To underscore the astonishment with the squad selection, Justin Hoyte was deployed at left back…ahead of the 3 existing and available ones…Julio Arca was favoured over Mark Yeates. In retrospect it’s daft to not think we’d struggle as badly as we did. Sorry Gary O’Neil, you didn’t boss the midfield…bang on though in being forthright about the deficiencies in attack and defence. Gary Gill was spared with a nagging malady – former Boro right back Curtis Fleming trekked the icy slopes to the press boxes at St James’ Park – here is what we culled from their vantage:

• GON free kick on 12 mins – Lita rises unchallenged, but the header is far off target
• Geordies lead after a questionable tangle in the box – Shola Ameobi appears to have pushed Emanuel Pogatetz before heading a ball towards goal that’s ultimately stabbed home by Marlon Harewood
• Danny Guthrie starts prolifically – delivered the ball leading to the first goal – his free kick is repelled by the wall but drops to Alan Smith, in a monumental scoring drought, who fizzes his shot low and wide
• Hand ball on Steven Taylor? He controls Isaiah Osbourne’s scooped shot onto the post – another in a long line of stonewall penalties denied
• HT – Newcastle 1 – 0 Boro – Curtis Fleming: Boro poor at set pieces – really costing us; Brad Jones continues to induce fear – rooted to the spot too often, and when he’s not something foolish is usually afoot – Mark Drury openly asks: are we really 20 points worse than the Geordies? Go get stuck in!
• Marcus Bent on – Dave Kitson off – ineffectual from the Ginger Ninj-er
• Niggly officiating
• Reported attendance: 49,644
• David Wheater goes close at one end – Newcastle shift the attack and Danny Guthrie is again involved – a cross from the right meets Ameobi again, this time the striker connects – Newcastle 2- 0 Boro
• Is it safe to throw on Luke Williams and/or Jonathan Franks in a hostile derby environment?
• Lita continues his maddening inconsistency – he’s fed a nice ball resultant of a decent move between Osbourne and Bent – LL pounds the effort well over the crossbar
• Hoyte – horribly exposed to failure – makes an enterprising run at the Newcastle back four – silky moves with no end quality that…sadly
• Franks does get on for Lita late – no impact
• Curtis Fleming MOM – Emanuel Pogatetz

Of paramount importance now is a proper return of points from the holiday fixtures – 6 would be exceptional – anything less than 4 a failure…