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Mohammed Kudus completed a first-half comeback by firing West Ham United into a late 2-1 lead against Newcastle United in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off in the Premier League. However, a miffed young ball boy prevented the West Ham star's trademark celebration by refusing Kudus' request for him to surrender his stool.
Newcastle raced into a dream start in a crucial clash in the race for European qualification after Vladimir Coufal felled Anthony Gordon for a penalty in the opening few minutes at St James' Park.
Alexander Isak made no mistakes converting from the spot before Jamaal Lascelles was forced off after 17 minutes to add to the hosts' injury woes and spark a collapse.
Michail Antonio profited from a delightful Lucas Paqueta pass to fire West Ham level in the 21st minute, setting up a gripping remainder of the half.
And Kudus ensured the Hammers entered half-time the happiest by controversially striking past Martin Dubravka at the end of 10 minutes of stoppage time.
His celebration didn't go as planned, pointing at a Newcastle ball boy to ask if he could borrow his stool to perform what is quickly becoming his signature goal routine.
But the youngster, who didn't look too pleased after watching the Magpies fall behind, gestured that Kudus should take his celebration elsewhere.
He opted to take a seat on the advertising hoardings right alongside the ballboy instead as his West Ham teammates joined him.
The goal stemmed from a West Ham free-kick after Schar had fouled Kudus. However, Newcastle were fuming after the Ghanaian forward caught Schar with a slight hand to the face during the collision.
Referee Robert Jones didn't adjudge it as a head injury and allowed Lucas Paqueta to play a quick free-kick to Jarrod Bowen, who set up Kudus for the finish.
PGMOL guidance states that play can't continue if a head injury occurs. VAR cannot intervene in such an incident as the one at St James' Park.
At half-time, Joe Cole dismissed Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall's cries, praising Jones for his positioning and quick decision-making.
"It was all happening. I mean, it was a foul by Schar on Kudus, and Paqueta switches on here," Cole said on TNT Sports.
"It's a lovely ball, so clever. [Bowen] is in there, cuts back... For me, I'd be disappointed with the defence from Newcastle's perspective."
He added: "The referee is in a great position. You can see him. He can see Kudus has brushed Schar's face with his fingers. It's not a head injury.
"He's judging the intensity of it. And now you [Newcastle] have to switch on. Dan Burn, Tino Livramento, the midfield, you've just got to switch on.
"There's an old saying in football: deal with it first, argue about it afterwards, and they didn't do that, Newcastle.
"I'm glad the referee did what he did because he's got the best seat in the house, he saw what was going on."
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