HEARTS 1 NEWCASTLE 2
Newcastle United made a flying start in their first pre-season friendly of the summer at Tynecastle.
But understandably at this stage in pre-season, they couldn’t maintain it and ended up edging to a narrow win against a hard-working Heart of Midlothian side.
And while this game could easily have been wrapped up by half-time had it not been for a lack of match sharpness, United are still going to need to spend in the remaining six weeks of the summer transfer window.
The Magpies had a host of chances in the first half and struck the crossbar twice as they looked determined to prove to Rafa Benitez he may not need to panic too much about summer signings.
However, judging from Newcastle’s second half display Benitez is right to point out to the United board that this squad may have depth but it doesn’t have the quality required to survive the rigours of a Premier League season.
Aarons, playing his first game in 11 months, had Newcastle’s first attempt at goal after just a couple of minutes.
The Magpies forced an early corner and after Prince Buaben had half-cleared, the winger cracked the bar with a powerful effort.
Just a minute later and United took the lead after a superb defence splitting pass from Siem De Jong.
The Dutchman, back from a loan spell with PSV Eindhoven, picked out Dwight Gayle who raced through before calmly slipping past the goalkeeper with his left foot.
On five minutes Aarons sent one whistling past the post as Newcastle started in positive fashion.
Four minutes later, Ciaran Clark had a pop from long-range but Jack Hamilton turned the ball away.
The Jam Tarts, though, responded on 12 minutes when Esmael Gonclaves sent a shot at Rob Elliot but the Ireland goalkeeper got just enough on it to tip away for a corner.
On 18 minutes Massadio Haidara conceded a penalty after a foul but Gonclaves blazed it hopelessly over the top.
However, Hearts were on level terms a minute later when Newcastle switched off and Jamie Walker latched on to a loose ball and slammed it past Elliot.
But Gayle was on hand to grab his second of the game with 25 minutes on the clock to score the winner.
Shelvey’s corner was dinked superbly into the box and Gayle was on hand to head home inside the six-yard box.
Gayle almost netted again on 28 minutes but Hamilton raced out to block him.
Aarons hit the bar for a second time on 32 minutes when a clever chip almost caught Hamilton napping.
Hearts continued to be a threat on the counter and the dangerous Gonclaves was unlucky on 34 minutes when his low shot struck the post.
Elliot made two saves from close-range before half-time first denying Walker low down before clawing Gonclaves’ effort over to deny a certain goal.
United made six changes at the break and it meant the Magpies had to restructure a little, but they continued to attack and sub Ayoze Perez threatened early in the second half with a shot that ended up on the top of the net.
Other half-time subs Aleksandar Mitrovic and Henri Saivet also came close in the opening exchanges of the second half but Hamilton denied them.
The second period was interrupted with a flurry of changes for United with Adam Armstrong, Jack Colback, Grant Hanley and Freddie Woodman also getting minutes into their legs.
With Hearts also giving squad players a run out, this game well and truly lost its momentum and it petered out with Newcastle in the end clinging on to the lead.
A second half downpour in Gorgie also resulted in difficult conditions for both sides.
Perez won a free-kick with 15 minutes left but after being teed up by the Spaniard - Mitrovic hit a low shot well wide.
With 11 minutes to go Achraf Lazaar won a free-kick and after the ex-Palermo man swung in the set-piece Jamie Brandon almost netted an own goal after frantically trying to clear.
Hearts pushed late on but Newcastle emerged with a win.