United's second string enjoyed a rather happier 90 minutes in M11 than the senior side did over the weekend, claiming one point that could well have been three.

We fielded a stronger team than of late at this level, with Emre, Enrique and Abdoulaye Faye all having featured from the bench next door on Saturday.

That trio all completed 90 minutes, while Joey Barton played his first football for the club since limping from the action in pre-season at Carlisle last July.

The midfielder played for 45 minutes against his old club without any obvious problems and didn't come up against Ousmane Dabo - the player Barton will answer to charges of assaulting in court on Thursday.

After chances at both ends kept Fraser Forster in the United goal and his City counterpart   Andreas Isaksson busy, the home side took the lead on the half hour through perennial thorn in our side, Ched Evans.

The Welsh U21 player netted three times in two reserve games against us last season and did it again with a low shot from 16 yards.

However that lead lasted less than four minutes before Emre's free kick via the crossbar got us back on level terms. 

Into the second period and City regained the advantage on 57 minutes, when Ashley Grimes forced the ball home after a corner wasn't cleared.

With 25 minutes remaining though, substitute Mark Doninger netted for his second goal of the season at this level after good work from Enrique down the left -a rerun of the goal he scored in a 2-2 draw here last February.

Late scares in either penalty area failed to bring about a winner, Callum Morris coming close for Newcastle but City managing to retain their unbeaten start to the season.

Biffa

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