NEWCASTLE finally rediscovered their scoring touch in a 2-2 draw with PSV Eindhoven last night, but events at St James’ Park were overshadowed by what was occurring simultaneously in Spain.

At the same time as Steven Taylor and Danny Guthrie were breaking Newcastle’s four-and-a-half-hour goal drought, Deportivo La Coruna officials were confirming the sale of Argentina international Fabricio Coloccini to the Magpies.

Coloccini will fly into Tyneside to sign a five-year deal this morning after Deportivo finally agreed to a £9.1m deal that will make the 26-year-old the most expensive defender in Newcastle’s history.

His arrival will provide a much-needed boost to a Magpies squad that continues to look severely depleted less than a fortnight ahead of the start of the new Premier League season.

Alan Smith did not play up front last night, fuelling speculation about an impending move to Everton.

Michael Owen was not involved either, and with Kevin Keegan admitting the England international will not feature against Valencia on Saturday, there is no way he will be match fit when the Magpies travel to Old Trafford on August 17.

Perhaps most worryingly of all, a huge section of the Magpies’ support also opted to stay away from St James’ despite the presence of highquality Dutch opposition.

In front of a crowd of less than 15,000, but in the presence of Steve McMahon, the England-based representative of Profitable Group, a Singapore- based consortium who have been linked with a possible take-over of the Magpies, Keegan’s makeshift starting line-up failed to defend a twogoal lead against a PSV side still in the early stages of their pre-season preparations.

Coloccini should help to improve Newcastle’s defence, but as he has spent most of the last week training with Deportivo’s youth team, he is unlikely to be at his peak when the Premier League begins.

The lethargic pace at which negotiations with Deportivo have been conducted has frustrated Newcastle supporters, but slowness appears to be the order of the day on Tyneside this summer.

It is certainly the word that best describes Owen’s situation, both in terms of his recovery from a calf strain and his ongoing contract talks.

“I wouldn’t think Michael will figure (against Valencia),”

revealed Keegan. “His first game will be against Manchester United. He only had two days of pre-season training before he got the slight pull in his calf. He needs to put in some work before he plays in a game. If we play him without that ground work, he will pick up an injury.”

As well as looking unlikely to be fit for the start of the season, Owen now appears extremely unlikely to sign a contract extension before the start of the new campaign. As things stand, he will therefore be free to talk to any interested parties in January.

“While we’ve been opening contract negotiations – there have been a couple of meetings so far but it will take time – it’s been gym work for me,”

revealed Owen yesterday.

“It’s certainly not the ideal build-up. I really wanted to have a full pre-season behind me this year because in the successful seasons in my career I’ve had a good pre-season and when I haven’t had a good pre-season I’ve struggled a little.”

Hardly words to inspire confidence given Newcastle’s complete lack of striking alternatives so close to the end of the transfer window.

Ironically, the Magpies managed quite well without strikers last night as they stormed into a two-goal lead within the opening eight minutes.

Steven Taylor headed home James Milner’s right-wing corner with his first meaningful touch of the game, and Danny Guthrie marked his first St James’ Park appearance with a goal moments later.

Milner was again the provider, turning inside to leave his marker flat-footed, and after the England Under- 21 international slipped the ball inside, Guthrie drove a precise finish beyond former Manchester City goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson.

There had been an element of luck about Guthrie’s deflected debut goal at Hartlepool, but this was a much more clinical strike.

A workmanlike PSV reduced Newcastle’s lead on the half-hour mark, with Ibrahim Afellay driving a first-time shot through a crowded sixyard box after Shay Given had produced an instinctive save to thwart winger Nordin Amrabat.

And with the Magpies becoming less and less productive after the break, the visitors gained a deserved equaliser with 19 minutes left.

Carlos Salcido crossed from the left and Amrabat reacted quickest to fire a precise 15- yard finish past Given.

NEWCASTLE (4-4-2): Given, Beye (Edgar 58), Taylor, Cacapa, Enrique, Geremi (Donaldson 58), Butt (Bassong 76), Guthrie, Gutierrez, Milner (Danquah 90), Duff. Subs (not used): Krul, Tozer.

PSV EINDHOVEN (4-4-2): Isaksson, Culina, Rodriguez, Brechet, Salcido, Amrabat, Afellay, Simons, Wuytens (van der Leegte 61), Manco, Lazovic (Dzsudzsak 61). Subs (not used): Ramos, Zonneveld, Koevermans, Addo, Vayrynen, van Eijden.