A night of positives at Whitley Park on Monday saw Sven Botman return to action after nine months out, as United U21s made it three consecutive wins in PL2 for the first time in almost two years.

The Dutch defender successfully completed an hour following his recovery from an ACL injury incurred during the FA Cup Sixth Round loss at Manchester City in March.

Chelsea arrived in search of a fifth league victory, having scored six goals in each their last two away games and enjoyed a 7-1 success on Tyneside last season. 

The visitors fell behind after just seven minutes when Ben Parkinson seized on a loose ball in the six yard box following Jay Turner-Cooke's corner and found the net. 

That took the Magpie forward into double figures in all reserve competitions this season and he boosted his total to eleven on the quarter hour.

Bursting into the Chelsea box, Parkinson's initial shot was blocked by goalkeeper Max Merrick, but he was upended by Harrison Murray-Campbell at the cost of a penalty as he went for the rebound.

Successful from 12 yards, the 19 year-old came close to completing his hat-trick ten minutes before the break but glanced a header off the crossbar.

While Botman played on after the break - and enjoyed an incident-free return to action - Lewis Miley was withdrawn after 45 minutes, suggesting that he'll be in the squad for the Carabao Cup visit of Brentford on Wednesday, especially given Sean Longstaff's suspension for that tie.

A treble replacement by the visitors at half time meanwhile saw them come more into the game, but it was the black and whites who extended their lead further on 70 minutes.

Turner-Cooke sent over a free-kick from the left touch line and defender Charlie McArthur guided his header home to make it 3-0.

The visitors got one back in the 78th minute when a low centre from the right was swept past birthday boy Aidan Harris (18 today) by Ato Ampah.

Frantic Chelsea pressure then saw them add a second in the fourth minute of added time, Donnell McNeilly forcing the ball in after a massive scramble in the box.

The full time whistle thankfully sounded seconds later; the win taking United up once place into fifth with 19 points from 10 games at the halfway point of their season. That total matches their points tally from the whole of the 2023/24 campaign. 

Biffa