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Feyenoord	2 - 1	Newcastle United
Half time:	1 - 1
Score Sheet:
(17) Tomasson (59) Tomasson		Lee (44)
	Teams
Dudek Gyan Van Wonderen De Haan Rzasa Kalou Bosvelt Paauwe Leonardo Korneev Tomasson		Given  Barton  Dabizas Hughes Goma Griffin Speed Lee  Cordone Cort Gallacher
Substitutes:
(54) Van Vossen for Leonardo  (68) Jochemsen for Tomasson  (73) Cruz for Korneez		Harper for Given (46) Marcelino for Goma (46) Solano for Griffin (55)  Ferguson for Gallacher (81)
Subs not used:
Laybutt Tininho De Visser Malkovski Emerton		Kerr McClen
Bookings:
None		None
Sendings off:
None		None
Referee: Rene Temminki, who made the near 100 trip from the Dutch city of Deventer.
Attendance: 32,340  The ground is built for security, with the away section surrounded by seven foot tall metal railings, then Perspex shields before squads of steward and then the home fans.  At pitch level, a moat separates the crowd from the players, who emerge from subterranean dressing rooms. De Kuip was massively improved in 1994, and now boasts a roof that covers the whole upper tier of the stands. There hardly seems to be a poor view in the place, but the lower tiers behind each goal looked somewhat less than permanent - reminiscent of the bolted-together effort we endured in the late 1980's at the Leazes end. Pre-match security wasn't particularly high profile, but the searches conducted on away fans were fairly rigorous, and one unfortunate lad had his contact lens case taken off him as an offensive weapon. I doubt if Geoff Capes in his prime could have hit anyone with that from the away end.... Mention must be made of the typically mindless din that passes for musical entertainment in Dutch grounds (see also Euro 2000 etc.) A uniquely tinny concoction of pub singing and Oompah style brass boomed around the stadium.  No doubt Boro have ordered copies of these accursed racket, now that little Jooneeniho has slung his hook and samba stylings are no longer relevant, if they ever were.....  This certainly seemed to have infected the home support, who treated us to a baffling rendition of "Daisy Daisy" early in the first half - no doubt the lyrics of their version promising death to the first-born of all Ajax fans. Or something.  Pre-match speculation about whether Duncan Ferguson could ascend the steps from the United dressing room without suffering an injury of some part of his anatomy proved unfounded as he replaced Gallacher, to cheers from the travelling contingent.

17 mins A defence-splitting through ball was gathered by the inevitable figure of former Magpie Jon Dahl Tomasson on the right side of the area. 

Showing shooting prowess seldom seen during his SJP stay, he rifled the ball across Shay Given and into he net, provoking a quick burst of "I will survive" from the PA. 0-1.

44 mins Gary Speed's sharp pass out to the left found Daniel Cordone, who cut infield towards the box, before dummying to shoot and pulling back to deliver a looping cross. 

An aerial challenge from Carl Cort on Rzasa seemed to have been won by use of a hand from the home defender, but as the ball dropped on the "D", Robert Lee shot home via a slight deflection to end any argument. The goalscorer then stood on the byline, taking the applause of the United fans in the upper tier behind the goal 1-1.   
 
Half time: Feyenoord 1 Newcastle 1

59 mins As you were again for United, chances missed at one end being ruthlessly exploited at the other almost immediately. A move began by Gyan saw Tomasson gain possession on the edge of our box without being challenged, before turning the ball sideways to Korneev. 

The former Barcelona player finished well, beating Steve Harper with a precise low shot into the bottom corner of the net. 1-2

Full time: Feyenoord 2 Newcastle 1 

After visitations to the USA and Lancashire, game four of pre-season took Newcastle to Holland and a first return to Feyenoord since Fairs Cup days. More recently of course, Bobby Robson had occupied the away dugout several times whilst in charge of PSV.

There was consternation in the away end, as the less drunk amongst us noticed an interloper in the United team as it was announced via the scoreboard. Apparently our number 14 was "Luigi Di Biagio", but this turned out to be a figment of the typists imagination, and the comparatively mundane figure of Kevin Gallacher emerged.

Given my avowed intention not to be negative at this stage, the frequency of offsides we triggered belies an over-eagerness to push forward, while the stilted display of Ferguson is merely the first step on his own personal road to recovery (wherever that may lead.) 

Bassedas of course will learn English so much quicker on his regular trips to the hospital to monitor broken on his fettled foot, and shin splints will prevent Kieron Dyer from involvement in any dance floor-related disturbances for the foreseeable future....

To press for positives throughout the team is to stretch the point even further. 

The lads started off well here tonight, and Cort got into good positions thanks in no small part to the sharp thinking of Cordone, but two chances were again spurned before the hosts went ahead and he would miss a couple more after the break (one hitting the bar).

Tomasson was denied a second by Harper after the break, with the substitute custodian making a fine stop to deny Cruz in the closing stages - thus wrecking the pre-match prediction of 3-1 to the hosts by the young Feyenoord mascot

It's possible to portray the tendency Cort has to pull wide as an advantage when he plays with Alan Shearer, allowing the senior man to take up his most dangerous positions, but the season looms and such theories remain untested.

Similarly, the suitability of Griffin to midfield is welcome, but behind him lies something of a collective disaster area. Bobby may know who his preferred back line are, but I don't. 

Proof was provided tonight that Hughes is not a full back, while the inclusion of Marcelino was simply depressing. Ideally the bloke shouldn't be within a country mile of the senior side, but a similar comment about Alessandro Pistone in these pages was ultimately proved wrong to the tune of £3.5m, so let's wait and see what Bobby has planned.   

Of course me and Melanie Sykes will be supping Boddingtons out of a glass slipper while sailing down the Manchester Ship Canal on a megastore carrier bag, should we return from Old Trafford with a point or more, but let's just say things don't look much better at this stage than a year ago when Ruud Gullit led his troops into battle. 

The experience of recent years shows that a bad start to the season is to be avoided at all costs.

Biffa