In a bizarre game scheduled to last sixty minutes, Spartans finished the initial period 2-1 to the good with goals from Ash Davies and a second pre-season goal for Jordon Mellish.
The hosts requested another fifteen minutes to be played to enable them to give some more players game time and it was United who ran out winners as goals from Greg Olley and Daniel Barlasser were added to a first half header from Jonathyn Quinn to give the Magpies a 3-2 win.
It took only five minutes for Tommy Cassidy’s side to take the lead when a passing move through midfield enabled strikers Craig Farrell and Ash Davies to combine well and it was Davies who calmly rolled the ball past Newcastle keeper Mitchell.
It took until midway through the first period for the hosts to create a decent chance and a one-two between Lopez and Gillead released England Under-17 striker Gillead, but he only managed to screw his shot wide of Conor Grant’s goal.
On seventeen minutes Spartans came close to doubling their lead when Joe Kendrick struck a left footed effort narrowly wide from distance.
However two minutes before the scheduled half time the Magpies levelled. Spartans wasted three opportunities to clear corners and when a ball was crossed by Colombian born winger Lopez, Quinn rose highest to head past Grant and ensure the sides went into the break level….or so we thought.
From the kick off Ash Davies won Spartans a corner and the kick was struck well to the far post by Robbie Dale and found Jordon Mellish. The former Hartlepool United centre back got between two defenders and headed into the net to give Spartans a 2-1 lead at half time.
A lively start to the second half saw Logan go close with a chance for Newcastle but Grant saved well and Kendrick cleared the loose ball.
Ten minutes in and Spartans should have extended their lead when a Kendrick free kick was met well by Mellish and his header crashed off the bar.
Newcastle then started to get their passing game going but for all their posession didnt really test Grant and Spartans were slightly on top in terms of clear cut chances.
It was the once again impressive Tom Berj who had the next chance when he ran onto a Dale flick on but Berj was denied by a last minute tackle by Magpies defender Lee Desmond.
The final chance of the initial game fell to Berj against when the diminutive midfielder met a Dale corner well and his flicked header hit the far post and Wayne Buchanan fired over the rebound and Spartans finished the second period 2-1 up.
The additional fifteen minutes were all about the Magpies though and their pace and control took over the game.
Five minutes into the third period and a Steven Logan cross found an unmarked Barlassa who finished well past Grant.
With seconds left on the clock the hosts won the game when a Logan shot from distance could only be parried by Grant, and first to the rebound was Olley to tuck the ball into an empty net.
CARDIFF CITY 4 NEWCASTLE UNITED 1
But it all went sadly wrong in the last game before the visit of Tottenham next week ... to give the Toon boss a right kick in the balls at a time when he least expected it.
The Magpies were beaten 4-1, and they found themselves 3-0 down at half-time on a day his team were SHOCKING.
Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse were rested, and Hatem Ben Arfa and Yohan Cabaye were left back on Tyneside to work on fitness, so at least we have the cavalry to arrive next week.
But this was not what the boss had hoped for, and will obviously be a reality check before the season starts in six days.
The first chance fell for the home side on seven minutes Aron Gunnarsson saw Ryan Taylor sweep the ball clear off the line.
Newcastle’s first real glimpse of goal came on nine minutes when Gutiérrez tried a shot, but goalkeeper David Marshall claimed easily.
But on 16 minutes Cardiff were ahead when Peter Whittingham picked out Gunnarsson on the right hand side before his volley left Tim Krul with no chance.
Four minutes later and the Magpies found themselves 2-0 down when Jordan Mutch picked out Joe Ralls before he kept his composure to guide it calmly past Krul.
After 26 minutes United conceded a third goal after being caught on the break.
They failed to clear their lines and Gunnarsson applied the finish from close range.
Pardew replaced Ryan Taylor with James Perch to shore up the out-played midfield.
With 48 minutes on the clock sub Haris Vuckic put in a teasing ball for Gutiérrez but the Argentine was fouled with ref Mark Whitby pointing to the spot.
Shola Ameobi stepped up and calmly placed it to the right hand side of Marshall to reduce arrears.
But Cardiff still looked a solid unit and Krul denied them a fourth when he tipped Filip Kiss’ effort over the top.
Chances for Gutiérrez and Davide Santon went just wide as Newcastle looked to get back into the game.
However, sub Etien Velikonja bundled his way through the Toon defence chasing a long ball, and rammed it past Krul with 14 minutes left.
United boss Pardew handed a debut to Adam Campbell with seven minutes left.
The young Geordie played in Romain Amalfitano within moments of coming on and the Frenchman was unlucky to see his shot saved by sub keeper Joe Lewis.
CARDIFF: Marshall (Lewis 80), McNaughton (Blake 73), A Taylor, Hudson, Turner, Whittingham, Conway, Gunnarsson, Mutch, Ralls (Earnshaw 71), Helguson (Velikonja 39).
UNITED: Krul, Simpson, Coloccini (Williamson 46), Steven Taylor (Gosling 63), Santon, Obertan (Campbell 83), Tiote (Amalfitano 71) , Gutiérrez, Marveaux (Vuckic 46), R Taylor (Perch 28), Shola Ameobi.
PRE-SEASON FIXTURES:
CARDIFF CITY 4 NEWCASTLE 1 (Shola Ameobi pen)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini (Williamson 46), Steven Taylor (Gosling 63), Santon, Obertan (Campbell 83), Tiote (Amalfitano 71) , Gutiérrez, Marveaux (Vuckic 46), R Taylor (Perch 28), Shola Ameobi.
HARTLEPOOL 1 NEWCASTLE 5 (Shola Ameobi, Marveaux 2, Obertan, Vuckic)
Harper (Alnwick 82), Simpson (Good 72), Tavernier, Williamson, S.Taylor (Vuckic 46), Perch (R.Taylor 72), Gosling, Amalfitano (Santon 80), Marveaux (Obertan 78), Sh.Ameobi (Ben Arfa 46), Bigirimana (Abeid 59).
DEN HAAG 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul; S Taylor (Gosling 65), R Taylor (Perch 71), Coloccini, Santon (Simpson 80); Obertan (Bigirimana 71), Tiote (Ameobi 71), Vuckic (Williamson 65), Gutierrez; Ba (Amalfitano 82), Cisse
BRAGA 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba, R Taylor)
Harper; Simpson, Tavernier, Coloccini, R.Taylor; Sammy Ameobi (Obertan 88), Tiote (Cabaye 70), Gutierrez, Marveaux; Cisse, Ba (Vuckic 85).
OLYMPIACOS 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (S Taylor)
Krul, Perch, Williamson, S.Taylor (Dummett 46), Santon, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 72), Bigirimana, Gosling (Abeid 36), Amalfitano, Vuckic, Shola Ameobi (Cisse 72).
FENERBAHCE 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Abeid)
Elliot, Simpson (Santon 68), Tavernier, Coloccini, R Taylor, Tiote (Bigirimana 59), Gosling (Abeid 73), Obertan (Shola Ameobi 75), Marveuax (Gutierrez 59), Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi 46), Ba (Cisse 68).
MONACO 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Ba)
Harper, Santon (Ryan Taylor 57), Simpson, Williamson (Perch 46), Gutierrez, Amalfitano (Obertan 62), Abeid (Tavernier 46), Bigirimana (Tiote 62), Sammy Ameobi (Vuckic 46), Shola Ameobi (Gosling 62), Ba (Marveaux 78)
CHEMNITZER 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot; Tavernier (Simpson, 70), Williamson, Perch, R Taylor (Santon, 70); Obertan (Gutierrez, 77), Abeid (Bigirimana, 70), Gosling, Amalfitano; Vuckic (Shola Ameobi, 70), Sammy Ameobi (Ba, 77). Sub not used: Harper. Att: 6,700