New £5million striker Michael Chopra started for the Black Cats, but didn't uproot any trees, as he made his first appearance for the Mackems in their traditional red and white stripes.
My God ... I wish I'd been there to see his face when he pulled on that shirt. The blood must have drained from his cheeks.
The Times: "Chopra, Geordie born and bred, has said all the right things attempting to win over those Sunderland supporters with dual concerns, rational ones due to his previous failure to make an impression in the top flight, and rather more irrational ones due to the forward's apparent crime of having played a large proportion of his career at Newcastle United.
"An ineffectual first-half before being substituted suggests words are so far speaking louder than actions for Chopra, who looked lethargic, barring one deft lay-off, wasted by Grant Leadbitter's errant finish."
Chopra played alongside fellow recent arrival Dickson Etuhu, but Kieran Richardson did not feature for Roy Keane's men.
Scunthorpe took the lead in only the second minute when Nyron Nosworthy's
poor attempted pass ricocheted off an opponent and dropped at the feet of
Martin Paterson, who fired past Darren Ward.
You can never read too much into a pre-season friendly (unless the Mackems get beat, of course) and it was welcome news to the Geordies, who saw a late goal from Nolberto Solano saved Newcastle's blushes as they drew at Carlisle.
Sam Allardyce was without Michael Owen for the pre-season friendly at
Brunton Park after the England striker suffered a minor thigh injury in
training this week.
But new signings David Rozehnal, Joey Barton and Geremi all featured in a
strong Magpies team.
It was the Coca-Cola League One side, however, who took the lead after a
goalless first half, as Danny Livesey headed past the stranded Steve Harper
from a 56th-minute corner.
But in the final minute Solano collected the ball from a flick-on and
crashed past Kieran Westwood to level.