3mins Armstrong shot 1-0

Half time: Magpies 1 Toffees 0

50mins Hope contact 1-1

Full time: Magpies 1 Toffees 1

Coach Willie Donachie:

to follow.

It's now just one win in five reserve games for United this season, but how they contrived not to beat a youthful Everton side at St. James' Park on Monday night remains a mystery.

Despite enjoying almost total superiority in the first half, the black and whites were made to wait until seconds before the interval to go ahead, Adam Armstrong firing home for his fourth goal at this level in as many games.

By then though Peter Beardsley's side should have been out of sight, racking up a dozen efforts on or near goal but denied by a mixture of poor finishing and last-ditch blocks from 'keeper Mateusz Taudul and his defence.

With Toffees old boys Alan Stubbs and David Unsworth occupying the away dugout, Everton had the ball in the net in the fifth minute when Hallam Hope poked in from close range. However an earlier offside was penalised.

James Tavernier, Paul Dummett, Dan Gosling, Haris Vuckic, Gael Bigirimana and Adam Campbell all then mustered strikes in the next 20 minutes, as Everton continually surrendered possession in their own half.

The nearest United came to breaking the deadlock came on 27 minutes, when Campbell saw his goalbound effort cleared off the line by defender Jon Kenny.   

The goal did eventually arrive on the stroke of half-time though, with Bigirimana, Vuckic and Campbell involved before Armstrong slamming home a low shot into the corner of the goal from outside the Leazes End box.

Everton threatened briefly after the break when Hope curling his effort narrowly wide of Jak Alnwick's goal and fellow striker Christopher Long dragged his shot across the box.

Normal service was then restored at the other end though, with Bigirimana, Vuckic and Gosling trying and failing to grab a second goal for the Magpies. 

And after a further warning when Hope wellied over the crossbar when given half a sight of goal from distance, United were made to pay for their profligacy in the 70th minute - albeit in slightly fortunate circumstances.

Long was allowed to continue his run into the right hand side of the Newcastle area and pull the ball back across the six yard box for England youth international Hope to bundle home, the final touch coming off his back.

Sammy Ameobi then came close to restoring his side's lead when his attempted lob was deflected on to the post, but a home winner seldom looked likely as the ball boys in the Gallowgate End were kept busier than the Everton custodian.

Campbell managed to graze the crossbar from close range after a goalmouth scramble with seven minutes to play, before substitute Rolando Aarons nodded over with the final chance of the evening.

That made it 25-5 on goal attempts to the home side, but the final score remained ones apiece.

Biffa