Ameobi 1
Bassedas 1
Dyer 1
Griffin 1
LuaLua 6
Marcelino 1
Robert 4
Shearer 4
Solano 1
Speed 1
Viana 3
OG 1

Pre-season pitch time (in minutes):

Acuna 45+45+45+45+0+0=180
Ameobi 45+45+45+0+23+6=164
Bassedas 45+45+45+45+0+0=180
Bernard 45+45+45+45+76+72=328
Bramble 0+0+0+45+90+72=207
S.Caldwell 45+90+45+45+14+0=239
Cort 0+0+0+45+0+0=45
Dabizas 45+0+0+45+76+90=256
Dyer 45+0+45+45+14+90=239
Elliott 45+45+45+45+14+18=212
Given 45+45+45+45+90+0=270
Griffin 45+45+45+45+0+6=186
Harper 45+45+45+45+0+90=270
Hughes 45+45+45+45+90+84=354
Jenas 0+0+0+0+76+18=94
Kerr 45+45+45+45+0+0=180
LuaLua 45+45+45+45+67+84=331
Marcelino 45+45+45+45+0+18=198
McClen 0+45+45+45+0+0=135
O'Brien 45+45+45+0+0+0=135
Quinn 45+45+45+45+0+0=180
Robert 45+45+45+0+0+0=135
Shearer 45+45+45+45+90+90=360
Solano 45+45+45+45+90+90=360
Speed 45+45+45+45+90+90=360
Viana 45+45+45+45+90+72=342

Having acted as best man at the wedding of his brother 24 hours earlier, Shay Given spent the afternoon on the bench.

Making a second appearance in as many days after playing for the stiffs at Oldham were Marcelino, Rob Elliott, Andy Griffin and Shola Ameobi, while Steve Caldwell and Clarence Acuna weren't called on from the bench.

As the real stuff gets nearer and nearer, then so does United's team selection come under increased scrutiny. And with only one pre-season game now remaining, it's fair to assume that the outfield 10 here will be the one deployed in either Bosnia or Norway.

That being the case, our progress into the Group stage of the Champions League is by no means a foregone conclusion.

Admittedly this victory was a distinct improvement on the uninspired display witnessed at the City Ground on Wednesday, but another ordinary second tier side managed to cause enough defensive panic and cause Harper to dirty his gloves a mite too often for comfort.

There was no real doubt about the win once we were ahead, but Harper was the busier of the two keepers. Solano hit a post before half time with a neat chip, and the game drifted off in the second half before Lua's blast.

Dyer could have netted a third, but he wisely allowed Lescott to clear the ball in front of an empty goal - had this been a "real" match he'd almost certainly have converted the chance.

Of course to read anything truly significant into pre-season games is to fall into the trap of Channel 5 and Sky et al, who desperately strive to convince fans that big name teams playing each other at this time of year equals a feast of football. They don't.

For that reason it's also unwise to go overboard in praise or criticism of individuals: memories of the early promise shown in Dublin and Birmingham by Jon Dahl Tomasson are still too fresh in the mind.

So, it's pertinent to record that new boys Hugo Viana and Titus Bramble had contrasting afternoons, but not go as far as one local journalist who branded the latter "hapless."

The Portuguese youngster again looked to have a good eye for a pass, looking at ease both through the middle and also in a wider role - something that may come in handy if whispers about the severity of Robert's back prove correct.

The real test for Viana though will come when a malevolent defender starts playing keepy-uppy with him on the end of a size 11 boot. While true hoofers such as Ruddock are thankfully extinct, enough big lads still lurk out there to damage our bright young thing.

Thankfully one bruiser who cannot give Viana the treatment (unless it's on the training pitch) is Titus Bramble. His contribution was again varied; a mixture of the positive and worrying, ie he got stuck in, won a few balls and struck a few passes but also missed more than one challenge and general looked less than convincing.

While his fitness may not be as advanced as Newcastle would like, and a certain ring-rustiness is to be expected after the inactivity of recent months, our newest signing has still to dispel early question marks as to his suitability for the task ahead.

But he's certainly not alone - a certain Greek central defender alongside him has been less than wonderful in pre-season and with Bernard not inspiring great confidence at left back, Shay Given can may be more involved in proceedings than expected.

Had O'Brien been fit, he'd presumably have appeared in this game but with him missing out again it was left to Marcelino to again play a supporting role. That he was preferred to Caldwell indicates that the Spaniards' exile from competitive first team matches may be nearly over.

It's also worth noting that Robbie Elliott has also switched to central defender on a couple of occasions so far this pre-season as Bobby keeps his options open.

With midfield presenting the management with the nicest problem - which of them to leave out, it's on to the attack that we go.

A starting place now looks odds on for the man from the Congo, with Sir Bobby abandoning his ploy of pairing Dyer with Shearer since the team returned from the Netherlands.

That Shearer starts is of course a foregone conclusion, unless a limb has become detached, when he'd probably have to settle for a place on the bench. In truth, his contribution to this game was little different to that of the Forest one - fitful.

However, before outraged citizens of Gosforth and beyond arm themselves with tar and feathers and come looking for us, we'll quickly add that we expect the number nine to return in familiar style once the shadow boxing is over. After all, an idle summer and a full pre-season are hardly the usual preparation for wor Al.

Attention now switches to the return of Barcelona to SJP, with attendant memories of a certain Colombian firing his way into Tyneside folklore.

No friendly match could ever approach the level of satisfaction that was felt that night back in 1997, but a convincing display on his home debut from Bramble would go a long way to dispelling the stormy weather ahead predicted by some.

Amid all the hullabaloo though, those diehard away travellers in the ground will be cocking an ear to radios or checking text messages to learn whether it's a Norwegian interlude or a Bosnian adventure that awaits us in the Champions League.

We're not going to predict which, but can exclusively reveal that we have an option on a job lot of tin hats formerly owned by the UN. A quick application of the letters "ITED" will of course be required, but that shouldn't be a problem to anyone who can deduce a cost-effective route to Sarajevo. NUFC.com - equipping the Toon army.

PS: Finally a quick mention for the Wolves fans, who had the good grace to cheer the Toon as they arrived at the ground by coach, and applauded Shearer in particular at the final whistle. Contrast this with the village idiots from Nottingham in the previous game.

However despite the referee not deeming the challenge worthy of a free kick, for putting Sturridge out of the game (and off to hospital on a stretcher) Bramble was booed.

In contrast, Butler and Rae, the two ex-mackems appearing for the home side weren't barracked by the Newcastle contingent - as befits their status as total non-entities…