Doncaster 1-0 Newcastle: Kevin Keegan's Don for

It was handshakes all round for Kevin Keegan as he was given a rapturous welcome by his adoring home-town public in Doncaster.

But it is handfuls of cash for new signings that the Newcastle boss desperately needs, with the start of the Premier League season just three weeks away.

The Toon were forced to travel to the newly-promoted Championship outfit minus 10 top stars for a variety of reasons - but Rovers ran out deserved winners.

It is obvious that there is a shortage of quality in Keegan's wafer-thin squad and he desperately needs an injection of fresh talent before his side take on champions Manchester United at Old Trafford on the opening day of the campaign.

Already signed are Danny Guthrie, from Liverpool, and Jonas Gutierrez from Real Mallorca, though the Argentine winger 's move is yet to be rubber stamped.

Keegan, who has been chasing Blackburn left-back Stephen Warnock all summer, said: "I am expecting to bring in one or two new faces in the next seven to 10 days.

"There is a definite need for a new right-back and leftback, because we were forced to go from Christmas to the end of last season with only one player for each of those positions."

Keegan certainly expects to have Gutierrez, Michael Owen (mumps), Mark Viduka (heel) and Oba Martins, who was allowed to go home to Nigeria after the death of his mother, back for this week's pre-season trip to Mallorca.

Keegan added: "As well as getting new players in, it is important that we get our key players back - and I'm confident they will be for the start of the season.

"If you look at our starting 11, it was a fairly strong side.

And, when you add the missing lads, it shows we haven't got that small a squad."

But Keegan's team barely troubled Doncaster's defence and the closest Newcastle came to a goal was when Shola Ameobi headed against a post from Geremi's 66th-minute cross.

Rovers, on the other hand, looked full of confidence after their successful campaign and deserved their victory.

Northern Ireland striker Stuart Elliott took the ball off Spanish left-back Jose Enrique three minutes from time and beat keeper Tim Krul with a blistering drive from the edge of the box.