DAMIEN DUFF ensured Newcastle United started their pre-season campaign with a bang against Hartlepool today after bagging a hat-trick against the League One side.
There was also a goal from debut boy Danny Guthrie who shone for Kevin Keegan's side who recovered after making a shaky start at a rain swept Victoria Park.
Newcastle did go 1-0 down after 16 minutes when Matty Robson opened the scores but hit back thanks to Duff's treble blast and Guthrie's fine effort.
United were without several key men on a wet and windy afternoon in Hartlepool.
Michael Owen, Habib Beye, Steve Harper and Mark Viduka were all missing due to minor injuries while Argentina international Jonas Gutierrez is not due to make his debut until next month.
Abdoulaye Faye and Geremi were both also absent after Keegan handed them extra time off during the summer following due to their participation in the World Cup qualifiers for Senegal and Cameroon respectively.
KK was also without fringe players Andy Carroll and Kazenga LuaLua after sustaining injuries during the summer break.
It meant Newcastle's squad had a youthful look about it with the likes of Jonny Godsmark, Mark Doninger and Fraser Forster all involved.
David Edgar started at right-back and joined Steven Taylor, Cacapa and Jose Enrique in the back four.
James Milner started the game in central midfield with Nicky Butt while Damien Duff and Charles N'Zogbia patrolled the flanks with Alan Smith and Oba Martins paired in attack.
New boy Danny Guthrie started on the bench and there was a surprise place for Shola Ameobi in KK's squad with United's squad decimated for the first friendly of the campaign.
Hartlepool had the first chance of the afternoon on eight minutes when Matty Robson latched on to a loose ball but his powerful effort zipped across the face of the goal.
United - donning their new purple away kit - responded two minutes later when Sam Collins gave the ball away but Martins' wild effort went high and wide.
On 16 minutes the home side grabbed a deserved lead when Robson escaped down the left and dinked home to beat Given at his near post following a pass from Joel Porter.
With half an hour on the clock, United had barely troubled Pools keeper Adam Lee-Barrett but Martins always looked a threat.
And it was the Nigerian who won a free-kick after a push from Collins 25-yards from goal.
Yet N'Zogbia could only fire the ball high over the crossbar.
However, Newcastle were level on 40 minutes after Butt played the ball to Milner who found Duff on the left before the Irishman steered the ball home from just inside the box on the left to make it 1-1.
Martins then went round the keeper a minute later but Ben Clark cleared the ball off the line to keep the score level.
On the stroke of half-time N'Zogbia forced a good save from Lee-Barrett with Martins unable to convert the rebound as Newcastle finished the half slightly on top.
Guthrie was handed his debut at the start of the second half and replaced Enrique with a reshuffle seeing N'Zogbia drop to left-back.
And Ameobi - who was given a superb reception from the visiting fans - was also introduced for the second period with Martins making way.
Seven minutes into the second half Guthrie made an instant impact when he slotted the ball to Duff who timed his run perfectly before beating Lee-Barrett in front of the United fans.
Less than a minute later Guthrie hammered home a right-footed shot to score his first Toon goal to make it 3-1 after Smith had played the ball into his path.
On 56 minutes a bustling run by Ameobi had Pools rocking but after turning Clark his audacious backheel attempt only resulted in an embarrassing miskick with the goal yawning in front of him.
With 19 minutes left United gave youngster Callum Morris a slice of the action with the Academy product taking his place at right back and Ben Tozer partnering Taylor in the middle.
Duff almost completed his hat-trick with 10 minutes left when a cross from the left hand side dipped on to the Pools bar before bouncing to safety.
But he did get the treble he was looking for with three minutes to go as he side footed a neat finish into the roof of the net after Ameobi laid the ball off to him.
UNITED: Given (Forster 65), Edgar (Tozer 62), Enrique (Guthrie 46), Cacapa (Morris 71), Taylor, Duff, Milner, Butt, N'Zogbia, Martins (Ameobi 46), Smith.
POOLS: Lee-Barrett, McCunnie (Foley 55), Humphreys, Sweeney, Clark, Collins (Nelson 68), Liddle (Power 82), Jones (Boland 55), Brown (Mackay 85), Porter (Barker 76), Robson (Monkhouse 76).
Subs:
Attendance: 4,249
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