Burnley 0, Newcastle 1

THE LAST time Kevin Ball took on Newcastle in a summer monsoon he helped hasten the demise of Ruud Gullit.

There are those in the North-East who would therefore say he did two clubs a favour on that rain-lashed evening when Sunderland won the Tyne-Wear derby with goals from Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips at St James's Park 11 months ago.

Newcastle got Bobby Robson and Sunderland got three points which contributed to a top-four place at Christmas and ultimately a top-half finish above their local rivals.

Ball didn't see the season out, of course, as he followed Paul Bracewell to Fulham.

But following his move to Burnley last week he's back up north and last night re-acquainted himself with Newcastle on a Clarets debut that was marked by a first-half cloud burst to match anything that threatened to flood the Tyne last 'summer.'

And for Ball, who famously hit his own cross bar from fully 35 yards out in the dying moments of Gullit's last game in charge, the memories flowed back.

"I was getting a little bit of stick off the fans and I was desperate to go and turn round and sort of gesticulate 2-1.

"But I thought better of it. They were giving me enough flak as it was and I didn't want to incite them any more," laughed the former Sunderland captain, who's treatment at the hands of the near 2,000 United fans in a gate of 11,441 matched that dished out to former Blackburn Rovers forward Kevin Gallacher by those of a claret and blue persuasion. Ball won't be wearing the captain's arm band this season with Steve Davis set to lead Burnley out, but don't expect to find the midfield dictator far from the action.

A couple of forceful challenges and sweeping passes out wide last night sowed the seeds for fans' favourite status, although Mitchell Thomas could take some dislodging as one of the Clarets to enjoy such a position.

In an encouraging performance from Burnley, Thomas was outstanding against a Newcastle side missing Alan Shearer and Duncan Ferguson but blessed by £7 million man Carl Cort and lively Argentinian Daniel Cordone in attack.

Thomas's long legs stopped a number of first-half attacks in their tracks as he operated at right-back in a 4-5-1 formation which left Phil Gray too much to do up front and with Burnley slightly top heavy across the middle.

And when he switched to a central position in far more effective 3-4-1-2 second-half line-up he was equally imposing.

By then Burnley were trailing, however, as Cort found space on the other side of the penalty area to Thomas to head home Andrew Griffin's 26th-minute cross to claim his third goal in as many pre-season games following his big money move from Wimbledon.

A Cordone shot apart, which was well saved by Paul Crichton early on, the Clarets had been a match for their Premiership visitors until Cort struck.

Steve Davis had seen a header from Glen Little's corner cleared off the line by Griffin two minutes earlier but Burnley's tidy passing was then undermined by United who should have doubled their lead through Gallacher. His shot after Cort had robbed Davis lacked the power to trouble Crichton and when big defender Alain Goma found the necessary force, his direction was lacking with a header from Cordone's corner which went just over the top five minutes before half-time.

Boss Stan Ternent introduced Andy Cooke and John Mullin into his re-shaped line-up at half-time and the Clarets carried a much greater threat going forward thereafter.

No respecter of reputations, Cooke enjoyed his tussle with Goma and Nicolas Dabizas, although an excellent saving tackle from the latter denied Cooke a shooting chance from one of the Clarets' best moments.

Fellow substitutes Graham Branch and particularly Paul Weller also seized their chance with some incisive wing play.

Forcing a couple of corners late on, Burnley threatened Newcastle's lead when Cort headed just over his own bar and Davis also put an effort narrowly above the target.

Genuine sights of goal were few and far between for the Clarets, who were without the injured Andy Payton.

But equally Crichton had no shots to save after the break and with Newcastle likely to be a cut above most sides Burnley will face this season, Ternent's men can consider themselves well satisfied with their night's work which saw them pick up some reward in the shape of last season's promotion-winning medals.

A repeat in 12 months' time is asking a bit much. But after a hiccup or two in the Isle of Man Burnley look to be heading in the right direction.

And as Ball illustrated, a lot can happen in a year.

Goal: Cort 26 mins

Referee: Chris Foy (St Helens)

Attendance: 11,441

Burnley (4-5-1)

Crichton;

(from right) Thomas, Davis, Cox, Briscoe;

Little (Weller 70), Mellon (Mullin 46), Ball, Johnrose (Cooke 46), Cook;

Gray (Branch 70).

Subs not used: Jepson, Lee, West, Mawson (gk).

Newcastle: Given (Harper 46), Barton, Goma, Howey (Dabizas 46), Lee, Speed, Griffin (Galivan 65), Gallacher (Glass 65), Cort, Cordone (Green 81), Hughes.