Newcastle Utd 4 Celtic 1

THE phrase 'you don't win anything in a friendly' is certainly true. But, after a comprehensive victory over Scottish Premier League champions Celtic, Newcastle United manager Sam Allardyce has a lot to be encouraged by.

The most surprising factor at St James' Park last night was not the non-appearance of Kieron Dyer nor was it goalkeeper Steve Harper's cameo role as a midfield replacement for the injured Nicky Butt, it was the impressive showing of the forgotten man on Tyneside, Albert Luque.

Neither Graeme Souness nor Glenn Roeder managed to motivate the Spaniard enough to fulfil even a small slice of the £9.5m transfer fee paid to Deportivo La Coruna for him two years ago.

But Allardyce, in the player's first appearance under his third manager in English football, managed to follow up Obafemi Martins' opener with two goals before James Milner completed the win in injury-time.

They were his first goals in front of the Newcastle fans since last summer, when he followed up a strike against Celtic in Alan Shearer's farewell fixture with one in the Intertoto Cup tie with Lillestrom.

And now Allardyce, after taking Luque off at half-time, is charged with the responsibility of having to make sure this performance is repeated when it matters.

If he can do that then that would go some way to vindicating Freddy Shepherd's last managerial appointment as chairman.

With Dyer left to sit in the stands alongside Michael Owen, and only David Rozehnal and Geremi of the four summer signings able to grace the St James' Park turf, Luque and Martins stole the show.

And the performance of Geremi, in central midfield, also caught the eye and that could also be a taste of things to come, particularly with Joey Barton injured for two months and Dyer seemingly on his way to West Ham United.

Ideally, Allardyce will find suitable new alternatives to play in the middle and in new chairman Chris Mort's programme notes he stated the recruitment drive remains ongoing, while also insisting that the new regime will not 'make wild promises for the future'.

By the time the trip to Bolton on August 11 comes around, Owen and Mark Viduka will be available and it is certainly not up front that requires attention.

It took just 15 minutes for Martins to deliver a reminder that he is still around, applying a terrific low finish beyond Artur Boruc to Nolberto Solano's centre from the right.

Martins looked sharp and was integral to Newcastle's second foray. This time, after the Nigerian broke down the right, he fed Geremi who struck high.

But the second goal arrived just before the half hour from the recalled Luque.

It may not have been the most important, nor was it the most spectacular, but it was a rare goal on a rare appearance from the Spaniard. He turned, unmarked, to shoot turn Milner's cross beyond Boruc from eight yards.

There were Celtic efforts. Shay Given, captain again, most notably denied Aiden McGeady from long range with a stunning flying save.

And three minutes before the break Luque's fortunes improved further. This time, after neat play between Martins and Solano, the forward's left-foot volley from the Peruvian's centre found its way through Boruc's legs.

That turned out to be his last contribution, replaced by Andy Carroll at the interval, and that coincided with Newcastle's levels of purpose reducing.

Celtic midfielder Scott Brown reduced the deficit with a fine header from sub Kenny Miller's precise cross on 73 minutes.

But, despite further attacks from the team from Glasgow and the occasional interference of stray supporters invading the pitch, Gordon Strachan's men could not prevent Allardyce's first game in charge at St James' ending in victory. A victory capped by Milner's late drill into the bottom corner.