Ronny Vargas - 7

Scored a confident, albeit entirely deflected equaliser and was Newcastle's star attacking influence until his early substitution. The quick flick-ons and composed ball-movement were Vargas' game, and after his departure the Jets looked listless.

Roy O'Donovan - 5

Almost scored an absolute world-beater in the first 10 minutes, but was largely anonymous after that. He ran defenders down doggedly but offered little in possession.

SUBS

Joey Champness - 5

In fairness to the flashy winger, he tried a variety of different tacts to try to impose himself on a match that desperately required his dynamism, but to no avail.

Dropping deep to offer a defensive presence he was outclassed, and he couldn't press effectively either. 

Perhaps most disappointingly for Merrick, he was thrown into a match where Newcastle required extremely quick ball movement to transition forward and, to little fault of his own, never had a chance to bring himself up to speed.

Kaine Sheppard - N/A

It's not that he wasn't brought on soon enough, it's just that he couldn't get on the ball. 

His physicality could have been a game-changer, at least if it wasn't for Kashima's enduring dominance, had Merrick taken the plunge a little earlier.