Over 50,000 fans were at Gallowgate for Sunday's season-opener, as the hosts led twice but ultimately ended up empty-handed after a pulsating afternoon. 

Newcastle led from the fifth minute, when Callum Wilson headed home a right wing centre excellently provided by Allan Saint-Maximin at the Leazes End.

That lead soon was wiped out when Aaron Cresswell's low ball ended up in the net - the goal given after VAR over-ruled a linesman's offside flag. 

The Magpies came close to restoring their advantage when Wilson tried a clever back flick, before Miguel Almiron shaved the crossbar soon after.

Steve Bruce's side were ahead again five minutes before the break; an extended period of pressure ending with Matt Ritchie crossing from the left for Jacob Murphy to head beyond Lukasz Fabianski.

Some sloppy defending then gifted the visitors a second equaliser eight minutes into the second period; Saint-Maximin dispossessed in midfield and Ritchie failing to prevent Said Benrahma nodding in at the back post after Michail Antonio dug out a deep cross from the left byline.

The pivotal moment of the game came just after the hour mark however, Antonio rattling the home goal frame and Murphy conceding a penalty for the merest of contacts on Pablo Fornals after reaching the ball as the pair tussled for the rebound - the second debatable VAR decision of the game.

Debutant goalkeeper Freddie Woodman denied Antonio from the spot, but with home players seemingly slow in reacting, Tomas Soucek cut short jubilation in the stands by burying the loose ball.

Antonio then took Benrahma's through ball and finished off another razor-sharp attack by fizzing the ball past Woodman for West Ham's fourth of the afternoon. And that really was that - The Magpies never looking like over-turning a two-goal deficit in the final quarter.

For much of the afternoon there was too much happening on the pitch for anti-Bruce or Ashley sentiments to be expressed - while going 2-4 down led to spectators drifting away rather than manning the barricades.
 
While there was cause for optimism from the fluid attacking of the forward line, the defence looked especially porous - even taking into the account the presence of an unfamiliar goalkeeper who never looked particularly eager to come off his line.

In fairness this isn't a new situation; the balancing act between scoring and stopping goals referenced by Rafa Benitez with his "short blanket" comment.

Concerns were raised today by our lack of pace in the trio of central defenders and the ease with which space was opened up beyond the wing backs. Jamal Lewis may have advanced his case to start without kicking a ball.

The afternoon may have begun with roars to greet new signing Joe Willock, but by the end the cheering voices were in Leazes Level 7 - those below witnessing a pertinent reminder of the problems that remain unaddressed.

Our £25m arrival from Arsenal may be capable of many things, but shoring up a suspect defence surely isn't one of them - even if his midfield mobility would have been beneficial today.

Just over a fortnight before the transfer window closes, work remains to be done before it can be claimed that the club really went "above and beyond" in the words of the Head Coach.

PS: Despite the unfavourable scoreline, today was a microcosm of everything we've missed since March 2020; be it the cheery stewards or even the eccentric slack jaw in the row behind - humanity in all of its many guises. The lack of hot water in the toilets was rather less pleasing however, given the current focus on hygiene.

On the pitch, the mood swung from elation to deflation as dreams were dashed. It's still great to be back though, even if only to witness this all first-hand rather than via the unpalatable alternative of TV.

Biffa