Alan Pardew was rewarded with a straightforward win at Gillingham after selecting as strong line-up against the League One side – and saw 18-year-old Rolando Aarons impress on his full debut. Without impressing, Newcastle were rarely troubled by Peter Taylor’s side and they at least registered their first goal of the season even if none of their own players scored it. They were the beneficiaries of an own goal courtesy of Gillingham defender John Egan, after Gabriel Obertan broke down the right and delivered a dangerously-placed cross which caused the Irishman to miscue and put through his own net on 25 minutes.
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John Egan's own goal after 25 minutes was the only goal of the game
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The Sunderland youth star turned Gabriel Obertan's cross into his own net
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The own goal was the first time Newcastle scored this season
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Alan Pardew put out a relatively strong line-up featuring seven players from the weekend's Premier League match against Aston Villa
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Rolando Aarons, 18, impressed on his full debut for Newcastle
But Gillingham seemed curiously uninspired, standing off @placeholder and allowing their Premier League colleagues all the time and space they required.