelvey missed great chances to wrap up the win with a third Newcastle goal, before substitute Adam Smith scored a screamer, firing his shot off the underside off the crossbar to beat Dubravka.
The Cherries kept attacking and were rewarded with the equaliser, as ex-Newcastle midfielder Gosling side-footed in Nathan Ake's pass from close range.
The result left Bournemouth in 10th place, though Watford's win later dropped them to 11th - while Newcastle drop to 15th.
It was a poor first half from the home side, who managed only one shot on target - a Callum Wilson effort that was palmed away by Dubravka in the 10th minute.
They were undone by Begovic's mistakes and some poor defending, while they also struggled with Newcastle's pressing and urgency, with their attackers reduced to long-range efforts.
Although they grew into the game in the second half, they had Cook and Ake to thank for some vital interceptions to stop Newcastle scoring a third, while they were also helped by the visitors' profligacy in front of goal.
The arrival of Jermain Defoe in the 73rd minute seemed to lift the crowd, the England striker making his first appearance since suffering an ankle injury in December.
While Smith's goal came as a surprise, Gosling's came down to resolve as Newcastle crumbled. In the end Newcastle had to hold on for a point as Bournemouth pressed for a winner in stoppage time.
This was a case of two points lost for Newcastle, unchanged from the win over Manchester United, who looked comfortable until they threw away a two-goal lead in the last 10 minutes.
It had been an almost perfect first half for the visitors as Shelvey controlled the game in midfield and they looked dangerous in attack with the front four of Gayle, Perez, Kenedy and ex-Cherries favourite Ritchie.
The players seemed to be fighting for their Premier League futures as they hustled Bournemouth and worked much harder than the home side.
After the break, Perez should have scored as Gayle's free-kick went through the Bournemouth wall, but the Spaniard flicked his shot over from close range.
Then Shelvey should have made it 3-0 as Christian Atsu squared for the midfielder, but after he missed an open goal, the energy seemed to sap away and the visitors were left clinging on for a point.