Carlisle United 0 Newcastle United 3

Carlisle United 0 Newcastle United 3 (Best 47, Ranger 64, Vuckic 73)

Brunton Park

Attendance: 7,412 (inc around 2000 from Tyneside)

Saturday 17 July, kick-off 1pm

Mark Hannen reports from Brunton Park

NEWCASTLE United got their pre-season campaign off to a flyer this afternoon with a comfortable 3-0 win over Carlisle at Brunton Park.

Following a fairly even first-half that saw the home side hit the woodwork, United manager Chris Hughton changed the entire starting XI at the break and had to wait until just two minutes after the re-start for the deadlock to be broken.

Wayne Routledge played in Leon Best down the right, and with plenty still to do, the Republic of Ireland international calmly rounded the keeper before rolling the ball into an empty net from just inside the six yard box to register his first ever goal in a Newcastle shirt.

A little over 15 minutes later it was 2-0 - again thanks to the quick feet and passing of Routledge. The lively winger took off down the right before cutting back for Nile Ranger to back heel the ball into the net from three yards out.

And the icing on the cake was provided by youngster Haris Vuckic, who capped an eye-catching performance with a well-taken finish into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Manager Chris Hughton named the following team for this, the first of United's pre-season friendlies:

Harper, Tavernier,, Enrique, Williamson, Coloccini, Smith (C), Nolan, Lovenkrands, Carroll, LuaLua, Inman

Subs: Krul, Barton, Guthrie, Routledge, R Taylor, S Taylor, Best, Perch, Ranger, McLaughlin, Ferguson, J Henderson, Vuckic

Carlisle

Collin, Simek, Bridge-Wilkinson, Murphy, Thirlwell (C), Taiwo, Harte, Curran, Madine, Berrett, M'Voto

Referee: Eddie Ilderton (Shiremoor)

United get the game underway in their white Puma kit attacking the Unison Stand end, housing the home fans

The rain earlier in the day has cleared and it's now a bright afternoon. The Cumbrians are kitted out in red and it's Gary Madine who gets the first shot on goal after 4 minutes, comfortably collected by Steve Harper. 

9 mins: Carlisle are looking lively and it's taking the Magpies a little while to get into their stride, they are looking comfortable in possession though.

12 mins; First corner of the game to Newcastle, LuaLua swings it over and when it's cleared to Jose Enrique, the Spaniard's cross is almost met by Williamson at the back post

20 mins: It's a  tame opening 20 minutes, both sides probing for the opening goal. Coloccini strides forward out of defence but he's brought down by Curran before he can release Carroll through on goal.

26 mins: Ian Harte clatters into Lovenkrands 30 yards from goal but Smith's free kick is cleared by M''Voto

28 mins:  Newcastle's first real chance, Lovenkrands' shot in a crowded area is cleared off the line by Harte with former United goalkeeper Adam Collin well beaten

31 mins: LuaLua finds space down the left and when he pulls it back, Nolan strikes his effort over Collin's bar

34 mins: Smith concedes a free kick 25 yards out, fouling Berrett, but Harper turns Harte's left-footed drive round the post. From the resulting corner, Harte is in the thick of the action again as his header is diverted on to his own bar by Enrique

37 mins: Carroll heads goalwards from Smith's right wing cross but can get no power and Collin collects comfortably

39 mins:Gary Madine bursts through the middle but his lob over the advancing Steve Harper lands on the roof of the net

42 mins  Sunshine has given way to heavy rain, it'll make for a greasy pitch but good for playing football on - better than scorching heat

45 mins:  All square, 0 - 0 at the interval

A host of subs are warming up at half-time, seems like lots of changes in the air

United line up as follows in the second half, basically it's 11 off, 11 on

Krul, R Taylor, S Taylor, Perch, Ferguson, Barton (C), Routledge, Guthrie, Vuckic, Ranger, Best

Shola Ameobi, Xisco and Tamas Kadar are missing with slight knocks, Jonas Gutierrez is on 'leave' still after the World Cup

46 mins: Krul is called into action immediately, smothering at the feet of Zoko. And it's sunny again

47 mins; GOAL  Leon Best opens his United account. Slipped in by Routledge he calmly rounds Collin and slides the ball into the empty net from just inside the six yard box

50 mins:Carlisle sub Jason Price goes close but just lifts his shot over the bar under challenge from United debutant James Perch

61 mins: Ranger is denied by Collin's outstretched boot as the United frontman is sent clear by Guthrie 

64 mins: GOAL  Routledge bombs down the right and on reaching the deadball line he cuts back a perfect pass for Nile Ranger to back heel the ball into the net from 3 yards out. A very neatly taken goal 

70 mins: Former United reserve keeper Tong Caig joins the action

73 mins: GOAL Haris Vuckic makes it three. Best makes space down the right channel and finds Vuckic in the box. The Slovenian striker swivels and sends a left foot shot past Caig into the bottom left hand corner of the net. caig's first touch is to pick the ball out of the net.

75 mins; The visitors are well in charge now, looking very comfortable with their three-goal lead

79 mins  Steven Taylor leaves the field with a shoulder injury. Jeff Henderson comes on to play centre-half alongsige James Perch

85 mins: Best heads wide from 8 yards, Ryan Taylor sending in a great cross from the right. Could have been four.  It's drizzling now.

86 mins: Correction. It's pouring

90 mins:  It's all over  A good work out for Newcastle and a nice 3 - 0 victory.