Referee: Reuf Salihovic (Austria) who incurred the wrath of the Newcastle fans for yellow-carding Lascelles and Joelinton but avoiding similar sanction when an 1860 Munich player cleaned out Murphy.
 

Attendance: 600 - the smallest gathering to watch an NUFC first team game where crowds were admitted since a 2-1 friendly win over Lillestrom in the Spanish resort of La Manga in February 2016 drew a similar number of fans.

This 1,500 arena consists of one low terrace running the length of the pitch and two stands on the opposite side - one of which is set aside for corporate guests etc. Today that included NUFC sporting director Dan Ashworth.

The ground is home to Austrian Regional League side FZ Pinzgau Saalfelden and regularly hosts kickabouts of this nature, with various teams staging training camps in the vicinity - Liverpool playing here in 2018 and also staying in the Gut Brandlhof Hotel nearby that Newcastle are using.

More recently the Qatar national side and Royal Antwerp met at the Arena, while Red Bull Salzburg and Ajax will play here next week.

Saalfelden is a town of around 16,000 inhabitants some 50 miles from the city of Salzburg in the Austrian alps and 2,500 feet above sea level.

the walk to the ground - a bit different to Turf Moor

would you like to come back to our hut?

A walk in the black and white forest perhaps?

Kick-off was brought forward from the original 6pm to 2.30pm (1.30pm BST) but the threatened rain in the area never appeared and the game was played in a tolerable 21 degrees, at times in bright sunshine but also overcast.

After having played pre-season games on dubious pitches over the years (notably the 2011 farce in Orlando when a new turf surface was laid but too dangerous to use) there were no such issues here in Saalfelden - aside from one box having a camber. It didn't stop us scoring three goals in that end!  

Rakes progress

That had been achieved by United sending out their own ground staff well in advance to prepare the pitch, tending to it on a daily basis and repairing any damage inflicted on it by other games staged there in advance of ours. It's difficult to imagine that happening under the former administration. 

Both sets of fans mingled freely in the stand while temporary fencing and a single steward segregated those on the terrace. Fans mixed freely during the day with no hint of animosity and beer was on sale inside the ground, the amount supped requiring emergency supplies to be ferried in mid-match.

The hills are alive with the sound of....Geordies


The beer truck awaits restocking

While more media attention was devoted to the discontent among Mainz fans at the prospect of playing us next week, a less-publicised protest from both 1860 fans and the club itself affected the attendance at today's game.

Some 1860 directors announced their intention not to be at the game while others were apparently "no shows" on the day.

There was no sign of protest inside the ground, but a section of 1860 Ultras boycotted the game. Others preferred not to buy tickets and watch from outside - some congregating on the terrace of the adjacent tennis club bar and others lurking in the woods nearby.

Of those 1860 followers present, the traditional denim and scarf combos was less popular but still evident - the entry of one group into the pre-match bar prompting a comparison to a 1970s progressive rock band. One of the Hairy Bikers also appeared to have snuck in to their enclosure: