NEWCASTLE UNITED’S hopes of achieving a club-record run of ten successive victories were shattered as Justin Kluivert’s hat-trick helped Bournemouth hand out a 4-1 thrashing at St James’ Park.

Kluivert’s father, Patrick, scored one Premier League goal at Newcastle’s home ground during his ill-fated spell as a Magpie, finding the net against West Brom in September 2004.

Justin went two better, opening the scoring with a clinical sixth-minute strike, finding the net again at the end of the first half to restore his side’s lead and completing his treble in stoppage time with a superb long-range strike.

Bruno Guimaraes had headed Newcastle level in the first half, converting Lewis Hall’s corner, but Bournemouth were the better side throughout and completed the scoring when Milos Kerkez fired home in the sixth minute of additional time.

Stuart Attwell’s erratic decision-making infuriated the home support, but Newcastle were outplayed on their home turf as their winning run came crashing to an end.

Bournemouth fully merited their victory, with the pace and creativity of their attacking completely unsettling a Newcastle defence that had looked so secure for much of the last month.

The scenes at the final whistle highlighted the disparity between the two sides. Bournemouth’s players cavorted in front of their jubilant travelling fans; Newcastle’s were crestfallen as they slumped to the turf and briefly trudged around the field.

Losing is not something Newcastle’s players have had to get used to recently. Howe will hope the dejection they experienced this afternoon will spur them on as they head into what looks like being a pivotal month.

The Magpies were uncomfortable from the off today, particularly in the full-back positions where Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall were given a torrid time by Antoine Semenyo and David Brooks.

The visitors threatened to open the scoring in the fourth minute, with Martin Dubravka producing an excellent save from Semenyo’s first-time volley, and the visitors had the ball in the net two minutes later.

Semenyo pulled the ball back from close to the byline after Kerkez played him into the left of the box, and Kluivert swept a clinical first-time finish into the corner.

Bournemouth were the better side throughout the opening stages, attacking with pace and purpose despite their lengthy injury list, but Newcastle gradually gained a foothold in the game and went close when Joelinton fired over from 20 yards.

The Magpies’ equaliser came midway through the first half, and arrived via a corner. Hall swung the ball in from the left, and Guimaraes powered a header goalwards. Bournemouth goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga got a hand to the ball, and will feel he should have kept it out.

The visitors continued to put Newcastle under pressure though, and while Dango Ouattara headed Lewis Cook’s cross over the top, Bournemouth deservedly reclaimed their lead a minute before the break.

Dan Burn played Guimaraes into trouble as Bournemouth’s aggressive high press paid dividends, with the Brazilian losing the ball. Ouattara found Kluivert, and the Dutchman claimed his second goal of the game with a slick first-time strike.

Newcastle’s defensive discomfort forced Eddie Howe into a half-time change – Fabian Schar replaced Sven Botman, who had looked far from comfortable during the opening 45 minutes – but the second half continued in the same vein as the first, with Bournemouth looking the more threatening side.

Andoni Iraola’s side had the ball in the net for a third time on the hour mark, but a VAR check showed the ball had gone behind for a corner before Ouattara slid in to convert Brooks’ cross at the back post.

Dubravka was forced into a superb save shortly after, clawing the ball away from his bottom corner after Brooks looked destined to convert Semenyo’s low cross, but the Newcastle goalkeeper was unable to prevent Kluivert completing his hat-trick in stoppage time.

Anthony Gordon’s pass out of defence was intercepted, and Kluivert cracked home an excellent 25-yard finish to claim the match ball.

The scoring wasn’t finished there, with Kluivert turning provider deep into stoppage time, slipping through a ball that enabled Kerkez to lash a shot across Dubravka and into the far corner.