nice confidence boost for the toon:)

[krazylegz]

nice little confidence booster for the toon in beating valencia 2-1 at St.James' Park.

goals from duff and milner secured the win.

Jonas Gutierrez looks a canny player

heres the report from w*w.nufc.co.uk

Craig Hope reports from St.James' Park ...

MATCH REPORT

JAMES Milner smashed an injury-time winner as Newcastle United fought back from a goal down to beat Spanish cup winners Valencia.

The Magpies were trailing at the break following Joaquin's 38th-minute strike but could've gone in level when Milner shaved the hosts' upright moments before the half-time whistle.

It was Damien Duff, with his fourth goal of the pre-season, who found the equaliser as he ghosted into the area unmarked to head home Danny Guthrie's flag-kick with 13 minutes left on the clock.

The Geordies pressed for a second and it came in the 91st-minute as Milner netted at the Gallowgate End after Steven Taylor's header from Jonas Gutierrez's centre had come back off the post.

And it did prove to be the winner with Uriah Rennie blowing for full-time soon after the restart.

90+1min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (2-1): The Geordies have surely found the winner, JAMES MILNER smashing home from the angle of the six-yard area after Taylor's header from Gutierrez's cross had come back off the post.

90mins - The Magpies have a late corner on the left. Milner curls over but Pedros wins from Edgar.

87min - Smith and Milner combine with the latter seeing his strike blocked by the sliding Pedros.

85min - David Edgar gets a run out with Claudio Cacapa making way and Sebastien Bassong replaces Habib Beye.

82min - Gutierrez again gets the crowd on their feet with a purposeful run from deep, he slips it wide to Milner but his cross is blocked - the Toon Army really have taken an early shine to the Argentinean.

80min - The Magpies are in full flow and Butt comes within inches of finding a second as his first-time shot from 20 yards out fizzes just wide of the Valencia target.

77min - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-1) Gutierrez's industry wins a corner on the right which Guthrie delivers, it's DAMIEN DUFF of all people who has drifted in unmarked to power a header beyond a static Hildebrand to level the score - what an effort!

76min - It's Villa again who goes looking for that second but this time he gets his strike all wrong and fires well wide from distance.

72min - Villa robs Cacapa inside the area and has just Given to beat, the frontman tries a deft chip over the Irishman, it looks like Valencia have doubled their lead but the ball shaves the foot of the post and United survive.

70min - The ball drops kindly for Smith 20 yards out but he snatches at his shot and screws wide.

65min - Vicente twists and turns 30 yards out and is sent crashing to the ground by a combination of Butt and Guthrie. Villa fancies his chances but the free-kick is poor and clears the frame by a good five feet.

63min - Smith is coming on for United as he replaces Oba Martins.

60min - Angulo finds Villa who has pulled away from his marker inside the area and the Spanish sub is unlucky not to double the lead as his right-foot drive smashes into the side-netting.

56min - N'Zogbia goes on a mazy return and tumbles inside the penalty area, Rennie isn't buying it and waves play on.

54min - Milner has been in the thick of the action throughout the game and stands up a fantastic ball for Martins to attack at the far post, the Nigerian makes contact but the connection is weak and Valencia have a goal-kick.

52min - Villa tries to lob Given from all of 45 yards, it's an ambitious attempt and the Toon stopper backpedals to catch with relative ease.

49min - Milner digs out a cross from the right flank, Martins tries the spectacular on the penalty spot but miscues and the ball finds its way to N'Zogbia arriving in the box, the Frenchman takes a touch and fires low to Hildebrand's near post, but the German watches it every inch of the way and saves.

The Magpies get the second period started with Euro 2008 top scorer David Villa on for the visitors.

FIRST-HALF ACTION

That's it, half-time here with Valencia leading thanks to Joaquin's 38th-minute strike.

44min - The Magpies are getting a lot of joy down the right and this time Milner's low ball is deflected behind for a corner at the near post. The winger takes but the cross travels the distance of the penalty area and away for a throw in.

43min - N'Zogbia is caught sleeping as Albelda finds Joaquin in space on the right, he pulls sharply back for Morientes but the striker can only direct his header high and wide.

41min - Milner leaves Moretti on his backside with a great turn on the right, the shot is on and the young winger drills low to the far post but unfortunately for United it skids wide of the upright and away for a goal kick.

38min - VALENCIA GOAL (0-1): Moretti's lofted forward ball is helped on by the head of Morientes, JOAQUIN has ghosted into the penalty area unmarked and does well to finish in one swift movement low past Given from 10 yards out.

36min - N'Zogbia dribbles by Miguel on the left and bursts into the penalty, it's a narrow angle but his cross-cum-shot finds the target and Hildebrand flaps away.

32min - Strike partners Martins and Duff combine with the Nigerian freeing his Irish team-mate with an inch perfect ball in behind the backline, Helguera is recovering and blocks Duff's path to goal, the winger still manages to get a shot away and Hildebrand has to save instinctively in the centre of his goal.

30min - United build down the right with Milner, he fizzes a low ball across the face of goal but Helguera is well positioned to stick out a leg and divert the ball away from Martins.

27min - The Spaniards are starting to come into this and Albelda tests Given with a stinging 25-yard free-kick which the Irishman keeps out in the centre of his goal.

25min - Joaquin is crowded out by N'Zogbia and Gutierrez on the left but Rennie rules that the winger was fouled and Valencia have a free-kick in a dangerous position. Silva delivers at pace but Given is alert to the danger and races from his line to fist clear.

23min - Miguel carves open the Toon backline with a clever ball in behind N'Zogbia, Joaquin scampers after it but his cross evades everyone and Milner clears at the far post.

21min - Martins arrows a fantastic crossfield ball to Milner in acres on the right wing, he crosses early but sadly for United there are no home bodies inside the area and Hildebrand claims.

17min - Vicente has space on the left and floats a ball over looking for Morientes, the former Liverpool striker gets up well and wins from Cacapa, the Brazilian does just about enough to distract the forward and is able to deflect his headed effort behind for a corner. Joaquin's delivery is better but still it's a United head which clears.

16min - United now have a flag-kick at the other end but, like Joaquin's earlier cross, Milner fails to beat the first man and Valencia clear.

14min - Valencia win a corner on the right but Joaquin's delivery is poor and Butt heads away at the near post.

12min - Martins shows a change of pace to burst clear of marker Albiol 30 yards out before being tugged back by the defender. This time it's N'Zogbia who has a go but he fails to test the German keeper and clears the crossbar.

10min - It's all United and Milner is tripped by Moretti on the right. N'Zogbia crosses high at pace but Hildebrand is able to claim under minimal pressure from Magpie shirts.

7min - Gutierrez sparks life into the crowd as he accelerates away from two Valencia shirts midway inside the opposition half before being fouled by the trailing Baraja. Milner is the only man standing over the ball and he sees his right-footed strike deflected away off the wall for a corner. Duff takes and the ball eventually works its way through a crowd of bodies to Taylor who is taken by surprise and, as a result, snatches at the chance and Valencia clear.

2min - Valencia are quickly on the offensive and it takes a strong challenge from Milner to disposess Vicente on the left.

The rain has stayed away here on Tyneside as the visitors get us underway attacking the Gallowgate End. United are sporting their new silver third kit.

TEAM NEWS

NIGERIAN hitman Oba Martins returns to the starting line-up for this afternoon's final pre-season friendly against the Spanish cup winners.

The 23-year-old, entering his third year with the Magpies, has only played 45 minutes of warm-up action so far this summer during United's 4-1 victory at Hartlepool three weeks ago.

News signings Jonas Gutierrez and Danny Guthrie both start with Martins for Geremi the only change from the side which drew 2-2 with PSV Eindhoven here on Wednesday.

The visitors include ten full internationals in their side with Euro 2008 top goalscorer David Villa among the substitutes.

There's been a late change to the Geordies XI with Charles N'Zogbia coming in for Jose Enrique who drops down to the bench.

TEAMS

NUFC: Shay Given, Habib Beye, Charles N'Zogbia, Claudio Cacapa, Steven Taylor, Nicky Butt, Danny Guthrie, James Milner, Jonas Gutierrez, Damien Duff, Oba Martins
Subs: Jose Enrique, Alan Smith, Geremi, David Edgar, Fraser Forster, Kazenga LuaLua, Sebastien Bassong

VCF: Timo Hilderbrand, Raul Albiol, David Albelda, Ruben Baraja, Fernando Morientes, Vicente, Ivan Helguera, Joaquin, David Silva, Miguel, Emiliano Moretti
Subs: David Navarro, David Villa, Miguel Angulo, Pablo Dominguez, Manuel Fernandes, Vicente Panadero, Juan Manuel Garcia, Javier Arizmendi, Alexis Ruano, Edu, Nikola Zigic

Referee: Uriah Rennie
Attendance: 31, 494