With an enforced 21 day gap in their Premier League season, Newcastle rounded off their four day training camp with a kickabout against Belgian First Division opposition in Spain on Sunday.

In order to maximise pitch time for the United squad, agreement was reached to play three 45 minute periods to make the game of 135 minute duration. That allowed Rafa Benitez to give 22 of his players at least 45 minutes action on the grass surface of the Pinatar Arena on the Costa Blanca.

Present in Spain but not featuring in proceedings due to fitness issues were Karl Darlow and Islam Slimani, while Rob Elliot and Jesus Gamez remained back on Tyneside.

In addition to 19 more regular first teamers, there was a rare 90 minutes for Massadio Haidara, while two reserves were blooded at this level: winger Victor Fernandez and goalkeeper Nathan Harker.  

United dominated the first period and went ahead five minutes before the break when Chancel Mbemba's long ball put Matt Ritchie through on goal and he lobbed 'keeper Sinan Bolat. 

The Magpies then returned with eight of the same side plus a new central back duo of Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark and Isaac Hayden in a central midfield role.

Without their dominant influence of Jonjo Shelvey though, United seldom looked like adding to their advantage after Ritchie's strike from distance was blocked after 49 minutes.

A further change of personnel for the third and final period saw just three Newcastle players stay on, with eight new arrivals including the rookie pair.

Harker's introduction saw him picking the ball out of his net after just 20 seconds, beaten by a low shot from Alexander Corryn - although there was some weak defending going on in front of him.

Mo Diame came close to restoring Newcastle's lead with a surging run and shot that was tipped over by 'keeper Kevin Debaty, Dwight Gayle and Clark also spurning opportunities to make it 2-1.

What looked a perfect opportunity to round off the trip arrived on 127 minutes though, when Ayoze Perez was wrestled over in the area by ex-Southampton and Wolves defender Jelle Van Damme. 

With Ritchie (and Joselu) off the field, Gayle took the resultant penalty, but Debaty guessed correctly and flung himself to his right to beat the effort away.

A game that became increasingly niggly threatened to end on a sour note, with Lascelles reacting badly to a challenge by Reda Jaadi. As players from both sides sought to quell an outbreak of Jaadi aggro though, the referee blew for full time a fraction early and matters quickly settled down.

United flew back to Tyneside following the game and will now prepare for the visit of Huddersfield Town to SJP on Saturday week, minus the six senior players away on international duty. 

Unlike some recent overseas trips by other PL sides, nothing untoward seems to have happened here and none of the training sessions were affected by the weather - something that certainly wouldn't have been the case had the squad remained on Tyneside.