11 mins visiting defender Ricksen was adjudged by referee Halsey to have impeded Robert in the area and Alan Shearer converted his penalty past Klos at the Leazes end. 1-0

29 mins Craig Bellamy latched on to a non-clearance from a Brittain cross to drill the ball home from 12 yards. 2-0

37 mins Olivier Bernard forced his way past two tackles before unleashing a rapier-like finish from distance that flew into the top corner of the net. 3-0

43 mins Prso scored just before the interval with an effort similar to Bellamy's. 3-1

Half time:  Newcastle 3 Rangers 1

85 mins Ricksen's shot beat Harper as our defence was left flat-footed - the same player had been denied midway through the first half by a crucial block from the stand-in Newcastle 'keeper but this time made no mistake. 3-2

90 mins A well-directed low cross from Chopra down the right flank was knocked home by Dyer - finally getting on the scoresheet after fluffing his lines on three occasions earlier in the contest. 4-2

Full time: Newcastle 4 Rangers 2

Sir Bobby said:

"I don't like crowds making filthy chants at him. There were a lot of unclean mouths making filthy chants out there. Alan Shearer does not have to play in that kind of environment so I got him out of that muck.

"I wasn't having it, all them screaming unpleasantries at him. There was a fight and some fisticuffs involving Alan just before that and it was getting unpleasant.

"There's another game today against Sporting Lisbon. Alan was already on a yellow card so I didn't want him missing that. But I didn't want him being subjected to filthy chants."

Shearer himself spoke:

I think the manager took me off before I was sent off.

"The most important thing is that we're ready for Middlesbrough away. That's the important game for us. We've got to get going, and as long as you come through injury-free you've done half the job."

"Our fans turned up in their thousands and they want it done right. We were well aware of that."

Gers boss Big Eck McLeish commented:

"I think the Rangers fans have been phenomenal. They've made this tournament. I think Shearer will get taken off a lot this season. The Rangers fans have been a credit to the club this weekend."

"I didn't think that we did too badly in the first half and it was unbelievable that we were 3-0 down at the break.

"A bit of school-boy at the first goal cost us - two guys left it up to each other - then a scuffed clearance landed straight at Bellamy's feet for the second and when you give someone of his quality such an easy chance they punish you.

"The third goal, you have to take your hat off to Bernard because those shots are unstoppable but maybe Burkey would feel a bit disappointed at his tackle in the first place. But we re-organised things at the interval and I felt Arveladze was very effective for us when he came on.

"We dominated the second half, Newcastle relied on the break and they were very effective at it because you can't take your eyes off guys like Dyer and Bellamy for a minute.

"We will take lots of positives from this game though. While there are things we must take a close look at there is a lot to be pleased about.

"We knew that this would be a challenge because as our fitness has improved the opposition has become more difficult and they don't come much harder than the Geordies in their own back yard."

"Of course we would love to win tomorrow's match against Feyenoord but my main priority is to give all the players, that didn't feature today, a run out.

"The lads who started today have had more matches than the others this pre season and it's important everyone gets their share of the action."

Nicky Butt made his Newcastle bow as a half time substitute but by then his new colleagues had blown Rangers away with a three-goal first half onslaught, silencing the travelling masses.

The goalscoring started just past the ten minute mark, when visiting defender Ricksen was adjudged by referee Halsey to have impeded Robert in the area and Alan Shearer converted his penalty past Klos at the Leazes end.

The lead was then doubled by his strike partner Craig Bellamy just before the half hour, as he latched on to a non-clearance from a Brittain cross to drill the ball home from 12 yards.

The goal of the game then followed on 37 minutes from Olivier Bernard, who forced his way past two tackles before unleashing a rapier-like finish from distance that flew into the top corner of the net.

At that stage McLeish's men looked dead and buried, but new signing from Monaco Prso scored just before the interval with an effort similar to Bellamy's and in the second half Rangers showed more solidity across the field.

Prso was probably their main threat and Robson will be concerned at the ease with which he managed to elude United defenders to find space. The limit of former mackem lump Alex Rae's ambitions by contrast appeared to be starting fights and he was first to react when a strong challenge from Bowyer in the first half saw him surrounded by four whinging huns.

The major tussle of the game though came on 68 minutes when Ricksen and Shearer ended up entwined with each other on the Gallowgate goal line, amidst a crowd of players and the referee.

The clash stemmed from an incident moments earlier when Rangers claimed that Shearer had used an elbow when he and Boumsong both lost their footing in a tackle.

Shearer made himself scarce and appeared to exchange words with Ricksen as play restarted, before the flareup seconds later. There was clearly little friendly about the game at this point...

When things calmed down and referee Halsey had consulted the linesman on the Milburn side, both Shearer and Ricksen were separately summoned and yellow-carded.

Within seconds Ameobi was warming up and soon replaced Shearer, the number nine looking less than impressed as he left the field, tossing his armband to Bowyer - although Dyer wore it for the rest of the game. 

And Ricksen it was who ensured a nervy final five minutes after his shot beat Harper as our defence was left flat-footed - the same player had been denied midway through the first half by a crucial block from the stand-in Newcastle 'keeper but this time made no mistake.

Newcastle finally made the win safe in the last seconds of the game, as a well -directed low cross from Chopra down the right flank was knocked home by Dyer - finally getting on the scoresheet after fluffing his lines on three occasions earlier in the contest.

And there was just time for Academy graduate Kris Gate to make his first senior appearance before the final whistle.

Very much a game of two halves for us - sweeping attacking before the break that brought frequent reward, but a less spectacular second period and some nervous moments as Rangers edged their way back into the reckoning as we started to fray at the edges.

A quantum leap forward though from most on display from the non-performance at Ipswich in midweek and some smooth passing from Butt which augurs well for the future. 

Morale-boosting goals for the front pair and Dyer plus another decent 90 minute workout for Bellamy made it a good day for the toon... especially the Celtic-supporting fraternity at SJP.       

Biffa

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