Newcastle reserves opened up their pre-season campaign with a low-key draw in the Scottish borders on Saturday.

And it was appropriate that new "third team" coach Kenny Wharton joined reserve boss Tommy Craig on the bench, with none of the seventeen United players on view having yet featured in the first team.

With around 100 away fans dotted around the ground, the teams kicked off in bright sunshine. It took 8 minutes for the first effort at goal by either side, when toon left back Phil Cave worked an opening but fired high and wide.

Newcastle captain and midfielder Bradley Orr was much closer a minute later, Queens 'keeper John Dodds tipping a fierce shot over the bar.

Fellow Newcastle midfielder Andy Ferrell was next to have a punt but also failed to break the deadlock, on 24 minutes. However that was to be his final involvement in the game, limping off with an injured right knee four minutes later.

Ferrell later left the ground on crutches and confirmed he'd again injured the knee that curtailed his season last time out and required surgery earlier in the year. Tough luck on the youngster in his comeback game.

A reshuffle saw United regroup with a back three of Taylor, Ramage and substitute Chris Carr. They came under pressure almost immediately, as James Thomson forced a good save out of Adam Collin after the home side had made headway down their left flank.

Newcastle hit back and took the lead on the half hour, with some neat interplay down the right between Brennan and Brittain presenting Guy Bates with a shooting chance from the edge of the box. He duly obliged, with a well-struck effort into the top left hand corner.

The visitors were only to enjoy their lead for three minutes however, as Cave impeded Derek Lyle in a central position. Up stepped Eric Paton to rifle home the direct free kick from 20 yards, a well-directed effort but hardly a blockbuster.

Both teams went into the break oin level terms, with Newcastle's ploy of playing the ball out to Alan O'Brien on the left wing failing to lead to a supply of crosses for strike pair Calvin Zola and Guy Bates.

United lined up with no further changes after the break, while the home side made four replacements including a couple of trialists.

A dubious refereeing decision denied Newcastle a penalty on 48 minutes, when Zola was clearly impeded in the box, a defender pulling him back by the waistband of his shorts. However the myopic local officials failed to spot the offence.

Queens threatened again just after the hour, when goalscorer Paton tried his luck again with a right foot curler that swung narrowly wide of the goal now guarded by replacement 'keeper Adam Bartlett.

While Newcastle failed to create anything of note up front, the home side continued to press without breaking through the Newcastle defence, despite the introduction of former toon reserve Paul Talbot into an attacking midfield role for Queens.

It was the on-trial David Bagan (formerly with Kilmarnock and Inverness Caley) who had home fans shouting "sign him on Connolly" after two fine efforts from distance on 66 and 80 minutes looked to have beaten Bartlett, only to rebound off the Newcastle crossbar.

United's reply was a fierce shot from Bradley Orr that was beaten away by the Queens goalie. By that stage, the unipressive Zola and tiring Bates had given away to a new forward pairing of Finnigan and Walton.

Neither had much in the way of chances, although when O'Brien belatedly got a cross over, Finnigan opted to head back across goal instead of testing the 'keeper, the pass being too long for Walton to make contact with.

So, a fair result for an opening game and our second successive draw at Palmertson for United. Given that our 2001 team included the likes of Griffin, Marcelino, Bernard and Steve Caldwell this wasn't a bad return but coaches Craig and Wharton will be looking to the lads to step things up this coming week against Bishop Auckland and Berwick Rangers.

But just in case anyone takes this too seriously at this stage - former Gateshead midfielder Steve Bowey was missing for the home side today - he's away on his honeymoon.....