8 mins Barnes shot 0-1

17 mins Alofabi shot 0-2

37 mins McQueen header 0-3

Half time: Saints 3 Magpies 0

70 mins Heardman header 1-3

82 mins Sterry shot 2-3

87 mins Sangare shot 2-4

90 mins Johnson shot 2-5

93 mins Ward-Prowse free kick 2-6

Full time: Saints 6 Magpies 2

The kits may have been the same, but the U23 meeting of Southampton and Newcastle at St. Mary's on Monday was a rather different affair to the first team contest there a day earlier. 

Peter Beardsley's out-of-form reserve side suffered their heaviest defeat since 2013, shipping three goals in each half to extend their winless run in all competitions to a depressing six games.

Only eight minutes had passed when Marcus Barnes side-footed the Saints ahead, after a corner kick led to a scramble in the Newcastle area. And that lead was then doubled in almost identical circumstances in the 17th minute, Jonathan Afolabi netting this time.

It became 3-0 to the home side eight minutes before the break, when a right wing centre from Yan Valery was headed in from six yards by Sam McQueen, despite Freddie Woodman getting a touch.

Following a triple substitution midway through the second half, United did manage to pull one back in the 70th minute when Tom Heardman, headed in fellow substitute Ben Kitchen's corner kick - their best moment before that Luke Charman's thunderbolt that struck the crossbar on the hour.

And hopes of a comeback were raised with eight minutes remaining when Jamie Sterry closed down the 'keeper and rolled the ball into the empty net for 2-3.

Back came the Saints however and McQueen got his second of the evening with three minutes remaining, shooting high into the net from a tight angle.

Worse followed; Tyreke Johnson beating two men and firing home before James Ward-Prowse curled a free-kick over the wall to make it 6-2 before the referee put United out of their misery.

Many thanks to the ubiquitous GW - surely the only person on the planet to witness Newcastle's three games in three days - at Boro (U18s)  and Southampton (first team & U23s).