9 mins Ewan McGowan shot. 0-1

23 mins Johnny Emerson shot. 1-1

Half time: Mariners 1 Newcastle U21s 1

Full time: Mariners 1 Newcastle U21s 1

Cathal Heffernan, Jamie Miley, Alfie Harrison, Trevan Sanusi and Jay Turner-Cooke were unavailable after receiving senior team call-ups for the Japan tour. Joe White and Alex Murphy are injured.

Following the departure of U21 head coach Ben Dawson, the Magpies coaching staff included old boy and current Darlington boss Steve Watson.

Newcastle included two trialists, a left footed right winger played for just over an hour and a forward appearing for the final 26 minutes of the second half.

Trialist A looks to be Galway United's teenage prospect Kyle Fitzgerald, while we think the attacker is Muhamadou Sedibeh, recently linked with a move from Bradford City to Tyneside on social media.     

Some wayward finishing from South Shields ensured that Newcastle U21s avoided defeat on Sunday afternoon in their only advertised pre-season friendly.

1,424 fans were at the 1st Cloud Arena to see the National League North Mariners round off their preparations for next week's opener at Hereford.

And the home fans were cheering in the ninth minute as  Paul Blackett's low cross from the right was finished off by Ewan McGowan's shot inside the box.

Having supplied an assist, home centre forward Blackett then fired wide of the target before testing Aidan Harris with a clever header. 

A defensive error gave the young Magpies sight of goal midway through the opening period, Johnny Emerson eluding an opponent and confidently picking his spot.

The second half saw Adam Harrison take over from Harris, but Blackett proved to be no more adept at getting the ball past him - the Mariners captain twice off-target in quick succession before the hour.

With a refashioned Magpies side unable to threaten Myles Boney in the Shields goal, the hosts continued their quest to find a winning goal - Blackett missing another sitter 11 minutes from time. 

However it remained 1-1 - replicating the scoreline from our last visit here, 32 years to the day.

Biffa