NEWCASTLE UNITED 0
LEEDS UNITED 0
Friendly
St.James' Park
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Kick-off 7.45pm

Craig Hope reports from St.James' Park ...

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MATCH SUMMARY

NEWCASTLE United were held to a goalless draw by Leeds United in an evenly-fought encounter at St.James' Park.

The Magpies shaded the better of the openings and twice Ryan Taylor was denied by an inspired Shane Higgs before half-time.

The same player then rattled the visiting crossbar after the break, while defenders Sebastien Bassong and Fabricio Coloccini both missed the target from gilt-edged opportunities inside the six-yard area.

The Geordies now travel to Dundee United on Sunday to conclude their pre-season warm-up fixtures.

SECOND-HALF UPDATES (click refresh for latest)

And there's goes the full-time whistle, 0-0.

90+1min - LuaLua escapes his marker but blazes into the Leazes End when a little more composure was perhaps needed - to be fair to the youngster, though, he's not scared to have a go.

There will be two minutes added time.

89min - Beckford goes in search of a late winner but his 20-yard shot is deflected off Steven Taylor and into the arms of Tim Krul - routine save for the Dutchman.

84min - Ryan Donaldson replaces Alan Smith - Steven Taylor taking the armband. Smith, the ex-Leeds man, receives a hostile reception from the away fans but the home crowd do their best to drown out that derision.

83min - Krul again denies Leeds as he gets the feintest of touches on Robinson's 20-yard curler to divert it around the post. Nothing comes of the corner.

80min - Coloccini puts his body on the line to block a 20-yard Robinson strike at the expense of a corner. And, from the flag-kick, Leeds comes desperately close to nicking the lead when Beckford, lurking inside the six-yard area, helps a Grella knockdown towards goal only for Krul to save on the goal-line.

76min - Fabricio Coloccini comes within a whisker of netting his first in black and white, the Argentine lashing a volley inches above the crossbar having crept in around the back of a cluster of bodies to connect with Ryan Taylor's deep free-kick.

72min - Nolan steals a yard in behind the Leeds backline but balloons his volley, albeit from a narrow angle, high into the Leazes End.

69min - Double change for the Geordies; Xisco and Kazenga LuaLua on for Andy Carroll and Habib Beye.

66min - Snodgrass should do better when Beckford's miss-hit strike finds its way to the midfielder's unmarked feet six yards from goal. But, rather than take the touch, Snodgrass snatches at the effort allowing Tim Krul to save with ease - that was weak.

61min - There's some activity on the Toon bench below us with Kevin Nolan swapping places with Shola Ameobi, Tim Krul on for Steve Harper and Sebastien Bassong making way for Fabricio Coloccini.

56min - Steve Harper has to be on his guard to palm Beckford's clever hook over the bar from Johnson's low delivery. And it is the Toon stopper, perhaps buoyed by that save, who comes to claim the resulting flag-kick.

51min - Ameobi is working this Leeds backline and the Toon forward pops up in the right channel, latching onto Barton's forward chip. He controls before picking out Ryan Taylor at the far post, he kills the ball dead in an instant and steps inside the challenge of Marques before rattling the crossbar with a venomous strike from 12 yards - what does he have to do to get a goal?

48min - Bassong out-muscles Becchio on halfway before feeding Carroll in an advanced position. The Frenchman continues his run into the box and, when Ameobi delivers from the left having been found in space by Carroll, the United defender sees his far-post header brush the upright with the home fans on their feet - they thought it was in!

United get the second period started as still the rain stays away at Gallowgate.

FIRST-HALF REPORT

Half-time whistle sounds after an evenly-fought opening 45 minutes, still goalless.

There will be one minute added time.

41min - What a save! Andy Carroll defies the height and depth of Barton's cross to stretch and power a header back across goal, Ryan Taylor is steaming in at pace and is only denied a goal by the reflexes of Higgs who somehow keeps out the midfielder's point-blank volley.

39min - Leeds win their first corner of the night as Bassong blocks Snodgrass' low, right-wing centre. Andy Carroll is back on defensive duty to head clear Johnson's in-swinging flag-kick.

32min - There's a shout for a spot-kick from the hosts as Carroll, having been slipped in on goal by a well-disguised Ameobi throughball, tumbles under pressure from Kisnorbo - Nigel Miller waves away the protests - probably the right decision.

28min - Barton hassles Howson out of possession on halfway with Ameobi the recepient of the loose ball. He carries forward before unleashing a skidding low strike from 25 yards which is watched, and saved, by keeper Higgs.

24min - A hopeful return from Marques, deep in his own half, catches the United rearguard cold with Jermaine Beckford stealing in behind. The Leeds forward brings the bouncing ball to shooting height before lashing a rising half volley inches above Steve Harper's crossbar from just inside the area - he should have hit the target, a let-off for the hosts.

21min - A quick succession of slick passes in the United midfield crafts an opening for Ryan Taylor to deliver from the right. The Magpie wideman generates height and whip on his cross and when Andy Carroll towers amid a crowd of bodies, the forward is unlucky to see his header loop over the visiting frame.

20min - Crowe again comes through the back of Gutierrez tight on the touchline - still no cards are brandished.

18min - This might only be billed as a friendly fixture but already there's a fair amount of needle between the two sides.

11min - Barton sets a galloping Gutierrez free down the left. The United winger charges forward leaving yellow shirts trailing in his wake before bursting into the box. A low cross, half cleared by Marques, runs to the feet of the arriving Ryan Taylor and his first-time strike from 12 yards is excellently palmed clear by the strong palm of Shane Higgs - great save.

8min - Fabian Delph, the Englanfd Under-21 star, has looked very lively during the opening exchanges and it's his quick feet and subequent chipped forward pass which presents Becchio with a shooting opportunity on the right. The Argentine drills low towards Steve Harper's far corner but, while the Toon stopper is beaten, the ball also evades the upright - that was close.

5min - It's the aerial prowess of Marques once more which prevents a United attempt on goal as the Angolan climbs to head Ryan Taylor's corner to safety.

2min - Jonas Gutierrez is chopped down by a sliding Jason Crowe on the East Stand touchline, the Leeds man is lucky to escape an early caution. Ryan Taylor centres at pace but Rui Marques' head emerges from the pack to head clear.

The teams emerge to the sound of Local Hero with Alan Smith leading the Magpies into action. The rain has subsided here on Tyneside although for how long we'll have to wait and see.

TEAM NEWS

SEBASTIEN Bassong returns to the Newcastle United backline for his first appearance of the pre-season.

The French defender partners Steven Taylor at the heart of the defence with Habib Beye and Jose Enrique occupying the full-back slots.

Alan Smith takes the armband against the club with which he made his professional debut.

And he is joined in midfield by Ryan Taylor, Jonas Gutierrez and Joey Barton who remains the only United player to have started each of the Magpies' warm-up matches.

Steve Harper and Shola Ameobi return having missed Saturday's defeat at Leyton Orient, Andy Carroll partnering the latter in attack.

TEAMS

NUFC: Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Sebastien Bassong, Steven Taylor, Jose Enrique, Ryan Taylor, Alan Smith (c), Joey Barton, Jonas Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi, Andy Carroll
Subs: Fabricio Coloccini, Kevin Nolan, Xisco, Kazenga LuaLua, Tim Krul, Ryan Donaldson

LUFC: Shane Higgs, Jason Crowe, Ben Parker, Jonathan Howson (c), Rui Marques, Patrick Kisnorbo, Robert Snodgrass, Fabian Delph, Jermaine Beckford, Luciano Becchio, Bradley Johnson
Subs: Casper Ankergren, Andy Hughes, Andy Robinson, Mike Grella, David Prutton, Lubomir Michalik, Aidan White

Attendance: 16, 945
Referee: Nigel Miller