4:51pm Saturday 24th July 2010
By Scott Wilson
NEWCASTLE suffered a surprise pre-season defeat at the hands of Championship opposition as Chris Martin’s double earned Norwich a deserved victory at Carrow Road.
Martin glanced home a second-half header to add to the 38th-minute tap in that opened the scoring as the Magpies failed to follow up last weekend’s win at Carlisle with another success over lower-league opponents.
Shola Ameobi opened his pre-season account with a clinical strike at the start of the second half, but Newcastle’s players rarely impressed on an afternoon that raised questions about the quality of their squad as they prepare to return to the Premier League.
Chris Hughton named a strong starting line-up at Carrow Road, but for the second pre-season game in a row, the Magpies failed to fire before the break.
Leon Best hardly touched the ball in an attacking role, while Nile Ranger did not look suited to a position on the right of midfield.
As a result, Norwich were the better side before the break, and the Championship side claimed a deserved lead in the 38th minute.
Wes Hoolahan had already caught the eye with a 13th-minute through ball that enabled Martin to fire in a low drive that was well saved by Tim Krul, and the pair combined again to hand Norwich an advantage.
Ryan Taylor failed to check where he was placing a reckless backpass, and Hoolahan reacted quickest to pick up possession on the edge of the box.
He turned outside young centre-half James Tavernier with ease, and produced a deft square ball that Martin tapped home from the edge of the six-yard box.
At Carlisle last weekend, Hughton changed all 11 players at half-time. Today, it was just eight, but the result was the same as Newcastle again scored within two minutes of the interval.
Xisco, making his first appearance since the end of a loan spell at Spanish side Racing Santander last season, fashioned an excellent through ball to Ameobi, and the striker turned adroitly in the box before drilling a low finish into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
Haris Vuckic forced Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy into a decent save with a curling shot on the hour mark, before Andrew Surman blazed over with the goal at his mercy at the other end after Krul had prevented Martin from scoring a second.
The Norwich striker did not have to wait long for another success, however, as he headed the hosts back into the lead with 15 minutes left. Substitute Anthony McNamee crossed from the right, and Martin glanced a header past Krul with the aid of a deflection off a Newcastle defender.
Peter Lovenkrands came closest to grabbing a second equaliser for the visitors, but the Dane headed Shane Ferguson’s cross against the crossbar with two minutes left.
NORWICH (4-4-2): Ruddy; R Martin, Nelson, Ward (Francomb 63), Drury; Crofts, Hoolahan (McNamee 72), Fox (Gill 78), Surman (Lappin 78); Jackson (Johnson 63), C Martin.
Subs: Steer (gk), Dawkin, Tudur Jones.
NEWCASTLE (4-4-2): Krul; R Taylor (Routledge 46), Tavernier, Coloccini (Williamson 46), Enrique (Ferguson 57); Ranger (Xisco 46), Nolan (Guthrie 46), Barton (Smith 46), Vuckic (Edmundsson 72); Carroll (Lovenkrands 46), Best (Ameobi 46).
Subs: Alnwick (gk), Henderson.
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