Middlesbrough’s third game in pre-season saw them face their toughest test on paper, playing Premier League Newcastle United.
However, Neil Warnock’s Middlesbrough side made light work of the afternoon, triumphing 5-1 in an emphatic victory.
Britt Assombalonga scored twice with two good finishes inside the six-yard box, and the DR Congo international could have had more having flashed a free-kick just wide of the Magpies’ post in the first-half.
Boro winger Marcus Tavernier, who was one of the Teessiders best players at the end of last season under Warnock, soon made it 3-0 before the break. He latched onto the ball on the edge of the Newcastle box and diverted the ball into the bottom corner from distance.
Steve Bruce’s side pulled one back to make the score 3-1 at half-time, with Allan Saint-Maximin’s pace proving too much for new Boro signing Grant Hall. The Frenchman broke away from the defender and coolly slotted past the onrushing Dejan Stojanovic in the Middlesbrough goal.
But Hall struck back soon after to give the reds their three goal advantage once more, heading in a free-kick following the red cards of Lewis Wing and Jamal Lascelles after a scuffle off the ball.
Late in the game Marc Bola was brought down in the box and youngster Stephen Walker scored the resultant penalty to make the score 5-1.
Boro got the better of their North-East neighbours in pre-season and will be hoping they can take their good early form into the regular season when they kick things off away at Watford next Friday evening.