Newcastle United won their first trophy in ages at Westpac Stadium on July 26, eclipsing Wellington Phoenix 1-0 in what was a virtual final of the Football United Tour, played in front of 30,968 spectators on a gloriously sunny winter's day in New Zealand's capital city. With both teams having won their other matches in the four-game event, their clash became something of a tour decider, and it was the Geordie boys who deservedly took out the spoils to delight their barcode kit-clad supporters. Yet things could have been different had Jeremy Brockie not squandered a great chance to open the scoring just five minutes into the contest. His control let him down in the penalty area, prompting United to clear their lines, storm downfield and go close to breaking the deadlock themselves, Siem de Jong sending a twenty yarder flashing narrowly over the crossbar at the end of a scintillating counter-attack. Two minutes later, Mehdi Abied and Jack Colback linked with Emmanuel Riviere, who scooted down the left past two opponents and provided a delightful pull-back from the by-line which simply begged a finish. None was forthcoming. Nor was one from Brockie two minutes later, despite two attempts to score. His first was blocked by Fabriccio Coluccini, while his second rattled the side-netting from close range … worse was to come later in the match from a player who is probably Wellington's weakest link, certainly so on the evidence seen in these tour fixtures. After Andrew Durante's vital clearance prevented both Riviere and the well-performed Yoan Gouffran from exploiting the opportunity engineered by the lively de Jong, who was to depart from the fray with an injury around the half-hour mark, Newcastle went desperately close to opening the scoring in the 21st minute. Fullback Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa angled a cross in behind the defence, and Gouffran was only inches away from meeting it with a full-length diving header - it would have been a spectacular effort had he made contact and directed the ball on target. Wellington were able to clean up, but when they did get possession, they were finding themselves deep inside their own half and not able to do a great deal with same. For Newcastle were bossing proceedings, and playing some really nice football, only to err deep in Wellington territory as they tried to force the issue. "The Barcode Boys" - their new kit is due to be launched shortly, and no doubt there will be a panel of enquiry when fans and traditionalists lay eyes on it - sliced their opponents open once more in the 25th minute. Riviere - a lively game - and de Jong combined to play in Vurnon Anita on the right, and his cross sought out the head of Riviere. Durante intercepted, but could only direct his clearance towards de Jong. Ben Sigmund stepped in to deny him, but nobody could prevent Gouffran from rattling the hoardings moments later, as Wellington's bid to scramble the ball to safety failed to make much progress. Back came Wellington, Boyd leading the charge in the 27th minute. His cross was a peach, but Brockie had strayed offside, so had he hit the target - the crossbar bore the brunt of his unchallenged header - the goal wouldn't have stood. In an effort to make amends for that miss, Brockie set off on a buccaneering run four minutes later. It was partially thwarted by Coluccini's tackle, but the makeshift striker regained possession and set up Alex Gorrin for a shot which sizzled inches over the bar from the edge of the area, Gorrin turned provider with a free-kick two minutes later, Durante directing his resulting header inches over the bar. Then a teasing Boyd cross nearly deceived Rob Elliott - United's 'keeper had to be alert to paw the ball to safety, with Louis Fenton inches away from guiding home the game's opening goal. It wasn't far away, but before it materialised, Sydney built up a head of steam from a string of attacks which culminated in Gouffran's twenty yarder being spectacularly tipped over the bar by Moss, who couldn't have seen the effort until very late in the piece. That save was followed by another fingertip denial by Moss from United substitute Ayaze Perez Gutierrez, but from the resulting corner, five minutes before half-time, the deadlock was broken. Colback played the corner short to Anita, whose teasing cross picked out the head of Gouffran. His looping header arced over Moss and into the net via

the right-hand upright. The goal stunned Wellington, who could have seen the deficit double on the stroke of half-time. Perez Gutierrez raced down the left into the penalty area, where he wrong-footed Manny Muscat before picking out Colback with a low pass. His shot flashed inches past the post to bring the first half to a close. After Gouffran had gone close early in the second half following a Massadio Haidara cross, Wellington spurned a great chance to equalise in the 56th minute. Nathan Burns played in Brockie down the left, but with Gorrin screaming in on the far post looking for a cross, the striker went for glory, but saw his shot deflected across the face of goal for a corner, which was headed over his own crossbar by Haidara. Newcastle eventually cleared their lines following this threat, but they were only out of the woods after Elliott saved at the feet of Burns, who had been picked out by Boyd's cross in the 58th minute. Five minutes later, Brockie squandered the chance of the entire tour. Boyd put him through with just Elliott to beat, and an equaliser appeared inevitable. This, however, is Brockie, a player who hasn't scored for his country on the 47 occasions he's donned the silver fern in full or non-cap-earning internationals. He didn't score here, either, Elliott spreading himself well as he approached and doing enough to block Brockie's shot to safety. If that had been Roy Krishna, who has a goalscoring pedigree and was looking on from the bench … instead it remained 1-0 to Newcastle. After Yanga-Mbiwa sent one fizzing over the bar upon receipt of a headed Sigmund clearance, half-time United substitute Rolando Aarons produced a lovely jinking run in off the left past three opponents. Just as he was about to pull the trigger on the edge of the area, Perez Gutierrez did just that, and sent the ball sailing over the bar. Suffice to say Aarons wasn't exactly impressed with his team-mate's unwelcome intervention! Wellington were finding it challenging to make any head-way in their search for an equaliser after Brockie's gilt-edged opening, and the longer the game went on, the more Newcastle looked like scoring the second goal their enterprising play merited. Ten minutes from time, a Lubomir Satka-inspired raid culminated in Gouffran firing a wicked low cross across the face of goal - it only needed a touch to turn it home. Then with three minutes remaining, a delightful United attack, featuring some lovely skill from Perez Gutierrez, was deserving of better fate than to see the ball end up in Moss' hands. Newcastle, however, were good value for their 1-0 victory, and thanks to it took out the unofficial title of Football United Tour champions. They look well on course to be primed and dangerous for their opening English Premier League encounter with title-holders Manchester City in three weeks' time. Wellington will take a great deal from this event, both on and off the park. Coach Ernie Merrick will be greatly pleased with the progress his team is making on the park, and he knows where improvements are required, the central striker role being the most obvious. Off the park, however, is where the club has benefited most, with a shade under 60,000 fans taking the chance to watch two English Premier League teams playing on New Zealand soil. It was a terrific gamble taken by the club, but Chief Executive David Dome and his team can feel well pleased with their efforts to make a difference for the game's greater good in this country, regardless of the tour's overall economic viability. On behalf of those who made the most of the chance to see Newcastle and West Ham in action, sincere thanks, Wellington Phoenix FC. A lot of people will be left with great memories of this entire event, and you can't put a price on those rewards. Wellington:     Moss; Muscat (Brindell-South, 86), Sigmund, Durante, Doyle; Gorrin (Boxall, 76), Riera, Burns (Cunningham, 71); Fenton (Ridenton, 62), Brockie (Rufer, 84), Boyd (Hicks, 71) Newcastle:     Elliott; Anita, Taylor, Coluccini (Vuckic, 78), Yanga-Mbiwa (booked, 50) (Satka, 64); Gouffran (Campbell, 85), Abied (Aarons, 46), Colback, Haidara (Dummett, 76); de Jong (Perez Gutierrez, 32), Riviere (Armstrong, 64) Referee:     Matt Conger