Alan Shearer's Return To The Toon Army

: Alessandro Matri

Newcastle took the lead when Alessandro Matri picked up midfielder Tom Cleverley's fantastic long ball forward. He took it round the keeper, before passing it into the empty net. They doubled their lead when Demba Ba - who was making his first appearance for the club since rejoining them on loan from Chelsea - was fouled in the area by Adam Cummins. Matri stepped up to take the penalty and coolly slotted the ball to the keepers' right. He completed his hat-trick when Nicolás Gaitán played a ball into the path of Matri who fired low and hard to the keepers' left. Gaitán made it 4-0 before half time when Motherwell defender Tom Hateley tackled Matri in the area. The ball went through to Gaitán, who poked it past the keeper. Motherwell pulled one goal back after half time when Daniel Braaten crossed the ball into Stevie Hammell who let the ball bounce before hammering in a scorching half volley past debutant Jan Oblak. This win gave Newcastle a comfortable lead to return to St James's Park with, where they waited to host Motherwell in the return leg. Attendance: 10,456.

: Tom Cleverley

Having won comfortably in their visit to Scotland, Newcastle were confident going into the second leg at St James's Park. Holding a clear 4-1 lead, they didn't have much reason to worry. Newcastle opened the scoring when first leg hat-trick hero Alessandro Matri headed in Nicolás Gaitán's free-kick. They went 2-0 up when Gaitán's corner found Tom Cleverley, who blasted the ball at the goalkeeper. However the shot was too powerful for the keeper and he could only parry the ball into the net. After the break, Motherwell pulled a goal back when Bob Mchugh chipped a pass into ex-Everton and Birmingham striker James Mcfadden who took a touch to bring the ball away from the goalkeeper before passing the ball into the open goal. Newcastle got the last goal of the tie when substitute Gabby Agbonlahor picked up Moussa Sissoko's through ball and slotted the ball through the keepers' legs. The score on aggregate was 7-2 to Newcastle which will leave them feeling very confident going into the new season with their first match against Liverpool. The draw for the next round has been made and Newcastle will play Legia Warszawa in the Europa League playoff with the first leg being held at Newcastle.
Attendance: 36,585.

The Player Of The Pre-season goes to Alessandro Matri who scored the crucial goals in the 7-2 aggregate win over Motherwell. In total, he scored four goals for Newcastle.

The Young Player Of The Pre-season goes to Tom Cleverley who played very well in the important games against Motherwell. He also scored scored two and set up one.