17 mins Mason 0-1

24 mins Ceballos 0-2

Half time: Cockerels 2 Magpies 0

50 mins OG (Satka) 0-3

56 mins Pritchard 0-4

61 mins Obika 0-5

88 mins Obika 0-6

Full time: Cockerels 6 Magpies 0

A 6-4 home win over Spurs began our maiden season in this league in fine style back in August, but the Cockerels gained ample revenge in the return - and but for Newcastle 'keeper Jak Alnwick, could have amassed the sort of scoreline that used to get repeated in letters on the teleprinter.

With no overage players or any with first team experience, United also lacked the effervescent talent of Adam Campbell - who had struck a hat trick on Tyneside when the sides last clashed. Injury saw him miss out along with Conor Newton and Alex Nicholson, while defender Curtis Good was on international duty with Australia. Our bench consisted of players from the U18 game.

Despite not featuring in the first team 18 the following day at Anfield, there was no place for  Mehdi Abeid, James Tavernier, Sylvain Marveaux, Xisco or Romain Amalfitano - who had all featured in our last reserve game, an equally one-sided 3-0 beating of Stoke's bairns.

Almost inevitably Spurs were in the ascendancy from the start and Ryan Mason came close to putting his side ahead in the opening exchanges. The deadlock was then broken when Mason sent Alnwick the wrong way from the spot after Alex Kitchen had fouled Alex Pritchard.

Seven minutes later it was 0-2 after a long run by Andros Townsend saw him play in Cristian Ceballos, the young Spurs midfielder calmly slotted home from ten yards. 

Making it through to half time with only a two goal deficit was something of a minor miracle, but any daft thoughts of making a game of it evaporated five minutes into the second half when a Townsend corner was headed by Yven Moyo against Lubo Satka and into the net for an OG.

Pritchard curled a free-kick over the defensive wall to make it 4-0 in the 56th minute and just five minutes later, the same player crossed for Jonathan Obika to sweep the ball home from close range.Obika then completed the scoring two minutes from time latching onto a loose ball and calmly rounding Alnwick to slot home.

The scoreline may have been harsh on the United 'keeper, who made an array of routine and eye-catching stops throughout the game. However in other respects it was entirely predictable and in keeping with previous games when we've fielded a glorified junior side.

Given that our upcoming reserve trip to wearside comes just three days before another Europa League tie though, the worry is that a similarly deficient XI will be sent out for that game. If nothing else, Xisco has to play in that one to supply a goal threat, or failing that emulate his dismissal the last time he played there for kicking mackems.

PS: Alex Gilliead had a busy afternoon, with the absence of numerous players meaning that he began in the U18 starting line-up before being substituted - and dashing to a nearby pitch to play the last 20 minutes for the U21s!  

PPS: This was the fourth time in 2012 that the reserves have shipped half a dozen goals, after a 0-6 defeat away to Manchester United in January, a 3-6 home reverse to Everton a month later and then another 3-6 loss on Tyneside to the Red Devils in April. Before that, we'd not shipped six in a second string game since 1999. 

Biffa with thanks to GW, Steve and Iain for taxi duties and Jerome for the photo. 

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