20 mins Osho own goal. 1-0

28 mins Barrett shot. 1-1

Half time: Newcastle 1 Royals 1

78 mins Charman header. 2-1

84 mins Roberts curler. 3-1

90+2 mins Charman shot. 4-1

Full time: Newcastle 4 Royals 1

Following a trio of away defeats, Newcastle's reserve side emphatically returned to winning ways at Whitley Park in a Premier League 2 fixture on Monday evening.

Their previous game here ended in a 2-1 victory over Sparta Prague in an International Cup tie, but tonight saw the Magpies post a first league win since August - earning three points at the eighth attempt and ending a seven game unbeaten run for the visitors in the process.

One has to go back to May to find the last time that United won a league game on home territory, but they were handed the perfect start by Reading - who registered an own goal in our favour after 20 minutes.

Winger Victor Fernandez beat his man down the left flank before sending over a low cross that visiting defender Gabriel Osho reached ahead of striker Tom Heardman - only to turn it past his own 'keeper.

There was a large slice of good fortune when the Royals levelled just eight minutes later; Freddie Woodman's clearance hitting a defender and falling for the totally unmarked Josh Barrett to walk the ball into the net.

Goalscorer Barrett then came close to a second in the 35th minute, his free-kick from 25 yards out taking a slight deflection and rebounding off the goal frame.

Four minutes before the break Massadio Haidara jinked into the box but instead of shooting, laid the ball to Heardman whose shot was deflected wide for a corner amid penalty claims by home players of a handball.

Dominating without creating clear-cut chances, the home side received another early yuletide gift after 50 minutes, the luckless Osho dragging back Heardman in the box and earning himself a straight red card. 

Heardman's poor penalty was reached by goalkeeper George Legg however and the forward wasted a couple of other half chances before being put out of his misery with a 72nd minute withdrawal.

That brought Luke Charman into the action and he stooped to head United back into the lead six minutes later from Jamie Sterry's fine right wing cross.

2-1 looked like being enough to see off the Royals, but the black and whites added to their tally, scoring four goals in a home league game for the first time in 2017.

With six minutes remaining the persistence of Saivet and Dan Barlaser in the centre of the pitch saw United gain possession, Callum Roberts cracking in a beauty from 25 yards for his second goal in as many games.

And two minutes into added time Charman forced the ball home following a scramble in the six yard box to register his fifth goal of the season and round off a positive display - aided by Reading's shortcomings.

Along with Jack Colback, both Saivet and Haidara completed the full 90 minutes - the latter making his first appearance after returning to fitness since a pre-season game at Hearts back in July.

Biffa