A remarkable reserve contest at Whitley Park on Monday evening saw Newcastle race into a three goal lead, only to then concede half a dozen goals to a razor-sharp Red Devils attack.

And that victory was enough to wrap up the Premier Reserve League North championship for the visitors, who will meet Aston Villa to decide the national title.

The Magpies grabbed a 16th minute lead when Phil Airey's low right wing centre found Brad Inman, who marked his return from injury to take advantage of some slack marking to ghost in and side-foot home.

Incredibly that lead was doubled ten minutes later when Airey broke into the box and his marker conceded a spot kick for a handball. The Magpies forward took the penalty himself and coolly sent Sam Johnstone the wrong way.

The sublime turned into the ridiculous in the 32nd minute when fellow striker Dan Taylor nodded home at the back post to get the Magpies' third - an astonishing score for a side without a win in their previous nine outings.

Midfielder Michael Richardson then had the chance to make it 4-0 but was unable to keep his shot down. Almost immediately Manchester United broke upfield and reduced the arrears through Will Keane, as our purple patch began to take on a different hue and the red mist descended...

Almost from the restart the England U21 forward charged back upfield and beat home 'keeper Jak Alnwick with a powerful rising shot to make it 3-2.

The goal frenzy was halted by the whistle for half-time, but it took just eight second half minutes for Keane to complete his hat-trick with a close range finish at the end of a counter attack, as our defence went totally AWOL.

The Manchester turnaround was complete after 63 minutes when Davide Petrucci fired home; substitute Alex Kitchen having made a fine saving tackle to deny Keane, only for Petrucci to steer the ball into the net to leave his side on the verge of securing the title.

Keane secured the points with his fourth in the 72nd minute after another Red Devils breakaway left the home defence trailing helplessly in his wake, rounding Alnwick outside of his box before firing into the unguarded goal.

The comeback then became a rout three minutes later, when Belgian defender Richie De Laet finished off another upfield break, as the visitors matched the half dozen they put past our lot at Altrincham earlier in the season.

A trio of noteworthy stops from Alnwick prevented the scoreline from getting even worse, while at the other end Johnstone was tested by scorers Inman and Airey.

Newcastle now end their league campaign with away fixtures against Liverpool and Blackburn - having been hit for six three times in ten matches and conceded a whopping 39 goals in total during that set of games.

PS: There was some pitchside speculation that Larnell Cole in the visitor's side was the offspring of former striker - he's not. Andy Cole's lad Devante is on the books of Manchester City.

Red Devils Reserves in Toon - Premier Years:

2011/12 lost 3-6 Inman, Airey, D.Taylor (597) (WP)
2010/11 lost 1-2 Richardson (BCD)(DP)
2008/09 drew 3-3 Xisco, Doninger, Guthrie (1,277)(SJP)
2007/08 drew 1-1 Emre (2,839)(SJP)
2006/07 won 2-0 Edgar, Carroll (749)(KP)
2005/06 won 2-0 Chopra 2 (1,235)(KP)
2004/05 lost 0-3 (1,544))(KP)
2003/04 lost 0-4 (3,102)(KP)
2002/03 lost 1-2 Ambrose (3,068)(SJP)
2001/02 won 5-2 L.LuaLua 2, Bernard, S.Caldwell, McMenamin (1,827)(KP)
2000/01 won 2-1 Bonvin, S.Caldwell (1,448)(KP)
1999/00 won 2-0 Robinson, Coppinger (2,610)(SJP)

Biffa

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