Newcastle United moved up to 10th place in the Premier League after coming from behind to beat Southampton 2-1 at St James' Park.
In-form Danny Ings fired the visitors in front on 52 minutes but the Magpies, who were second best for large periods, rallied.
Buoyed by the introduction of substitute Andy Carroll, Jonjo Shelvey equalised before Federico Fernandez scored a late winner.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
Andy Carroll shows his value again
For the second time in four days, Andy Carroll and Jonjo Shelvey again combined for a goal. Carroll, who only recovered from a rib injury last week, made quite an impact in his half-hour cameo: attracting markers with his presence, pushing Southampton's defence deeper and bringing his team-mates into play with his knockdowns and flicks.
His role in the goal was also crucial. Shelvey's free-kick was headed clear but rather than settling for a throw-in, Carroll chased the ball down and swung a cross in.
Shelvey, the stand-in skipper and the club's top scorer, was there to meet it with a rare header to score his third goal in as many games.
Spirit shines through once more
Newcastle were second best for large periods but kept going and for the third game in a row at St James' Park, Bruce's side came from behind to claim a result.
It was one thing for substitute Sean Longstaff to try his luck from distance at the death, rather than passing the ball to the team-mate, but quite another for Federico Fernandez to be there to gamble on the follow-up to fire his side in front.
These players kept going and Bruce looked an understandably proud man as he waited to congratulate each of them as they made their way off the field at full-time.
Martin Dubravka back to his best
As was the case at Bramall Lane on Thursday night, this game could have had a very different outcome if it was not for Martin Dubraka.
With just 18 minutes on the clock, Dubravka denied Nathan Redmond after the Southampton forward raced clear one-on-one after intercepting Jetro Willems' sloppy pass. From the resulting corner, Dubravka kept Redmond out once more with a crucial save.
The Newcastle fans were on their feet to salute the Slovakia international with a chorus of 'Oh Martin Dubravka!' If it was not already obvious, the Magpies goalkeeper is getting back to his best.
A frustrating afternoon for Joelinton
However surprising it was to see Andy Carroll make his first Newcastle start in nearly nine years, against Sheffield United on Thursday night, it would have been asking a lot of the 30-year-old to start two games in four days.
The return of Joelinton to the starting line-up - the only change Bruce made against Southampton - therefore came as no surprise but it was another frustrating afternoon for the Brazilian.
Staff have been encouraging Joelinton to get in the box more but that is something out and out strikers do instinctively in a match situation.
On one occasion in the first half, when Saint-Maximin beat two players and got to the byline before cutting the ball back, Joelinton was not in the box to try and get on the end of it.
Nothing was quite sticking for the 23-year-old up front, either, and he was replaced by Carroll before the hour mark, receiving a consolatory pat on the back from Bruce as he took his seat on the bench.
Lowest attendance of season but Newcastle climb to 10th
Steve Nickson, the club's head of recruitment, and managing director Lee Charnley were among the 42,303 in attendance at St James' Park.
Whatever about the Magpies' recent form, particularly at home, that attendance figure represented the lowest turnout so far this season.
While it was flat at times at St James' Park, the black-and-whites have moved up to 10th place after claiming seven points from their last three fixtures.
Considering Newcastle were playing champions Man City and in-form Sheffield United and Southampton in those games, that is some return.
