BRITT ASSOMBALONGA scored twice as Middlesbrough completed their pre-season preparations with a thumping 5-1 win over local rivals Newcastle United.

The game, which was staged behind-closed-doors at Boro's Rockliffe Park training ground, suggests the Teessiders are in good shape ahead of Friday night's Carabao Cup season-opener against Shrewsbury Town.

However, while the game was just a friendly, Magpies manager Steve Bruce will be alarmed at the scale of his side's defeat to Championship opposition, with Newcastle's opening Premier League game against West Ham United less than a fortnight away.

Assombalonga, who also scored in Boro's pre-season win over Plymouth, curled an early chance over the crossbar, before finding the target in the seventh minute.

Having outmuscled his marker in the Newcastle defence, he calmly slotted home.

Miguel Almiron forced Dejan Stojanovic into a save as Newcastle tried to rally, but Boro doubled their lead when Assombalonga scored again after a slick one-two with strike partner Ashley Fletcher.

Marcus Tavernier extended Boro's lead further as he drilled home from the edge of the area, before Newcastle scored their only goal of the game shortly before the break.

Allan Saint-Maximum wriggled away from Grant Hall as the Magpies broke and slotted past Stojanovic.

The game was played with an intensity that belied its status as a friendly, and tempers boiled over at the start of the second half. An off-the-ball confrontation resulted in both Lewis Wing and Jamaal Lascelles receiving red cards.

The resultant free-kick went in Boro's favour, and Hall, a summer signing from QPR, out-jumped the Newcastle defence to head home his side's fourth goal.

Neil Warnock made a number of changes in trhe final half-hour, introducing the likes of Sam Folarin, Ben Liddle, Sam Stubbs and Stephen Walker, and Folarin set up Marcus Browne for a shot that was narrowly missed.

Browne played in Marc Bola in the closing stages, and after the full-back was brought down in the box, Stephen Walker converted from the spot to complete Boro's success.