Getting out of bed at the crack of dawn was bad enough for anybody who made the long trek to Reading.
But having woken up and focused on the task in hand, Newcastle United fans had every right to expect their side to go for the throats of Reading.
In fact up against a side who had leaked seven goals at Pompey and four at Blackburn, it could be said that Newcastle should have been the team dishing out another hiding despite the Royals decent form.
Yet that didn't happen and instead the black and whites appeared shot shy and once again incapable of keeping a clean sheet.
The Newcastle travelling supporters made no secret of what they want.
And after a wave of the old "attack" chant swept around Berkshire it looked like United's dug-out had got the message as Charles N'Zobgia, Alan Smith and James Milner entered the field in the second half and helped fashion the equaliser.
But that was as good as it got and you could probably have written the script the second that Shane Long came on as sub.
Mind you, you would have to be quick because it took him just 10 seconds to pierce a Newcastle defence that struggled to communicate on the day (underlined by Cacapa's close shave when he almost beat Given with a backpass).
Now though we have to dust ourselves off again.
And should we pick up three points against Portsmouth we'll be sitting on 20 points after 11 games.
That wouldn't be the worse situation for United to be in because if they can keep up that points return every 11 games we'll be on 60 points after 33 games which would give us a great chance to get into Europe with five matches left.
But that's not much consolation to anyone who was at Reading as Newcastle failed to get over their away day blues.
They'll have to get it sorted for the next away game though, won't they?
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