Newcastle United went in search of their first win this season against West Ham United this afternoon.
It didn't happen for Alan Pardew's side, though, who played out a 0-0 draw with the Londoners.
You can find out how the match unfolded with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Afternoon all - as Gary Lineker tweeted earlier today: "There are days of the week, then there is Saturday." We are now into the second weekend of 2013-14 Premier League action and here we will be covering all the action at St James' Park between Newcastle United and West Ham United.
Before we get into the pre-match chat, which is bound to involve the words 'Pardew' and 'pressure', the team news from Tyneside is just starting to filter through. Let's start with the home side...
NEWCASTLE XI: Krul; Debuchy, Coloccini, Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon; Ben Arfa, Sissoko, Anita, Marveaux; Shola Ameobi, Cisse
Well, the likes of Fabricio Coloccini and Mathieu Debuchy can count themselves lucky to be included in that Newcastle side after the way that they defended on Monday against Man City. Having said that, Pardew doesn't exactly have many alternatives! Elsewhere, Yohan Cabaye remains absent amid interest from Arsenal, while Shola Ameobi will partner Papiss Cisse in attack.
Meanwhile, coming up is how the Hammers will start this contest...
WEST HAM XI: Jaaskelainen; Demel, O'Brien, Collins, Reid; Noble, Diame, Nolan, Downing, Jarvis; Maiga
The big news for the West Ham is that Stewart Downing will make his first start for the club following his recent arrival from Liverpool. He will play on one wing, while Matt Jarvis will operate on the other side of the pitch. Modibo Maiga will also continue as a lone centre-forward as a result of his impressive performance last time out against Cardiff.
Right then, we may only be one encounter into a new season, but this is a big fixture for Pardew. As mentioned in the introduction, he is currently the favourite to be the first Premier League manager to be sacked. Most are offering odds of just 2/1 and if Newcastle lose today, they are bound to shorten.
Recent history in this fixture doesn't bode well for Pardew either. In the last between the two clubs on Tyneside, Newcastle have won just twice. Most recently the Hammers returned to London with all three points thanks to a goal from former Magpie Kevin Nolan.
Staying with Pardew and Newcastle, here is what he had to say after the defeat to City: "Really and truly it is about the next 37 games - particularly the two at home. We need points on the board. It will be a better measure for us after West Ham and Fulham. Judge us on that. Going forward we would be better judged after the next two games."
And what about his opposite number, Sam Allardyce? Here were his thoughts in the days leading up to this clash: "You cannot ease off. Every time you do that in this league you get punished. We have to be 100% focused and we have to improve our away form from last season, starting with Saturday's game at Newcastle.
"Even though Newcastle had probably a poor performance, Alan would say in the end that was only brought about by circumstances and Manchester City being absolutely brilliant."
Allardyce is correct when he points to the fact that his side need to improve upon the results that they collected on the road last season. They picked up maximum points on just three occasions, scoring 11 goals in the process. If they are to improve on their 10th-place finish last term, that will need to at least double.
The West Ham gaffer is also bound to be delighted by the fact that Cabaye is once again not involved for Newcastle. We are lead to believe that the French international is keen on a move to either Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, therefore is head is not right to play. It certainly weakens Newcastle's midfield.
In fact, Cabaye is not even deemed in a state to sit among the substitutes. However, here is who has made both benches...
NEWCASTLE: Gouffran, Gosling, Bigirimana, Elliot, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic, Dummett
WEST HAM: Tomkins, Rat, Vaz Te, Adrian, Morrison, Diarra, Cole
Joe Cole is bound to be a little disappointed to find himself among the replacements for West Ham. He impressed against Cardiff and even found the net, but Allardyce has decided to go with the more natural width that Downing provides. The former England international is also not a bad substitute to be bringing on if required!
Meanwhile, Pardew has just been speaking to Sky Sports News about his hopes for this match: "We are going to try and be as positive as we can be. We've got two good strikers on the pitch. After Monday night it will be nice to see our own fans again and play some good football. There is no reason why we can't do that today.
He also described the decision to leave out Cabaye as "not difficult". It seems that the midfielder's days at Newcastle may very well be numbered.
Right, the players have completed their warm-ups and have returned to the dressing rooms for the final team talks. Not long now until they are back out on the pitch and the match is underway.
Here come both sets of players then. It's a decent atmosphere inside the ground at the moment, but if the result starts to go against them, we've seen before that Newcastle fans are not shy to voice their displeasure.
GAME ON! Here we go then. Newcastle, kicking from right to left, get this encounter started. A big 90 minutes ahead for both sides.
It's now Newcastle's turn to mount an attack thanks to Moussa Sissoko, who is brought down 30 yards from goal by West Ham defender James Collins. Hatem Ben Arfa steps up to take the resultant free kick, but he hits it high, wide and not very handsome.
Almost a shocking moment for Winston Reid as he attempts to play the ball back to his goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. However, his pass his overhit and skids beyond the West Ham stopper, only for the ball to edge just past the post.
CHANCE! A lovely move from West Ham, but it ends without a goal. Guy Demel does well down the right before sending over a cross for Maiga. His header is too weak, though, and the ball flies wide of the target.
Things have gone a little bit scrappy over the last few minutes, with both sides finding it hard to retain possession. You'd argue that West Ham look the better team, but they are not creating too much.
CHANCE! Having almost put through his own net earlier in the match, Reid should really have found the right one up the other end. Maiga does brilliantly to knock the ball down and Reid beats Tim Krul to the loose ball. His attempted lob is lacking in composure, though, and flies over the crossbar. The best opportunity of the match so far.
A little bit better from Newcastle, but once again Ben Arfa's shooting from distance is wayward. He collects the ball 25 yards out from Sylvain Marveaux and having weighed up his options, goes for goal. The ball is never troubling Jaaskelainen, who watches it wide.
CHANCE! West Ham defender Reid is looking like the most dangerous attacker on the pitch right now! Collins pumps a long free kick into the area and the New Zealand international finds himself all alone inside the area. All it requires is a touch, but he fails to connect and Krul is able to thwart the danger.
CHANCE! At last a real sight of goal for Newcastle and it comes from a Marveaux corner. Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa is the first to meet it, but he heads just over the target from close range. The defenders are having the better chances in this one right now!
CHANCE! Without Cabaye, Newcastle need some creativity in the centre of the pitch. Marveaux is doing his best and it is his pass that picks out Sissoko inside the area, but the French international's header goes wide of goal. It must be said that the finishing has been poor from both sides so far.
BOOKING! The first yellow card of the afternoon goes to West Ham's Joey O'Brien and he can't have too many complaints. Ben Arfa looked as though he had got away from the West Ham full-back, who ended up bringing him down.
We will have just the one minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half...
HALF-TIME: Newcastle 0-0 West Ham
Well, if truth be told, that was not the prettiest 45 minutes of Premier League football you will ever see. In fact, if it was being played in your back garden, you could be forgiven for drawing the curtains!
West Ham's Alladryce is likely to be the happier of the two managers, having seen his side carve out the better chances. Unfortunately for the East Londoners, they both fell to defender Reid, who is not exactly comfortable in front of goal - he hasn't found the net in 11 months.
If nothing else, that half highlighted just how much work Newcastle need to do in the transfer market. They need another striker, as well as someone to pull the strings in the same way that Cabaye can. To be fair to Marveaux, he's done okay so far, but whether is the answer remains to be seen.
Something else that should be of concern to Pardew is the performance of his right-back Debuchy. He looked like one of the best full-backs at Euro 2012 with France, but against Man City on Monday and today, he has been nothing short of awful. Jarvis has sensed that he is weak link and is looking to take him on at every opportunity.
BACK UNDERWAY! Here we go then, the second half is off and running. Let's hope we get a few more chances...
There is much more intensity about Newcastle's play already in this second half. They are knocking the ball around with much more pace and there seems to be more purpose. Perhaps they've had a rollocking from their manager.
A row has just erupted between West Ham defender Collins and his goalkeeper Jaaskelainen. The latter came for the ball, which prompted Collins to get out of the way. It failed to carry into the area, though, which almost presents Cisse with the chance to nip in, but the keeper just gets to the ball first. The two West Ham players then blame each other!
Even Debuchy has upped his game it seems. Jarvis has just tried to trick him by cutting inside before switching onto his left foot, but the Newcastle defender is alert and blocks the danger. Much better all round from the Magpies.
CHANCE! That is the sort of opportunity that Nolan would usually convert in his sleep. It's a typical run from the West Ham skipper to the near post, but he mistimes his header from Downing's cross and the ball loops over the bar. From a Newcastle point of view, the marking was appalling.
SUBSTITUTION: A strange switch from West Ham manager Allardyce, who has opted to take off Downing. The winger has played well so far and sent over three or four dangerous crosses. Nevertheless, Cole comes on in his place.
Any thoughts that Downing was injured were ended by his reaction when his number came up on the board. He looked bemused and dropped his head as he came off the pitch. Still, if Cole scores the winner, Allardyce will be a hero.
SUBSTITUTION: Another odd switch, this time from Pardew. Marveaux is hooked and it is met by some jeers from the home fans. He has been Newcastle's most creative player! Anyway, it's an attacking move of sorts, with Sammy Ameobi coming on to join his brother Shola and Cisse up front.
SUBSTITUTIONS: That is the end of Cisse's afternoon - the Senegal international has not threatened at all today. On comes January signing Yoan Gouffran. Meanwhile, former Manchester United midfielder Ravel Morrison will make his Premier League debut for West Ham, replacing Diame.
Newcastle have stepped up the pace in the last five minutes or so, thanks largely to Gouffran. He tricks his way to the byline on the left wing, before standing up a cross. It looks as though Shola Ameobi is going to head the ball in, but O'Brien gets his body in the way and also wins a free kick.
It's now West Ham's turn to look the more likely to break the deadlock. They've just forced two corners, but on both occasions Newcastle are able to clear. Meanwhile, up the other end, Collins bravely blocks Gouffran's curling effort.
CHANCE! So, so close for West Ham and Cole. Jarvis flicks over a cross from the left, which Newcastle fail to clear. The ball drops to Cole on the edge of the area, who fires goalwards. He beats Krul, but also the post as the ball flies inches wide of the target.
Time is running out here and as it stands, West Ham look the more likely to find a winner. It wouldn't be a surprise if Jarvis was involved either.
DISALLOWED GOAL! West Ham thought they had won it, only for the linesman to raise his flag at the last second. It's a correct decision as well because when Maiga turned in Morrsion's scuffed effort, he was a good yard or two offside. A late let off for the Magpies.
There is going to be three minutes of stoppage time for one of these teams to find a winner.
CHANCE! What a shocking miss from Gouffran. Oh my word. Ameobi crosses from the left, which smacks against the post. The ball drops to Gouffran, who is a mere three yards from goal. He gets far too much lift on the ball though and it flies over the bar. That didn't look possible from where he was!
FULL TIME: Newcastle 0-0 West Ham
I'm still struggling to get my head around that Gouffran miss! Quite simply, Newcastle should have won this 1-0 with the last kick of the game. It would have been harsh on West Ham, though, who created the better chances.
And that is all we have time for from Newcastle. Thanks for joining us this evening and be sure to look out for our analysis of the match, which will be with you shortly.
