Heading into the closing stages of this game a goal up, Peter Beardsley's side seemed poised for a return to the top of the table as a consequence of extending an unbeaten start to the season to six games.

By full time though, United had tossed away that run and it was Boro occupying first place, after defensive lapses allowed the hosts to level before netting the winner at Victoria Park in the very last second of normal time.

Ahead thanks to Adam Campbell's first half effort, the black and whites failed to build on that lead, idling aimlessly towards to the final whistle and giving the Teesiders every encouragement to make a game of it.

Having won all three of their home league fixtures this season, Boro started brightly and Newcastle goalkeeper Jak Alnwick had to scramble across his goal to keep out a third minute effort from Emmanuel Ledesma.

Within seconds Jordan Jones shot just wide before his colleague Bradley Fewster burst into the box soon after, but couldn't muster any power on his goal attempt.

That early Boro promise soon faded though and with neither side threatening, it took 35 minutes for Adam Campbell to break the tedium, steering a low first time shot home from 18 yards to mark his return from injury.

Fellow Magpie Callum Roberts then saw his close range effort blocked by Connor Ripley on 41 minutes and the home custodian denied Kevin Mbabu and Liam Gibson during United's best period of the second half.

Despite the efforts of substitute Olivier Kemen, United surrendered the initiative in the final 20 minutes of play and only a series of offside decisions of variable quality kept Boro at arms' length.

The breakthrough eventually came after pressure in the United box in the 88th minute was only partly cleared, Ladesma looping over a deep cross from the right for James Husband to beat Alnwick and head home.

Alnwick then made a mess of clearing a high ball right on 90 minutes and was instantly punished, as Callum Cooke thrashed a 12 yard shot home past players on the line.