THE Master well and truly showed the apprentice a thing or three at Victoria Park last night.

Newcastle United's legendary striker Alan Shearer grabbed a 36-minute first-half hat-trick to help the Premiership title contenders to a comfortable 6-0 victory over Second Division neighbours Hartlepool United.

And Pool's new front-man Paul Robinson, the man Ruud Gullit once infamously dropped Shearer for before a Tyne-Wear derby, had to just look on in admiration from the opposite end of the pitch on his home debut.

Gullit lost his job after that night and the man who succeeded the Dutchman, Sir Bobby Robson, was not in attendance to witness Newcastle's impressive, yet relaxed, approach to the friendly.

Robson opted to travel to Hillsborough to cast an eye on the displays of Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer in action against former Pool boss Chris Turner's Sheffield Wednesday outfit.

But if the Newcastle boss missed out on an encouraging pre-season run-out for the Champions League hopefuls, first-team coach John Carver and the 1,300 Geordies who made the short trip down the A19 certainly didn't.

Another notable spectator was former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini, who spent the entire 90 minutes on the Pool bench.

Newcastle did not take long to show their lower-league counterparts their Premiership class.

With just seconds on the clock the visitors were playing keep ball.

And there were just three minutes on the clock when goalkeeper Anthony Williams had his first save to make.

Full-back Andy Griffin played a lovely ball down the line to Shearer and he rolled the ball to Speed, whose shot was pushed behind for a corner by the Pool shot-stopper.

Pool, who had four players in their starting line-up making Victoria Park bows, seemed to settle their nerves and could have gone in front with a similar chance to that of Speed's.

Skipper Michael Barron's long ball found Ritchie Humphreys on the right and he laid the ball off to the on-rushing Gavin Strachan - son of Southampton boss Gordon and on trial at Pool - and the former Coventry man's low shot was saved by Shay Given.

But from that moment on the first half became the Newcastle United show and it was kick-started by a goal from Craig Bellamy.

The Welsh striker beat Pool's static new-look central defensive pairing of Michael Nelson and Andrew Jordan for pace and he placed the ball beyond fellow countryman Williams to open the scoring after 11 minutes.

Seven minutes later it was two when Shearer opened his account for the evening.

The former England front-man tapped into an empty net after Bellamy headed across goal after a good ball into the danger area from Nolberto Solano.

Newcastle were making the most of playing against a Pool side obviously still getting to know each otherand they had a couple more opportunities - through Griffin and Bellamy - to add to their lead before Shearer did just that.

Shearer showed his usual assured self on 29 minutes when he took a touch and fired low past Williams, who had failed to deal with Griffin's cross with conviction.

Shortly afterwards the Premiership's all-time record goalscorer completed his hat-trick when he rounded Williams and slotted in after Solano's long ball.

Ex-Magpie Robinson, who signed for Pool earlier this week, then showed his potential when his powerful volley flew just over the crossbar.

Pool boss Neale Cooper, still hoping to add at least another two players to his squad, made three changes at half-time. Former Newcastle trainee Steven Istead, Sunderland trialist Simon Ramsden and young Pool midfielder Matty Robson all entered the fray.

But with just 70 seconds gone after the restart Newcastle made it five. This time Solano fired into the roof of the net after Bellamy's low cross found him unmarked at the back post.

Bellamy then created another, after linking well with defender Steve Caldwell, and this time Speed was on hand to turn the ball past Williams.

Pool's following dearly wanted a consolation and it very nearly came from lively teenager Istead.

The right winger first hit the cross bar after sneaking in behind the Newcastle defence and then his 20-yard effort went wide, after creating space for himself.

Pool (4-4-2): A Williams; Barron (Ramsden 46), Nelson, Jordan, Brackstone; Clarke, Strachan (Istead 46), Sweeney (Robson 46), Humphreys; E Williams, Robinson. Subs (not used): Provett, Westwood, Gabbiadini, Richardson.

Newcastle (4-4-2): Given; Griffin, S Caldwell, Woodgate, Bernard; Solano, Jenas, Speed, Robert; Shearer, Bellamy. Subs (not used): Acuna, Caig, G Caldwell, Chopra, Kerr, O'Brien, Ramage.

Result: Hartlepool United 0, Newcastle United 6.

Read more about Hartlepool here.