HARTLEPOOL UNITED 1
NEWCASTLE UNITED 4
Friendly
Victoria Park
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Kick-off 3pm

Craig Hope reports from Victoria Park ...

MATCH REPORT

DAMIEN Duff walked away with the matchball following his hat-trick as United enjoyed a 4-1 victory in their first pre-season friendly of the summer at Hartlepool.

The Magpies were trailing following Matty Robson's (16) opener when Duff got his first five minutes before half-time, the Irish winger curling left-footed into the bottom corner after a swift United breakaway.

Danny Guthrie was a half-time introduction in what was his black and white bow and the former Liverpool midfielder had soon laid on a second for Duff (52) as his threaded throughball was finished with ease by the Republic of Ireland star.

Guthrie then netted a goal of his own moments later when his 20-yard strike was deflected beyond the despairing dive of Arran Lee-Barrett.

And the scoring was complete three minutes from time as Duff curled into the top corner from close range for his third of the afternoon.

SECOND-HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest)

That's it, full-time at Victoria Park with Damien Duff walking away with the matchball following his treble in a 4-1 success.

87min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-4): DAMIEN DUFF gets his third of the afternoon and you have to say it's deserved. And it's another fine finish as this time he curls left-footed into the top corner from the angle of the six-yard area after a clever touch from Shola to tee-up the Irishman.

82min - Alan Power replaces Gary Liddle.

81min - Milner and Ameobi exchange passes, the goal opens up for Milner but his shot is straight at Lee-Barrett and the keeper saves.

80min - Duff, again in the thick of the action, is denied a hat-trick when his lofted cross clips the top of the crossbar with Lee-Barrett all at sea.

78miin - Damien Duff has had a very impressive second-half and he shows a turn of foot to get away from Boland on the left, the winger covers all of 40 yards before crossing low across goal, unfortunately for United the delivery has slighlty too much pace for Smith and zips away for a goal-kick.

75min - Richard Barker and Andy Monkhouse are introduced with Joel Porter and Matty Robson the men to leave the field.

72min - Again Forster is on hand as this time he denies Foley after the wideman had done well to get away a pot shot from just inside the area.

71min - Callum Morris is the next man to enter the fray for the Magpies with Claudio Cacapa making way.

70min - Forster's first job is to keep out a James Brown strike which he does with no problems.

69min - Charles N'Zogbia is forced to concede a corner as he turns behind at the far post from Robson's dangerous delivery. Tozer heads away from Humphrey's lofted flag-kick.

68min - Michael Nelson replaces Sam Collins for Pools.

65min - Fraser Forster gets his first taste of first-team action as he replaces Shay Given.

64min - Milner wins a corner off the shins of Clark on the right. The winger takes and Ameobi is able to get a header on goal which is watched all of the way by Lee-Barrett and he saves with relative ease.

62min - Ben Tozer comes on with David Edgar making way.

60min - Ben Clark is in the unfamiliar territory of the opposition penalty box and does well to turn inside Butt before arrowing high and wide with a left-footed effort.

56min - Shola should make it four when he does everything right to work an opening for a shot after a clever dummy inside the area, Lee-Barrett is grounded and the striker has the whole goal to aim at but gets his feet in a tangle and miscues at the crucial moment - the miss prompts chants of "If Shola scores we're on the pitch" from the Toon Army behind the goal.

55min - David Foley and Willie Boland replace Jamie McCunnie and Ritchie Jones.

53min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-3): DANNY GUTHRIE adds to his assist with a debut goal of his own as he sees a low drive from outside the area take a slight deflection before curling beyond the despairing dive of Lee-Barret and into the bottom corner.

52min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-2): Danny Guthrie spots the forward run of DAMIEN DUFF and finds the winger with a measured throughball, he has two Pools defenders in close attendance but steadies himslef before slotting right-footed past Lee-Barrett for his second of the afternoon.

51min - The Magpies have a corner on the right which is worked short, Milner clips over but the delivery has too much weight and bounces away for a throw-in.

46min - Duff immediately gets away down the left, his cross is begging to be put in but it skids across the face of goal and away for a throw-in.

The teams are back out for the second period with Danny Guthrie and Shola Ameobi having replaced Oba Martins and Jose Enrique, Charles N'Zogbia now slotting in at left-back.

FIRST HALF ACTION

It's half-time here at Victoria Park with Damien Duff having cancelled out Matty Robson's opener.

45min - N'Zogbia stings the palms of Lee-Barrett with a fizzing strike from distance, the keeper can only parry and Martins recovers the loose ball before it rolls away for a corner, he lays back for Milner who takes a touch before seeing a well-struck shot blocked by skipper Sam Collins.

41min - The Geordies come within inches of making it two in as many minutes when Clark recovers to clear from the goal-line after Martins had stabbed the goalwards having rounded Lee-Barrett - it was a difficult chance for the Nigerian given he was stumbling to the turf as he took the shot.

40min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-1): The Magpies break at pace with Milner, he has DAMIEN DUFF supporting to his right and he finds the Irishman with a well-weighted ball, the winger has just Humprhreys to beat but instead works a yard for a shot before curling left-footed into the far corner from just inside the penalty area.

38min - Cacapa and Given combine to deny Brown a shot on goal after Liddle's slide-rule pass had almost gave the young forward a clear run on goal.

34min - Martins ecapes Liddle's attentions 25 yards out and is tugged back by the Pools midfielder at the expense of a free-kick. Milner and N'Zogbia stand over the ball with the Frenchman eventually curling a good two yards over Lee-Barrett's target.

31min - James Brown runs out of options inside the area and tries to find Liddle who is joining the attack from deep, it's a decent ball and the midfielder is able to have a crack from 25 yards, Butt has read the situation and does enough to close and deflect behind for a corner. Humphreys' wicked delivery skids dangerously through a crowd of bodies inside the box and away for a goal-kick.

27min - Steven Taylor plays a risky game with an attempted ball to Smith on the halfway line and Jones intercepts, he feeds the forward running Brown but the youngster's touch is heavy and the recovering Taylor is able to clear.

20min - Another corner for the visitors as Sweeney slides to nick the ball away from N'Zogbia on the left. Milner crosses but Liddle heads clear ay the near post.

16min - HARTLEPOOL GOAL (1-0): Joel Porter finds MATTY ROBSON with a clever ball in-behind the Magpies backline and the Pools winger finishes past Given with a left-footed, near post effort.

16min - United are beginning to find their feet and a move involving Smith, Milner and Duff ends with N'Zogbia seeing a low drive saved by Lee-Barrett with Martins lurking in case of any rebounds.

14min - Humphreys is unable to prevent a corner as he disposses Smith only for the ball to skid away off the greasy surface. N'Zogbia takes and McCunnie heads behind at the far post for another flag-kick. This time it's Milner who crosses but again Pools clear.

10min - The Magpies first attempt on goal comes when Martins capitalises upon some heistancy in the Pools backline, the Nigerian works an angle to the right of Ben Clark but sees his left-footed strike from just outside the area evade the hosts' target.

8min - Nicky Butt tries to switch play but the quick-thinking Robson intercepts, the Pools winger has just Steven Taylor between himself and the goal and opts to shoot from 25 yards but his effort lacks direction and drifts away for a goal kick.

4min - A mix-up between Clark and Humphreys sees the Magpies win the first corner of the afternoon, N'Zogbia takes but it's a Pools head which clears.

2min - The hosts have certainly made the brighter start and Steven Taylor has to be alert to intercept inside the area after Jones had tried to cushion Robson's high, far post delivery into the path of Brown.

An earlier downpour has made way for light drizzle as Hartlepool get the game underway with the Magpies sporting their new purple change kit. The Geordie following have once again filled the Rink End here at Victoria Park.

TEAM NEWS

KEVIN Keegan names a strong Newcastle United starting line-up for the Magpies' first pre-season friendly at Victoria Park.

Nicky Butt skippers the Geordies as he is joined in midfield by Damien Duff, James Milner and Charles N'Zogbia.

Shay Given returns having missed the final two months of last season because of injury.

But with those groin and stomach problems hopefully behind him following surgery during the summer, the Irishman lines up behind a back four of David Edgar, Steven Taylor, Claudio Cacapa and Jose Enrique.

Oba Martins, who netted 10 goals last term, is partnered in attack by Alan Smith.

New boy Danny Guthrie is named among the United substitutes.

TEAMS

HUFC: Arran Lee-Barrett, Jamie McCunnie (David Foley 54m), Ritchie Humphreys, Antony Sweeney, Ben Clark, Sam Collins (c) (Michael Nelson 68m), Gary Liddle (Alan Power 82m), Ritchie Jones (Willie Boland 54m), James Brown (Michael Mackay 85m), Joel Porter (Richard Barker 75m), Matty Robson (Andy Monkhouse 75m)
Subs not used: Jonny Rowell, Jan Budtz.

NUFC: Shay Given (Fraser Forster 65m), David Edgar (Ben Tozer 62m), Steven Taylor, Claudio Cacapa (Callum Morris 71m), Jose Enrique (Danny Guthrie 46m), Nicky Butt, Damien Duff, James Milner, Charles N'Zogbia, Oba Martins (Shola Ameobi 46m), Alan Smith.
Subs not used: Darren Lough, Frank Wiafe Danquah, Jonny Godsmark, Mark Doninger

Referee: Graham Laws
Attendance: 4, 249