Newcastle's U23 side put six past Bradford City without reply at Rawdon Meadows in the Central League Cup in blazing sunshine Wednesday afternoon.

Goalkeeper Rob Elliot was included for a second start since recovering from injury but barely got his gloves dirty against a young Bantams side.

Tom Heardman opened the scoring for United after 16 minutes, finishing with a low effort after Dan Barlaser's defence-splitting pass found him in space.

Heardman was involved again in the second on 32 minutes, nodding the ball on for fellow striker Luke Charman to cut inside a defender and shoot home.

Magpies substitute Yasin Ben El-Mhanni then made it three within seconds of his arrival as his side prepared to take a corner kick on the hour.
 
The ball fell to him 12 yards out and after taking a touch and the Londoner blasted it into the roof of the net for his second reserve goal in our colours.

Top scorer Sean Longstaff then made his return from injury and although denied by 'keeper Joe Cracknell on 76 minutes, the rebound fell for Heardman to net.

Heardman registered a hat-trick in a friendly against Burnley a week earlier and repeated the feat with ten minutes remaining, Longstaff unselfishly centring the striker to supply a routine finish from close range.

El-Mhanni burst through to beat Cracknell with an angled drive on 83 minutes for his second and United's sixth before Heardman struck the goal frame from close in as a one-sided encounter wound down.

Despite the victory though, a 4-1 win for Sheffield United against Rotherham on Wednesday confirmed Newcastle as runners-up to the Blades in Group 1.

It's yet to be confirmed whether that will be enough to ensure our qualification for the Northern Semi-Finals, with the original qualification process complicated by Notts County's withdrawal from the competition. 

Biffa