Team news?

[Breedon]

If we're being honest a lot of players, particularly in the first half, really didn't play well. Brown and Turnbull were the only ones to come out of that looking decent. More than likely pre season rust, but didn't think we'd be mugged off like that by a team of kids or give up so many weak goals. Newcastle did look very sharp to be fair.

[HarrytheQuaker]

Attendance not good enough!!!

[Hawkeye]

First half was poor. Newcastle's strikers had a lot of time on the ball in and around the box and our defenders went to ground a little too hastily at times. Jameson had to pull off a few good saves to get us out of trouble.

Also, in the first half, Newcastle's defenders seemed to be intent on gifting the ball to our strikers at every opportunity - surprised we only managed a single goal against them. Needed a bit more killer instinct.

[divas]

Attendance not good enough!!!

Based on?

[Darlogramps]

Attendance not good enough!!!

I thought 2600 for a pre-season friendly against an U21 side was good going.

Particularly when you consider it was at the Arena, so there'll have been some fans who wouldn't go purely because it was the Arena, with all the negativity that goes with our previous association with the venue.

When you consider how poorly attended last year's friendly against Sunderland's first team at Heritage Park was, 2600 isn't too bad.

It does also show how critical it is for us to be back in the town. Had yesterday's game been at Bishop, we'd have got nowhere near 2,000 (obviously we would not have got 2600 because that's more than HP's capacity).

How many would have been good enough to you?

[lo36789]

I was hoping for 2,500 so pretty happy with the attendance. The performance on the otherhand...I watched the goals last night and the defending was very lacklustre I think we can easily blame pre-season rust and also 'attitude' ie you are not trying to play with quite the same tempo at this stage.

U21s sounds bad but it is basically Newcastle's reserves and the players yesterday many have had FL loan and playing experience. This isn't their kids like the u18s is.

[My opinion]

I thought the attendance way good yesterday, especially from the Darlington fans..However, I thought a lot more fans who support Newcastle would have been there..
You see quite a few Newcastle shirts around the area, but perhaps they are the armchair fans who have probably never seen them play.
Was nice to see a lot of families there..

[spen666]

I thought the attendance way good yesterday, especially from the Darlington fans..However, I thought a lot more fans who support Newcastle would have been there..
You see quite a few Newcastle shirts around the area, but perhaps they are the armchair fans who have probably never seen them play.
Was nice to see a lot of families there..

Very few Newcastle fans go to competitive u21 games so unlikely to go to an u21 friendly.

[HarrytheQuaker]

It's just a little joke between friends that's all... Of course it was a descent attendance!!!!

[Darlobaz79]

It's just a little joke between friends that's all... Of course it was a descent attendance!!!!

The only way from that is up

[trevstanley]

On the NUFC official website it was stated as 'Quakers v Newcastle Stiffs'. Any idea why?

Take it you were on Nufc.com which isn't the official site. They always call the reserves "stiffs".

[Neil Johnson]

Anyone know where Chris Hunter and Aran Wearmouth are? Don't think either of them have been involved in any of the matches so far.

Hunter is ruled out for the rest of pre season through injury and Wearmouth was training with the squad today.

A fit Hunter should stiffen the defence, as would Galbraith in the other full back slot.

Seemed like a lot of last ditch defending by Jameson & Brown on Saturday.

We may need better defensive marking and effective use of offside traps this coming season, with less scope for defenders making forays up-field.

Sunderland will be another test of the team's defensive qualities.