It said it all that Newcastle United players and staff left the London Stadium a little disappointed after only going home with a point following the 1-1 draw against West Ham.
Newcastle had more possession, more shots and more corners than a side riding high in fifth place and it has been a long time since that has happened, particularly on the road.
It was not so long ago that Newcastle would have lost this game yet, despite being without the injured Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin and Kieran Trippier, Eddie Howe's side put in another spirited display.
Go here for all the latest Newcastle United news
Newcastle responded impressively to going behind after the half-hour mark when, previously, the black-and-whites might have crumbled. Indeed, just 14 minutes separated Craig Dawson's opener and Joe Willock's well-taken equaliser.
Few individuals have mirrored Newcastle's recent resurgence quite like Willock, who is starting to resemble the player who lit up St James' Park last season with every passing week.
At times, West Ham did not quite know how to handle Willock as the £25m signing slalomed around the pitch in a box to box role that got the best out of him.
Newcastle supporters may have repeatedly serenaded substitute Bruno Guimaraes - 'he could have signed for Arsenal but he thought f-- that!' - but it is Willock who has responded most impressively to the big-money signing's arrival in recent weeks.
Howe has certainly played his part in Willock never losing belief after sticking by him and the midfielder, literally, spoke for his team-mates after the game when he said the head coach was a 'manager we all trust and we are all buying into what he wants to do'.
Togetherness has been built; the players have responded to Howe's intense demands and lengthy training sessions; and the squad's fitness has improved dramatically after poor conditioning played a part in the Magpies flagging in the reverse fixture against West Ham on the opening day.
In fact, despite only getting to the team hotel at around 8pm on Friday night, following a seven-hour coach journey, Newcastle took something from this early kick-off and saw the game out rather comfortably despite the disruption Storm Eunice caused.
Newcastle's front-foot approach appeared to catch sleepy West Ham off guard a little and it was the visitors who made the brighter start.
There were just three minutes on the clock when Fabian Schar's clipped free-kick caused havoc and Joelinton pounced as Declan Rice failed to clear, but goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was alive to the Brazilian's near post effort.
West Ham did not look at all comfortable with crosses into the box and, just a few minutes later, Ryan Fraser's delivery caused real problems.
Joelinton headed the ball across the box but Jacob Murphy and Joe Willock's shots were blocked.
Howe knew that Newcastle had to make the most of these situations because, even when West Ham are not playing well, the Hammers still have real game changers at their disposal and they soon came to life.
Rice switched the play expertly in the 21st minute and picked out Ryan Fredericks, whose smart header sent Bowen galloping in behind Newcastle's defence for the first time.
Bowen's half-volley forced Dubravka into a fine stop as the Newcastle goalkeeper pushed the in-form forward's effort onto the crossbar.
It was a timely reminder of how dangerous West Ham are, even when the Hammers were not at their fluent best, and the hosts were soon in front.
Newcastle players were well-briefed on West Ham's threat from set-pieces - only Liverpool had scored more goals from corners and free-kicks in the Premier League this season - and the danger defender Craig Dawson posed.
However, as good as Aaron Cresswell's free-kick was in the 32nd minute, Dawson found it too easy to wriggle free of his marker and nod West Ham in front.
Crucially, however, just like against Everton the previous week, heads did not drop and Newcastle drew level just before half-time.
Jacob Murphy slipped in Ryan Fraser down the left with a clever reverse pass and the Scotland international's cross was not dealt with by Rice.
Willock seized on Rice's poor header and the midfielder got in between Craig Dawson and Ryan Fredericks.
Willock still had an awful lot to do from a tight angle, but the 22-year-old improvised with a clever hooked finish with the outside of his boot as the ball went in off the post despite Lukasz Fabianski's best efforts to claw it off the line.
It was Willock's first goal since the final day of last season and his first since joining the club permanently last summer so it understandably meant a lot to the midfielder, who made a beeline for the bouncing away end behind the goal and slapped the badge on his chest.
The momentum of the game was with Newcastle once more, but the quality of this contest dipped after the break.
There were few chances, all told, but Willock did fashion a decent opportunity midway through the second half.
Willock created space for himself on the edge of the area and, such was his renewed confidence, the Londoner tried his luck but his effort drifted just wide in the 66th minute.
It was the closest either side came to winning the game and Bowen's frustrations told in the closing stages after getting little change out of Newcastle's defenders.
Following a crunching tackle by Burn, the former Magpies' target squared up to his opposite number. The towering centre-back merely swatted Bowen away as Newcastle supporters sang: 'Dan Burn, he's one of our own!'
It served as a fitting final act as the visitors stood firm to claim a well-earned point.
We want to hear your thoughts, so LOG IN and leave your comment below.
