Sol Campbell made a good start to his Newcastle United career tonight when the Newcastle reserves beat Sunderland Reserves 3-1 at the Stadium of Light.

Nile Ranger congratulates Lovenkrands after Peter scores penalty

Campbell played 45 minutes of tonight’s 3-1 win, but the game was spoiled by Spanish striker Xisco,  being handed a red card for kicking out at Jordan Cook, late in the first half.

At that time Newcastle were 2-0 up with goals from Nile Ranger and Peter Lovenkrands, with Peter again scoring from the penalty spot after Ranger was brought down by Sunderland goalkeeper Trevor Carson.

Campbell, who turns 36 on 18th September was signed as a free agent last month, and this was his first game in the famous black and white stripes of Newcastle, and he was replaced at the half  by 20 year-old Ben Tozer.

Ryan Taylor made it 3-0 with another good free kick on 60 minutes, and even though Newcastle were down to only 10 men, Sunderland still found it difficult to get back into the game.

Cook did score a late consolation goal from the penalty spot, and Ryan Noble hit the post, but it was all too little too late for a well beaten Sunderland side.

A good win by Peter Beardsley’s Newcastle Reserves side tonight.

TEAMS

Sunderland: Trevor Carson, Marcos Angeleri, Blair Adams, Adam Reed, Michael Kay, George McCartney, Robbie Weir, Jack Colbeck, Ryan Noble, Jordan Cook, Andy Reid.
Subs: Liam Bagall, Ben Wilson, Nathan Luscombe, Dan Madden, Matthew Fletcher.

Newcastle United: Tim Krul, James Tavernier, Paul Dummett, Ryan Donaldson, Sol Campbell, Matthew Grieve, Ryan Taylor, Brad Inman, Nile Ranger, Xisco, Peter Lovenkrands.
Subs: Ben Tozer, Ole Soderberg, Jeff Henderson, Phil Airey, Greg McDermott.

Referee: Tony Harrington