Newcastle XI 4 Burnley XI 1

By Tom Easterby

Newcastle United XI 4 (Ferreyra, Armstrong 2, Roberts)

Burnley XI 1

A double from Adam Armstrong helped a Newcastle United XI to victory in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Burnley on Tuesday, as Ryan Taylor stepped up his return to full fitness.

Teenage forward Armstrong helped himself to a brace against Michael Jolley's Clarets as a dominant first-half performance earned United their second friendly win in as many weeks at their Benton Training Centre.

Winger Callum Roberts was rewarded for his two goals against Heaton Stannington last week with a starting spot against the Clarets, while Taylor got 70 minutes under his belt at right-back as the Magpies seized the upper hand early on.

After on-loan Facundo Ferreyra had fired over, Taylor and Roberts combined down the right to create a shooting chance for Mehdi Abeid, but the Algerian sliced high and wide.

Massadio Haidara was next to try his luck, taking aim from 25 yards and stinging the palms of Burnley's goalkeeper, who did well to repel the thunderous strike.

With just over quarter-of-an-hour on the clock, however, Peter Beardsley's side took the lead. Taylor - who stepped up his recovery from two cruciate ligament injuries with an accomplished performance - sent in a tempting cross which Ferreyra diverted into the net.

And Taylor could have got himself on the scoresheet just minutes later, when one of his trademark curling free-kicks was saved as United pushed for a second.

Armstrong twice went close soon after; his swerving effort was well held and he saw a shot come back off the base of the post after Haris Vuckic had threaded him through.

But the England Under-17 international didn't have to wait long to grab his first of the afternoon. Roberts' trickery on the right took him to the byline and his cutback was expertly dispatched by Armstrong to give Newcastle a firm grip on the game with 34 minutes on the clock.

The goal of the game followed just four minutes later, as Taylor fed Ferreyra. The Argentine forward, with his back to goal, laid the ball back into the path of Armstrong, who unleashed a venomous drive into the bottom left-hand corner to send United into the break with a seemingly unassailable advantage.

That advantage was extended just three minutes after the restart, when the impressive Roberts showed fine pace and control to take him away from the Clarets defence before finishing low into the corner for the fourth.

Although Burnley rallied and pulled a goal back shortly after, a comeback was never truly threatened, especially as Jak Alnwick thwarted the visitors with a string of important saves.

Newcastle could have extended their lead through both Vuckic and Abeid - the former seeing his shot from a tight angle parried and the latter failing with a lob when clean through - but despite some late pressure, Beardsley's youngsters comfortably retained the upper hand.

Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Jak Alnwick; Ryan Taylor (Jamie Sterry 70), Remie Streete, Lubo Satka, Massadio Haidara; Gael Bigirimana, Mehdi Abeid; Callum Roberts, Adam Armstrong, Haris Vuckic; Facundo Ferreyra

Subs not used: Paul Woolston, Kevin Mbabu, Dan Barlaser, Alex Gilliead, Tom Heardman