Coach Adam Sadler ended his first season in charge of our reserves by claiming a trophy, although it took extra time and penalties to see off the non-league side's challenge on Wednesday night.

Having returned to its rightful venue of SJP last season, we enjoyed home advantage in the final but failed to carry on the league form that had seen us unbeaten in four games here in 2008.

A certain ring-rustiness was evident in the opening stages in what was a first competitive game the reserves have played this month and it was Blyth who fashioned the first chance, striking the woodwork on 10 minutes.

Former Toon 'keeper Adam Bartlett was then called into action on 20 minutes, combining with a Blyth defender to block Wesley Ngo Baheng's far post header from Mark Doninger's corner.

There was little else to report in the opening half, save for some wastefulness from James Troisi, who carried the ball into the Blyth box but turned into trouble rather than pass the ball to his unmarked colleague Ryan Donaldson.

Ten minutes into the second period the game was stopped for an injury to Newcastle's Baheng who was stretchered off with his right leg strapped. However, he later appeared on crutches, relieving fears of serious damage. 

With neither side looked like breaking the deadlock gaps only starting to appear and chances were wasted in a frantic end to normal time and four minutes of added time.

This saw Doninger, Tozer, Godsmark and LuaLua all get within shooting range but fail to hit the target - Tozer popping up to head a corner wide from close range.   

A breakthrough finally came though five minutes into the first period of extra time, when Andrew Leeson got on the end of a flick-on to force the ball past Fraser Forster in the Gallowgate goal from close range.

However within seconds the tie was level again, as United swarmed upfield from the restart and Kazenga LuaLua fired home an unstoppable equaliser from 20 yards.

Chances to win it were in short supply thereafter, but Forster did react well to push one effort round the post and Tamas Kadar came close after a rare foray upfield.

While they had won their other two shootouts this season (away to Stalybridge in the Setanta Shield & Gainsborough in the FA Trophy) it was to be third time unlucky for Harry Dunn and assistant Graham Fenton, who now have a hat -trick of Senior Cup final defeats in as many years.

The penalty shootout was staged at the Leazes End - the first this competition has been settled by this method - and saw Newcastle squeeze through, Ben Tozer collected the cup for the young Magpies - 12 months after being on the end of a county cup reverse, when his Swindon Town side lost to Swindon Supermarine.

Baheng also made it up to collect his medal - having caused some interest by being named in the United side despite being sent off in our last reserve league game of the season. It was later confirmed that he had been cleared to play in this game.