Half time: Killie 0 United 0

70mins Craig Slater (not the Sky Sports reporter) took full advantage of some suicidal defending that presented him with the ball inside the Newcastle area to fire home. 0-1

86mins the home side wrapped up the win - from a Newcastle corner. Amalfitano's fluffed flag kick came back to him out on the touchline, but he surrendered possession cheaply. Killie promptly broke upfield and sprung the offside trap, with Mark Stewart lobbing Alnwick to double the lead.  0-2

Full time: Killie 2 United 0

United's U21s continued their pre-season programme on Saturday with a visit to the Rugby Park home of SPL side Kilmarnock - but once again failed in front of goal. 

Beaten without scoring by both Hamilton Academical and Southampton, Newcastle's second string did find the net three times during a midweek workout at Workington.

Against a Killie side including four trialists however and a number of fringe players who had featured in a Friday night game against Carlisle, the Magpies were second best overall and punished for two concentration lapses. 

Clad in their red and white striped change kit, Killie came agonisingly close to an opening goal after eight minutes when an attacking burst down the right ended with Ross Barbour sending a low centre across the United box. 

Falling nicely into the path of striker Dylan Pooler, the 16 year-old starlet contrived to stab a first time effort wide of Jak Alnwick's goal - a real let off for the visitors.

The United 'keeper was then alert to deal with a shot from a quickly taken free kick on the halfway line, but most of what action there was came at the other end.

French midfielder Romain Amalfitano was at the heart of most of Newcastle's attacks, but sadly followed up every hint of promise with a slack shot or misplaced pass.

Right back Kevin Mbabu threatened periodically down the United right and a couple of low centres caused panic in the home box. Sadly though, neither Amalfitano or Adam Campbell were able to get the vital final touch.

Killie provided a reminder of their threat when trialist Mark Stewart broke into the box on 34 minutes. Electing to pass rather than shoot, he found William Gros at the far post but the unmarked French striker fluffed his effort.

There was almost a sparkling start to the second period when Campbell took down a pass and volleyed wide from just inside the box in one fluid movement.

However the United number 9 lacked support and too often came deep looking for the ball and at the mid point in the second half, a repeat of the 0-0 draw recorded on our last visit here in August 1982 looked on the cards.

That changed on 70 minutes however when Craig Slater put Killie ahead after some slipshod defending. Goalkeeper Antonio Reguero then denied Jonathyn Quinn what looked like a certain equaliser with 12 minutes to play, blocking his pile-driver from point blank range.

And the home win was assured in the 86th minute when trialist striker Mark Stewart broke away and lobbed the United 'keeper. A late chance to reduce the deficit then saw Campbell find space to shoot, but manage only a weak effort that barely reached Reguero.

Biffa