2 mins: Wesley Ngo Baheng shot 1-0

28 mins: Keith Douglas shot 1-1

43 mins: Fabio Zamblera shot 2-1

Half time: Colliers 1 United 2

55 mins: Liam Atkin shot 2-2

69 mins: Sammy Ameobi shot 3-2

Full time: Colliers 2 United 3

United's reserve side began their pre-season campaign on Wednesday evening with a narrow victory against The Colliers at their Woodhorn Lane ground - our first visit to the purpose-built venue that replaced Portland Park when opened in August 2008.

Clad in their new yellow change kit, French-born forward Wesley Ngo Baheng put Newcastle ahead with a low shot after just two minutes. Ashington hit back however when visiting goalkeeper Fraser Forster dropped the ball under pressure and Keith Douglas was on hand to ram it into the net.

Baheng then turned provider two minutes before the interval, with his strike partner Fabio Zamblera able to turn home a left wing centre from close range. Former Magpie Liam Atkin then shot the Colliers level once again on 55 minutes, after Sammy Ameobi failed to clear his lines from a corner. 

However he atoned with Newcastle's winner midway through the second half. Some trickery from Swedish starlet Samuel Adjei gave Shola's younger brother sight of goal and he netted with a crisply-struck effort from 25 yards out.  For the 17 year-old striker it marked a successful return to action, after injury at the start of the year sidelined him. 

Other returnees included Italian striker Fabio Zamblera, making his first appearance for United since return from a loan spell with Sampdoria in the second half of last season. And Paddy McLaughlin was a welcome sight having overcome the injury problems that wrecked last season for him.     

Phil Airey's participation in the game however was brief, with only four minutes of the second half elapsed when he fell awkwardly after an aerial challenge and was led from the field with what looked like a shoulder/collar bone injury. It's unclear whether he required medical treatment, but if so at least he was in the right place - the ground being adjacent to Wansbeck Hospital.

Biffa

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