The senior side may have ridden their luck at Bournemouth earlier in the day, but there was to be no lucky escape for the U21s as they exited the Northumberland Senior Cup at the first hurdle.

A two goal defeat was the least Peter Beardsley's side deserved as Spartans made a mockery of the United coach's pre-match prediction of a physical battle by playing slick passing football that left the young Magpies chasing shadows around the Croft Park pitch.

The sides traded early chances with Spartans FA Cup hero Robbie Dale stinging the palms of United keeper Paul Woolston with a twenty five yard free kick before Callum Roberts tested the hosts' German keeper Fabian Otte with a shot from the edge of the box.

The lead came from a familiar face for regular watchers of the United juniors side as former Academy product Michael Richardson capitalised on poor defensive play and stroking the ball calmly home.

There was a blow for United as midfielder Dan Ward was carried off midway through the first half, coming off second best in a strong challenge with Matthew Wade. Ward made way for defender Michael Newberry, forcing the visitors into a tactical change.

United did gradually find their feet, Ivan Toney firing a free kick over the bar and Sean Longstaff firing straight at Otte when he really should have done better. Striker Toney then had an effort correctly ruled out for offside five minutes before the interval.

There was a scare ten minutes into the second half as Spartans striker Dan Maguire was played in on goal - only to be brought down by Woolston. With defender Lubo Satka covering however, the England U18 goalkeeper escaped with only a yellow card.

Woolston brought down the frontman and was booked. The presence of Lubo Satka saving the England U18 keeper from a more severe punishment. Maguire then seemed set to double Blyth's lead twenty minutes into the second half but the alert defending of Newberry denied him. 

The hosts were stroking the ball around the pitch, much to the delight of the majority inside Croft Park and deservedly doubled their lead thirteen minutes from time. Richardson was again at the heart of things as he swung a sublime cross in from the right flank that was met by a fine diving header from Dale at the far post.

Dale could have made it three with five minutes left as he easily skipped past Newberry on the left side of the area but fired across goal and past the far post. United's dangerman Toney was reduced to petulant flicks at Spartans defenders, drawing a mixture of derision and mockery from the crowd with a blatant dive as he was challenged by Dillon Morse.