At the eleventh time of asking, Newcastle's reserve side collected maximum points in the league after a deserved victory at Liverpool's Kirkby Academy on Monday afternoon - our man in the bushes stating simply that the visitors wanted it more.

Having beaten the reds at senior and academy level in recent weeks, the black and whites welcomed back fit-again Conor Newton for the first time since pre-season, while fellow midfielder Mehdi Abeid was recalled to the side after sitting out five games - all of which were lost.

United took the lead after 22 minutes. when a Ryan Donaldson corner was only half-cleared to Yven Moyo and the Frenchman grabbed his second goal of the season, side-footing home from the edge of the box.

The lead was doubled just over ten minutes later when Donaldson was felled in the area by Conor Coady and Mehdi Abeid sent 'keeper Peter Gulacsi the wrong way from the spot.

Liverpool halved the deficit on 54 minutes when Raheem Sterling out-battled stand-in left back Moyo on the right of the area and crossed for substitute Michael Ngoo to side-foot past Jak Alnwick from close range - the Londoner netting his seventh goal in as many reserve games.

The Reds were reduced to ten men in the 86th minute when Spanish striker Suso went straight through the back of Donaldson and received a straight red from referee Steven Copeland.

United now close their league season with a rearranged trip to Blackburn Rovers at their Brockholes training ground on Thursday week. Before that though, the second string will face Team Northumbria in the Senior Cup Final at St.James' Park next Monday evening (7pm).

Biffa

Reports