Willie Donachie:

"It was a shame - I thought it was a really good performance considering we had Nile up front who couldn’t play the whole game, and Lubo (Satka) dropped out 15 minutes before the start.

"It was a big reshuffle with Yven (Moyo) going into midfield and Conor (Newton) playing at the back. Considering all that it was a really good performance. It was just frustrating to lose a goal so late.

"A win would have put us in with a great chance of going into the top three, which has always been our aim. I thought Curtis (Good) was outstanding, and Brad (Inman) did really well. They all did well and gave everything they had – that’s all we ask.

"They were motivated by the ground and the fans. I thought we played well. In the first half, we were the better team. Mehdi (Abeid) and Marcus (Maddison) had great chances, JJ (Hooper) as well. We had some great situations. It’s all ifs and buts, but it was still a good performance."

Eight months after he was last seen on a football pitch in public, Newcastle's forgotten forward Nile Ranger made a goalscoring comeback for the reserves on Monday night. And it took just eight minutes for him to extend a fine scoring run in this fixture, notching his fourth goal in as many reserve away games against the red and whites. 

The notable assist came from Brad Inman, who robbed David Vaughan inside the United half and set off towards goal, before laying off a precise pass to Ranger who strode away from two defenders before beating Jordan Pickford.

Inman then had the chance to double the lead when he was found unmarked in the mackem area, but could only hit the 'keeper with a first-time shot on 19 minutes. And United were immediately made to pay, when play moved to the other ends and Connor Wickham was on hand to tap home Roarie Deacon's low centre from the left.

But the Magpies restored their lead in the 36th minute when Mehdi Abeid's shot was blocked and the ball ended up at the feet of Inman who drove it low beyond the 'keeper and into the far corner of the net for his seventh reserve goal of the season. Only some last-ditch defending prevented Wickham from levelling once again just before the interval, but United were full value for their lead overall at that stage.

A quiet start to the second half saw little of note until after the hour mark, when full back Steven Logan gave away a penalty for a supposed push on Wickham as a cross came into the six yard box from the right wing. Adam Reed took the kick and sent Jak Alnwick the wrong way but the ball cannoned back off the post and harmlessly away at the North end of the ground.

With Ranger and Maddison withdrawn - the latter after putting a glorious opportunity to extend his side's lead well over the bar - United looked to consolidate their advantage and rely on the occasional breakaway.

Sadly that ploy didn't see them through to the end and what would have been a first victory in three outings, JJ Hooper seeing our best effort of the half blocked by Pickford with nine minutes remaining.

The mackems withdrew the profligate Wickham after he put another opportunity well wide of Alnwick's goal and in his place came French forward Mikael Mandron, fresh from his two goals against United U18s on Saturday.   

However the a not totally-unexpected equaliser came from Craig Lynch in the first minute of added time, as he intercepted a slack pass and shot past Alnwick to repeat the scoreline at St. James' Park earlier in the season.

mackems (a) - Premier Reserve League record:
(all games at stadium of plight unless stated)

2012/13 drew 2-2 Ranger, Inman
2011/12 lost 0-3
2010/11 won 3-1 Ranger, Lovenkrands, R.Taylor
2008/09 won 2-1 Ranger, Godsmark (Eppleton CW)
2007/08 drew 2-2 Godsmark, Doninger
2005/06 drew 1-1 Huntington (Durham City)
2004/05 lost 1-2 McClen (Durham City)
2003/04 won 3-1 Chopra, Dabizas, Orr (Durham City)
2002/03 lost 0-1
2001/02 won 2-0 McMenamin, Cort
2000/01 lost 1-3 Bonvin
1999/00 drew 1-1 Marcelino