Norwich 2-1 Newcastle United: The Sunday Mirror pre-season match report

Newcastle boss Chris Hughton knows he has a mountain to climb as he prepares his side for their Premier League return.

United are one of only three top flight teams to be preparing without playing abroad. But Hughton looked onto the pitch from his dugout and saw the Himalayas.

He admitted: "It was a tough game against a team that know the system they play and are a week further on in their preparation than us.

"We never like losing games, but were Norwich worthy winners? Yes they were."

Tim Krul was sound enough in goal and made a good save to deny Simeon Jackson early on, but all the problems are in front of him.

That chance came because the defence was slow to move out. It was in keeping with the whole performance during which the back four were a shambles, the midfield offered them no protection, and long balls pumped forward in the first half on a slick pitch gave front men Andy Carroll and Leon Best nothing to work with.

Shola Ameobi offered some hope up front as a second half substitute but the biggest consolation for Hughton will be that a year ago today Newcastle, newly relegated from the Premier League, suffered a humiliating 6-1 defeat at Leyton Orient in a friendly.

How we laughed when the players said it would be a turning point. Well, now they are a squad preparing to launch a Premier League campaign, with a trip to Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season.

But on the evidence displayed at Carrow Road yesterday they are going to have to show a similarly marked improvement again when they get down to the serious stuff. Otherwise they face a humiliating return to the top flight.

Hughton has signed just two players and one of those, Dan Gosling, will not be fit until the end of the year. "We need to add to the squad that we have," admitted Hughton. Too true!

Like Newcastle, Norwich started last season with a stunning loss, 7-0 at home to Colchester, but incredibly turned it round to go up as champions.

Norwich boss Paul Lambert has made seven signings to prepare his side for life back in the Championship and fielded the six fit ones yesterday. The most impressive of them was Simeon Jackson, brought in from Gillingham where he scored 18 goals last season. Expect him to add to his growing reputation this term.

But it was Chris Martin who made it all yellow, scoring both goals for the Canaries.

The opener, tapping in after Wes Hoolahan intercepted a reckless Ryan Taylor pass, tied the central defenders in knots and squared to his teammate.

It took until a minute after the break, and wholesale changes, before United levelled through Ameobi, who at least offered a threat, but 15 minutes from time Norwich deservedly won the game with Martin's header.

Unless Newcastle learn to pass the ball like Norwich, sign a few players like Norwich and work harder like Norwich, it threatens to be a short stay in the Premier League.