Newcastle United handed a debut to Aleksandar Mitrovic in Wednesday's pre-season friendly with York City, but the new striker could do nothing to prevent a shock 2-1 defeat to the League Two side.
The former Anderlecht man arrived at St James' Park last week and was among the chances as York-born Steve McClaren saw his Newcastle team fall to two first-half goals.
York led after 16 minutes through Anthony Straker, the defender rather fortuitously opening the scoring with his side's first attack of the game, a trialist doubled the minnows' advantage after an impressive run down the right flank.
The hosts made eight changes midway through the second half and saw Ayoze Perez reduce the deficit, but stood firm to deny their somewhat toothless Premier League opposition.
While Newcastle's side will look markedly different when they face Southampton in just over a week's time, the defeat will nonetheless come as a blow to McClaren ahead of his first season in charge at St James' Park.
The visitors had the first effort on goal after two minutes, when Perez seized on a loose ball and played in Siem de Jong - Scott Flinders turning his effort around the post.
Flinders gathered Rolando Aarons' effort from a tight angle from the resulting corner before debutant Mitrovic glanced Shane Ferguson's delivery off target.
The pressure was near-constant from the youthful Newcastle side early on as Mitrovic went close to connecting with a header, though John McCombe stood firm under pressure.
But completely against the run of play, Newcastle's youthful back-line were undone as the trialist forced the issue down the right before crossing for Straker, the full-back diverting the bouncing ball over Karl Darlow.
There was nothing fortuitous about York's second, however, as the trialist sprinted down the right before cutting in and curling a stunning strike past a helpless Darlow.
Aarons rattled the crossbar with a header prior to the interval before Newcastle began the second half on the front foot as Perez played in Mitrovic to fire wide.
Aarons limped off around the hour - heading straight down the tunnel for treatment - and his absence further hindered Newcastle, with York standing firm.
Mitrovic departed with 20 minutes remaining and, while Perez prodded home from close range, it proved a consolation, leaving Newcastle's new-look coaching team with questions to ponder ahead of their final friendly against Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.
No comments:
Post a Comment