5 mins Crossley shot 1-0

38 mins Evans shot 1-1

45 mins Heffernan header 2-1

Half time: mackem U21s 1 Newcastle U21s 2

64 mins Crossley shot 3-1

90+5 mins Ryder shot 3-2

Full time: mackem U21s 2 Newcastle U21s 3

Newcastle gave PL2 debuts to a trio of 18 year-olds: defensive duo Rory Powell and twin Harry plus midfielder Darren Palmer and 16 year-old forward Joe Brayson. That quartet extended the total number of players to feature for the club in PL2 so far this season to 38. 

Fellow 18 year-old defender Cathal Heffernan scored his first PL2 goal for the Magpies. He's the 12th different player to net in this competition so far this season. 

Newcastle U21s ended their recent winless PL run with victory over their mackem counterparts at the academy of plight on Monday afternoon.

Clad in their green change kit, the Magpies went ahead after five minutes when Kyle Crossley took advantage of slack defending to fire powerfully into the home net. 

That lead lasted until the 38th minute when Corry Evans beat Will Brown from distance and Caden Kelly shot against the Newcastle crossbar two minutes later. 

United regained the lead against the run of play in the 45th minute however when Jamie Miley's left wing corner was met by a thumping header from defender Cathal Heffernan.

The Magpies opened up a two goal lead on 64 minutes when Alfie Harrison played in Amadou Diallo and his low centre was finished off by wearside-born Crossley.

Midway through ten minutes of added time, the red and whites reduced the arrears when substitute Joseph Ryder swept the ball home at the back post.

There was no further scoring though and Ben Dawson's side collected maximum points from their rivals for the first time in three attempts.

Victory lifted Newcastle off the bottom of the PL2 table and they now sit 24th of 26 sides, with games in hand on the nine sides immediately above them.

The amended format of PL2 means that this was the only meeting this season with our wearside foes.

PS: six current first team players were involved for the hosts in this game, apparently.... 

Thanks to the real Ashington express, GW