Half time: Newcastle 0 Potters 0

67 mins Greenidge shot. 0-1

90+3 mins Greenidge shot. 0-2

Full time: Newcastle 0 Potters 2

A second half brace from substitute Jordan Greenidge was enough to consign Newcastle to a fifth successive defeat in Premier League 2 on Wednesday evening.

The London-born teenager struck after 67 and 93 minutes at a damp, windy and almost deserted Whitley Park, but the visitors should have wrapped the points up earlier against a toothless and tepid home side.

What proved to be a rare effort on target by United saw winger Yasin Ben El-Mhanni evade two defenders and make it into the box in the tenth minute, only to then shoot straight at goalkeeper Daniel Gyollai.

Home custodian Nathan Harker tipped away Jacob Twyford's 26th minute shot, before Oliver Shenton bundled the ball home from City's next attack, only to be penalised for a debatable offside.

Both sides made changes shortly after the hour mark in an attempt to break the deadlock, but it was Stoke's that paid instant dividends. 

Harker saved with his feet to deny Krisztofer Szereto, but when the ball broke free in the box again, it was Greenidge who stabbed it home for the opener. 

Some belated pressure from the black and whites did at least result in a series of corners in the closing stages, but an equaliser never looked to be forthcoming.

Four minutes of added time saw Stoke attempting to keep possession but when the ball was played across Harker's six yard box, his miskick gave Greenidge the opportunity to force home his and City's second.  

This victory for the Potters leaves them tenth in the twelve team Second Division, six points ahead of Newcastle - although we have two games in hand. Only West Bromwich Albion lie beneath us, two wins from 18 games helping them stumble to 9 points.

Opening up the season with back to back wins including a 4-3 success against Stoke, United have won just two of their subsequent 15 league outings. 

With six left to play, our chief comfort is that there's no relegation.

Biffa