[themaclad]

Preston North End 2 Gallagher 2 pens Newcastle United 1 Shelvey

PNE: Rudd, Clarke, Bauer, Davies, Hughes, Pearson, Gallagher, Potts, Browne, Barkhuizen, Maguire. Subs (unused): Moult, Rafferty, Simpson, O'Reilly, Walker.

Newcastle: (first half) Woodman, Schar, Fernadez, Dummett, Manquillo, Shelvy, M Longstaff, Aarons, Hayden, Ritchie, Muto.

(Second half): Woodman, Sterry, Fernández, Lascelles, Clark, S. Longstaff, Ki, Colback, Murphy, Almirón, Joelinton

Referee: Michael Salisbury (Lancashire)

Attendance: 4,982 (1,359 Newcastle United fans)

A soggy old afternoon for the last of the friendlies before the real stuff starts next week, North End duly won the game although there are still some issues to sort out, one is the keeper and the other major one is playing Maguire up front on his own doesn't work also on a personal view think Potts is wasted playing wide..

As for the match was a decent work out against two Newcastle sides they made eight changes at half time, first period took us a while to get going never looked remotely like scoring closest we got was when Clarke had an effort blocked for a corner.
United passed the ball around well Shelvey is a decent squad player certainly can pick a pass, thought the No 14 Manquillo? looked good had two efforts on goal both decent efforts.
The goal came from a free kick Shelvey lined it up and fired it in from about 25 yards whether it swerved or took a deflection, you can only say Rudd made a complete balls up of it.
Should have had a second on half time but Muto was way too greedy.



United introduced a £60 million strike force and both played an immediate impact, Joelinton first major impact was to sniff the Lancashire grass being brought down in the penalty area, Almiron took it, everybody in the ground knew it was going to the kepers right, Rudd got it right saved.
Browne finally had our fiirst shot on target welll saved by Woodman, then came Gally's two penalties first for hand ball the second for a foul on Bauer. One left, one right 2-1.
Murphy caused us problems but apart from an Almiron shot United never looked like getting level. We played some decent stuff and Potts couldn't quite make it three with the last kick of the game.



Plus points Bauer looks a good signing also good to see Barkhizen and Pearson playing

Negatives Keeper still probably needed,Potts wasted out iwde and Maguire cannot play on his own up front.
And a can of bitter was £3.90