Damien Duff claimed a fine hat-trick as Newcastle launched their pre-season
campaign with a comfortable victory at Hartlepool.
The Republic of Ireland international cancelled out Matty Robson's opener five
minutes before the break and then added a second from debutant Danny Guthrie's
pass before making it 4-1 at the death.
• Keegan praise for Duff
In the meantime, Guthrie had marked his arrival on Tyneside with a deflected
53rd-minute strike.
Kevin Keegan's side endured a testing start as the League One outfit took the
game to them, but they eventually made their Barclays Premier League class tell
and were worthy winners in front of a crowd of 4,249.
Keegan was without the injured Michael Owen, Mark Viduka, Habib Beye and Steve
Harper, while Abdoulaye Faye and Geremi returned to training later than their
team-mates after World Cup qualifiers during the summer.
James Milner, who has been linked with both Liverpool and Aston Villa this
summer, started in central midfield with Duff playing on the right, a position
which could yet be filled by summer signing Jonas Gutierrez when the season gets
under way.
The home side took the lead with 16 minutes gone when midfielder Robson ran on
to Joel Porter's ball down the left and chipped a shot past Shay Given at his
near post.
Newcastle were laboured in their efforts to get back into the game, but they
were level five minutes from the break when Duff collected Milner's pass and cut
inside before curling a left-foot shot past keeper Arran Lee-Barratt.
Ben Clark had to clear Obafemi Martins' scuffed effort off the line seconds
later, and it took a fine save from Lee-Barratt to keep out Charles N'Zogbia's
44th-minute shot as it skidded off the rain-soaked turf with the Magpies warming
to their task.
Guthrie arrived as a half-time replacement for Jose Enrique, while Shola Ameobi
came on for Martins, and the former Liverpool midfielder made a swift impact
when he picked out Duff, who held off Clark to slot past Lee-Barratt with 52
minutes gone.
Guthrie helped himself to the third goal within seconds when his long-range
shot was deflected past the keeper.
Ameobi miskicked in front of an open goal with 56 minutes gone as the visitors
threatened to run riot, but after landing an 80th-minute cross on the bar, Duff
completed his hat-trick with another deft finish two minutes from time.
Keegan praise for Duff
Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan hailed a rejuvenated Damien Duff after watching the
midfielder plunder a hat-trick at Hartlepool.
The manager said: 'He looks very sharp. It's the first time in three or four
years that he has had a pre-season.
'He has missed all pre-season training in the last three and any pro will tell
you, that is of major importance to get that in because it gives you a base for
the season.
'He has looked very sharp. He says his weight is down to what it was when he
was 17, 18, and he looked like a 17 or 18-year-old out there.
'He was very good and the three goals were nice to see. He has worked very,
very hard, as have all the players.'
Keegan admitted he arrived at Victoria Park with limited outfield options as
Michael Owen joined Mark Viduka on the sidelines with a sore calf muscle, while
Steve Harper and Habib Beye were also missing with Abdoulaye Faye and Geremi
having been given extended summer breaks.
New signing Jonas Gutierrez was in the stands as he waits for his registration
to be processed, but fellow recruit Guthrie did get his chance.
Keegan said: 'He was very good. I wanted to play him from the start, but he
has just had a little bit of a problem. They do get a lot of niggles at this
time of the year.
'He has had a little bit of a problem with sore shins, so we just backed off.
'But he came on for the second half and within four or five minutes, he had
made a goal and scored a goal.
'I think he will be a tremendous asset to us. He is a typical Liverpool
player, he passes the ball really well and you don't see him give it away very
often.
'The goal was probably a bonus.'
The game came with the Magpies' recruitment department still scouring the globe
for signings, and their need to make several more breakthroughs was reflected by
their bench.
Of the nine substitutes named, only Guthrie and Shola Ameobi have any Premier
League experience, and Keegan admitted the need for more bodies is pressing.
He said: 'There have definitely got to be some more in the pipeline. We only
had two players (on the bench) today who I would call senior players with us, so
that gave us a total of 12 outfield players.
'We are like a lot of clubs at the moment, everyone is waiting for something
to happen. We are still looking.
'They will definitely be in by the end of the transfer window because you just
can't go into the Premier League with this small squad we have got.
'But everyone is working hard and we will see what happens.'
