Full time: Hartlepool 1 Newcastle 4

Kevin Keegan commented:

"I thought it was a good game. They were probably a week ahead of us in terms of training but in the end we started to play well and got a lot out of it.

"Duff looked very sharp. I think it's the first time in three or four years he's been fit for pre-season. Every pro will tell you that it's of major importance as it gives you a base for the season.

"He's looked very sharp and he says his weight is down to what is was when he was 17/18 and he looked like and 18 year out there.

"The three goals put a nice seal on it but he's worked very hard, as have all of the players.

"There have definitely got to be some more (signings) 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 twelve outfield players.

Michael will be back in on Monday but he had a sore calf, obviously we're still missing Mark Viduka and the Spiderman (as the crowd called him) couldn't play as his registration hasn't come through.

"It gave us the chance to look at some young kids and the ones who came on I thought did very well.

"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."

Summer in Hartlepool aka Gull City The view from the away end - Happy New Season! Jonas Gutierrez watched proceedings from the stand, still waiting for his registration to be completed. Recent Toon Friendlies at the Monkey Hangers: Although we've never met 'Pools in a competitive game in modern times, they've regularly hosted Newcastle senior and Reserve XIs in friendly encounters. 2008/09 won 4-1 Duff 3, Guthrie 2007/08 won 3-1 Ameobi 2, Owen 2003/04 won 6-0 Shearer 3, Bellamy, Speed, Solano 1995/96 won 4-0 Allen 2, Kitson, Brayson 1993/94 won 2-0 Sellars, Beardsley

Waffle

Newcastle began their pre-season campaign with a comfortable victory at Victoria Park on Saturday - although they had to come from behind against Danny Wilson's League One outfit.

Wearing their purple away kit for the first time, the Magpies lined-up in a 4-4-2 formation spearheaded by a front pairing of Obafemi Martins and Alan Smith - Michael Owen having joined fellow forwards Andy Carroll and Mark Viduka on the sidelines with a slight knock.

Kevin Keegan went with a four man midfield, Damien Duff taking the right flank and Charles N'Zogbia working down the opposite wing, with James Milner and captain Nicky Butt occupying the centre.

And with both Abdoulaye Faye and Habib Beye missing, there was a first runout in defence for David Edgar since his hernia op.

The Canadian filled in at right back, while a slimmed-down Jose Enrique appeared on the opposite wing and Steven Taylor partnered Claudio Cacapa in the middle.

A training ground injury to Steve Harper saw Shay Given return to make his first appearance for nearly five months - although Harper should be OK to play at Doncaster.

In typically bizarre weather conditions of bright sunshine and heavy rain, Pools kicked off and scored from their first attack of note on 16 minutes, midfielder Matty Robson breaking down the left and making his way into the box unchallenged before netting from 12 yards.

It took until five minutes before the break for Newcastle to find a semblance of form, at which point Damien Duff cut in from the right, checked back and equalised with a low left-footed shot beyond the 'keeper.

Within a minute it was almost 2-1 when Martins' low effort towards an unguarded goal was cleared, N'Zogbia and Duff both having shots saved before the interval.

Shola Ameobi replaced Martins at the break and new boy Danny Guthrie came on in central midfield replacing Jose Enrique with N'Zogbia moving to left back, Duff playing left and Milner playing right.

Seven minutes into the second period it was 2-1 as Duff grabbing his second, firing in from the edge of the box, with Guthrie following suit seconds later - assisted via a slight deflection off a defender.

It should really have been 4-1 two minutes later when Shola did all the hard work by working an opening and committing the 'keeper but somehow lost the ball with the goal gaping....

The visitors then made two changes at the back, Ben Tozer replacing Edgar and Callum Morris coming on for Cacapa - with former Swindon man Tozer partnering Taylor when Morris came on at right back.

Newcastle fashioned various chances to add to their lead as Pools faded badly and Duff got his third and our fourth late on, lifting the ball into the net after Smith and Ameobi combined to set him up.

Biffa