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Season 2010-11
Rangers (a) Friendly


In association
 with NUFC.com
 


Date:
Saturday 7th August 2010, 1pm
Live on ESPN

Venue:
 Ibrox

Conditions:
pre-match showers 
giving way to bright sunshine

Admission: £20 

Programme:
£2.50
 

 

 Rangers

Newcastle United

2 - 1

 

Teams

Goals

24 mins Shepherded by Wayne Routledge out on the left touchline and facing towards his own goal, Steven Whittaker stepped infield to deliver a superb right footed cross towards Steve Harper's near post. The ball flew past Mike Williamson and was met by Kenny Miller on the run, who headed home from six yards and left Fabricio Coloccini a spectator 0-1

Half time: Rangers 1 Magpies 0

65 mins
Nolan's loss of possession in midfield proved costly, as Steven Davis pushed on towards the Newcastle goal down the centre of the field. Kyle Lafferty made an offside run ahead of him, but Davis pushed the ball out to his right, to where Steven Naismith had taken advantage of Perch's absence to make a well-timed run. With Jonas Gutierrez making a vain attempt to keep up with him, he ran on and stroked the ball past Harper from nine yards. 
0-2

70 mins
Danny Guthrie drove United forward and fed a short pass to Kevin Nolan, who played a one two with Shola Ameobi. Receiving the ball back in space on the right hand side of the Rangers box in front of the away section, Nolan saw his shot parried by Allan McGregor. The rebound fell nicely for Peter Lovenkrands to knock it into the unguarded net from close range at the far post 
1-2

Full time: Rangers 2 Magpies 1

We Said

Newcastle manager Chris Hughton said:

"
Do I think we are ready? Well we have to be now and I think we are. We don’t like losing, but I don’t think we are any different to some of the other clubs in the Premier League.

"They have had results that have gone against them in pre-season – even the bigger clubs. I am quite sure they will be ready for the start of the season and I am quite sure we will be too.

"What I have said to this group of lads is they are all playing for starting places. They are all still fighting, but if you look at our squad and what we have – that is the nucleus of our starting line-up for certain.

"It's never a nice feeling losing football matches, especially this close to the start of the season, but there were far more positives from the performance than negatives. We have conceded two goals in a game where I thought Rangers' possession at times didn't threaten us as much as we thought they would. But in the areas where it matters most, we weren't clinical."

Peter Lovenkrands added:

"The reception I got, I couldn't have asked for more than that. It was outstanding, and the home fans and the away fans were fantastic. I was disappointed with the result, but happy to get my goal - especially at Ibrox. It was a nice feeling.

"To see the ball landing there is a striker's dream, and it was just about putting it in the net and enjoying the feeling. I didn't feel like running about like mad and celebrating. I had six amazing years here so I had the respect to just be quiet about it and enjoy it inside.

“I made the most of it. After the reception the Rangers fans gave me, I had to show my appreciation for it. It was fantastic and I couldn’t have asked for more. That’s why I wanted to show my appreciation. There wasn’t a proper goodbye when I left Rangers in 2006. I have always thought about that and felt it would have been nice to have had one. 

"Coming back here meant a lot to me from the moment I knew we had this fixture. To come back, and been here and done it was a fantastic experience.
My six years were fantastic and it was a fantastic club to be at. Financially at that time it was not as bad. Now there are tough times. It’s even been tough times for Newcastle, so it happens everywhere. I really hope Rangers get through it. They seem to be coping really well.


"This game was still all about getting the minutes behind you and getting your fitness in, and also of course to play good football. I think we played quite well at times, but lost two slack goals and you can't afford to do that, especially when the Premier League starts. That's going to hurt you, but if we can get that sorted out I think we're looking alright."

They Said


Gers boss Walter Smith said:

"I thought Newcastle played well in the game.Pre-season matches are never a great indicator. but they have a strong squad. “They showed how strong their squad was last season and they are probably better prepared to go into the Premier League than the majority of the teams promoted to the top flight. 

"Newcastle have already a Premier League standard of player in their squad. While it is always difficult to break into the top level, if you look at the quality of player and the standard they have they will be OK. In my mind they will at least be in and around the middle of the Premier League, they are good enough to do that.

"People forget they have probably had a few similar problems to what we have had in terms of turmoil in the background, but they still have a good level of player.”


Stats


United wore their new Puma home shirts with squad numbering, but without player names and with the white socks from their third kit. Kevin Nolan was again handed the captain's armband.

Steven Taylor, Dan Gosling, Danny Simpson, Fraser Forster, Alan Smith and Tamas Kadar were absent through injury, while Sol Campbell wasn't match fit. 
 
Magpies @ The 'Gers:

1894/95
lost 2-5 FR Milne 2*
1900/01 lost 1-3 FR Macfarlane
1901/02 won 5-0 FR Peddie 2, McColl 2, Orr**
1902/03 lost 1-3 FR McColl
1902/03 drew 2-2 FR Rutherford, Templeton
1903/04 lost 0-2 FR No scorer
1906/07
lost 0-3 FR No scorer
1908/09 won 4-2 FR Duncan Veitch, Higgins, Howie
1920/21 drew 0-0 FR No scorer
1921/22 drew 1-1 FR Harris
1924/25
lost 0-1 FR No scorer
1932/33
lost 1-4 FR Weaver 
1945/46 lost 2-3 FR Milburn, Wayman
1968/69 drew 0-0 FC
1993/94 won 2-1 FR Cole, Sellars
2010/11 lost 1-2 Lovenkrands

All games at Ibrox except:
 
* played on a pitch to the east of the current ground
** played at the Cathkin Park home of Third Lanark

United played at Ibrox on consecutive days in August 1994,
but didn't play the home side. The Ibrox Tournament saw Kevin Keegan's side beat Manchester United on 6-5 penalties after a 1-1 draw, before losing 1-3 to an Attilio Lombardo-inspired Sampdoria in the Final.
 
Newcastle also played two matches at Ibrox as part of the 1953 Coronation Cup Tournament - beating Aberdeen 4-0 then losing to Hibernian by the same score three days later. 
  

Waffle


Newcastle ended their pre-season campaign on Saturday with defeat in the blue half of Glasgow, with a scoreline and performance that gave their sizeable travelling support much to ponder, ahead of the proper stuff.

Having dominated the first quarter of the game without fashioning a decent chance, United then succumbed to a sucker punch when the home side attacked down the left and Kenny Miller headed past Steve Harper.

Playing with Andy Carroll as the lone striker, Newcastle fared slightly better after the break when he was replaced by Shola Ameobi. However the lack of service from wide men Wayne Routledge and Jonas Gutierrez remained unchanged, while set pieces were again substandard.

Rangers doubled their lead through Steven Naismith following a Nolan rick, which prompted another change for the visitors. The home crowd gave Ibrox old boy Peter Lovenkrands a great reception when he replaced Jonas, only for him to promptly reduce the arrears from close range with his first touch - opting not to celebrate.

However McGregor denied both Lovenkrands and Nolan soon after and the game gradually faded away, leaving Chris Hughton with much thinking to do ahead of his sides' top-flight return at Old Trafford on Monday week.

Already missing Danny Simpson and Steven Taylor from his defence - and with Sol Campbell not yet match-fit - the Magpies boss may also have a concern over Jose Enrique. He came off early in the second half and was followed down the tunnel by physio Derek Wright. That resulted in the arrival of Ryan Taylor, who went to right back as James Perch took up an unfamiliar left back role.

Of equal concern to him though was the lack of a spark from his midfield, with Joey Barton looking less than 100% and Nolan struggling in an advanced role before the break. Self-confessed Rangers fan Alan Smith meanwhile didn't appear after sustaining what was called a minor injury.

United's five game pre-season campaign ended with just one win in normal time - at Carlisle. Draws were claimed against PSV and Deportivo La Coruna (with the latter seeing Newcastle win a penalty shootout). Defeats came against Norwich and Rangers and a total of seven goals were scored - all of them in the second half of games. 

Biffa


Page last updated 07 August, 2012