Newcastle 3 Norwich 0: Ritchie and Gayle give Toon a much-needed lift ahead of Premier League opener vs West Ham
MATT RITCHIE and Dwight Gayle brightened up the Toon Army’s miserable summer with a morale-boosting win against Norwich.
With the Saudi takeover now looking dead and buried, and boss Steve Bruce still waiting for a first signing, it has been the gloomiest of off-seasons on Tyneside.
But a brilliant second half in front of 20,139 fans inside St James’ Park over the newly-promoted Canaries gives at least an ounce of optimism heading into next Sunday’s opener against West Ham.
Ritchie bagged the first before sub Gayle scored a quickfire brace to stake his claim for more game time than he has had so far under Bruce.
Norwich were missing Todd Cantwell and £9.4million new signing Milot Rashica but bossed the Magpies from the off, with Max Aarons having an early deflected wide.
Norwich new boy Pierre Lees-Melou then sweetly volleyed Chelsea loanee Billy Gilmour’s corner straight at Freddie Woodman.
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The 24-year-old looks set to start the season with Martin Dubravka injured and Karl Darlow recovering from Covid.
Newcastle grew into it a ropey start but the rest of the first half was typical pre-season stuff with plenty of passing in the middle third but little thrust from either side.
Jonjo Shelvey, Ryan Fraser, and Allan Saint-Maximin were on at the break and the hosts instantly looked more of a threat, with the latter in particular terrifying the Norwich defence.
And the Mags were ahead 55 minutes in through Ritchie after Gilmour’s sloppy ball across his own box.
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The Scot, who was involved in a training ground bust-up with Newcastle manager Steve Bruce last season, latched onto the loose ball and poked home from close range.
Gayle made it 2-0 after 66 minutes, running onto Fraser’s through ball and coolly slotting past former Toon keeper Tim Krul.
And the striker got his second at the death, sweeping in Javier Manquillo’s cross from the right.