They continue to trudge to the gates of the Cathedral on the Hill week in week out, year after year, simply because they hope that, at some stage, something like this may just happen again. And when it does, who on earth would want to miss it? OK, so this was only a victory against Norwich, the 15th best team in the Barclays Premier League. It pales rather when placed against some of the truly great afternoons.

The context of this victory, though, is what is important. It is so long since Newcastle have presented their supporters with something like this, a win like this and goals like this.

This was, as it happens, a performance riddled with frailty. As they led 3-2 in the first half, manager Steve McClaren actually looked quite worried and he had every right to be.

His team’s defending — particularly down their own left side — was terrifyingly bad. At that stage it still looked as though anything could happen and that much of it may not yet be good.

Ultimately, though, this was an afternoon on which Newcastle were not to be denied. They withstood early pressure in the second period to break and score two goals in two minutes that were hauled straight from black and white folklore.

Certainly the names are different these days. Wijnaldum and Mitrovic do not sound much like Shearer and Milburn. The goals, though, were thoroughly and thrillingly recognisable — a crashing volley and a towering header — the type of goals that bring people to their feet and make foundations shake as far away as Grainger Street.

And so to the beginning. Newcastle, remember, had shipped six goals themselves last time out at Manchester City and came in to this game without a league victory this season.

Against this background, some progressive football was called for and, rarely for them, McClaren’s team found it as Moussa Sissoko dummied to shoot twice on the edge of the penalty area before playing in Georginio Wijnaldum neatly for the first of his four goals.

It seems rather mean not to focus heavily on the Dutchman, given that no Newcastle player had scored four goals in a game since Alan Shearer in 1999. This, though, was about more than one player.

Still, early in the piece, Newcastle were far from their victory. Already they looked vulnerable and Norwich were making hay down the left where Sissoko could not match the majesty of his attacking efforts with the application necessary to help out his full back Daryl Janmaat.

Norwich left winger Robbie Brady struck a post from distance and then, in the 20th minute, played Martin Olsson down the left. When his crossed arrived between defenders, Dieumerci Mbokani volleyed past Rob Elliot from six yards.

A quick exchange of goals, it set the tone for the game.

Newcastle responded by scoring twice in seven minutes as Sissoko crossed cutely for Wijnaldum to head beneath John Ruddy and then drove the length of the field to feed Ayoze Perez, who scored with his right foot after his first shot had come back to him from a defender.

A two-goal lead was certainly handy for Newcastle but the last time they had one, against Chelsea here three weeks previous, they couldn’t hold it. So no wonder McClaren looked rather tense when Olsson ran into more space to cross deep for Nathan Redmond to volley powerfully in at the far post.

On the Norwich bench they seemed to sense possibilities and it was understandable. With only 35 minutes gone this game was anybody’s.

Indeed, had Norwich turned 15 minutes of second-half possession into a goal then the story could have been different.

As it was, a header from Sebastien Bassong that was cleared off the line by Wijnaldum was as close as Norwich came and Newcastle were subsequently able to break spectacularly and kill the game with two uplifting goals.

Inevitably, Sissoko was involved in one of them and that was perhaps the pick of the eight. Another counter attack saw the Frenchman lift a lovely ball in to the path of Aleksandar Mitrovic and the centre forward took one touch on his chest before smashing the ball high past Ruddy with a flash of his right foot. 

A captivating black and white smash and grab, the next goal wasn’t bad either as Janmaat dashed 50 yards to provide an overlap for another Newcastle raid and his neat cross was headed in from six yards by Wijnaldum for the 24-year-old’s hat-trick.

It was easy to feel a little sympathy for Norwich. They had played a huge part in this game. Newcastle, though, have waited an awfully long time for an afternoon to cherish and Wijnaldum was able to add further garnish with a 20-yard shot near the end that found the corner via a deflection off Steven Whittaker.

McClaren will hope this proves to be a foundation for something durable. It will need to be. On the Gallowgate, however, they perhaps didn’t care. This was perfect preparation for what awaits them on Sunday.

It’s Sunderland away at the weekend and their new manager Sam Allardyce will certainly have watched this with interest.

(dailymail.co.uk)