Newcastle held by neighbours Gateshead despite Steur-ing performance
The Magpies drew 1-1 with Gateshead at the International Stadium, with encouragement coming from the debut of new addition Sean Steur.
It’s important never to get carried away with pre-season performances or results, as, on the evidence of Newcastle United’s 1–1 draw with Gateshead, they could quite easily qualify for the Champions League or be dragged into a relegation battle.
Such ambiguity will likely not please supporters, but such is the nature of Newcastle United at present (given incomings and outgoings), it is rather difficult to predict what their outlook is for the upcoming season.
The Magpies’ performance was certainly encouraging in parts, but some will not look past the scoreline, which was slightly disappointing.
Newcastle, admittedly, did look sharp from the off, with Jacob Ramsey, Lewis Hall and new signing Sean Steur all impressing early on. Steur caught the eye of many in the press box, with his composure on the ball and his forward passing very easy on the eye.
His days in the Ajax academy may be behind him, but it was clear to see the impact the coaching in such an environment had on the young midfielder. He looked very much at ease in possession and showed a physicality that was perhaps not expected of him.
There was even a comparison made by one reporter to a young Paul Gascoigne, perhaps in jest, before the realisation sunk in that this was Steur’s first game in English football; a pre-season friendly against Gateshead, a side in the fifth tier of English football.
The jovial discussion in the press box was soon interrupted, however, when Gateshead’s Luke Supyk opened the scoring in the 35th minute. The goal came from a clumsy free-kick conceded by the returning Fabian Schär, which, upon being taken, deflected off the wall, with Supyk reacting quickest to prod the ball home under Pope.
Gateshead’s clinical edge was exactly what Newcastle were missing, as for all of the away side’s pressure, they struggled to put the ball in the net. The half-time whistle came and went, as did a flurry of changes from both sides as the second period progressed, but still no equaliser arrived.
That was until the 79th minute, when relief finally came for Eddie Howe’s side. A perfectly weighted ball out wide from Alex Murphy was met by Lewis Hall, with the latter’s cross deflecting into the net off Gateshead’s Ben Williams.
By this point, most of Newcastle’s regular first-team names had left the field, but Sean Steur remained, with Eddie Howe clearly wanting to get minutes into his legs. The young Dutch midfielder was certainly the pick of Newcastle’s players on the day, and with plenty of pre-season matches still to come, many within the club will hope that he continues to improve ahead of the season starting.
For Newcastle, this has been a challenging week. Constant talk of Bruno Guimarães’ future and the incredibly sad death of club legend Kevin Keegan have formed a whirlwind of emotion around the club.
With actual football now back on the agenda, those inside the club will hope that the rest of the summer is easier to navigate.