Despite being without their two top scorers, United's U23 side climbed higher in the Premier League 2 table following victory at Whitley Park on Monday night.
 
With 12 goal Elias Sorensen on U21 duty with Denmark and Callum Roberts rewarded for his eight strikes with promotion to the senior squad, rookie Yannick Toure led the line in what was only his second league start at this level.

Making seven changes to the side eliminated from the Checkatrade Trophy by the mackems last week, Magpies coach Ben Dawson named U18 defensive duo Oisin McEntee and Ryan Barrett in his starting lineup against an equally youthful Albion lineup.

Ireland youth international centre half McEntee played for the U23s in pre-season and has been on the bench recently in addition to starting regularly for the U18 side, but tonight marked his competitive bow, just days after turning 18. 

17 year-old right back Barrett - a Welsh youth cap - was also involved against Barrow and Rangers in pre-season but has only just returned to U18 action after not being sighted since August.  

That much-changed line-up struggled to cope with a fleet-footed Albion side and visiting forward Morean Rogers twice let fly in the United box in the early stages of the game, only to see both of his shots rebound off the frame of the goal and be cleared.  

The opening goal inevitably went the way of Albion midway through the opening period, when Nick Clayton-Phillips had time to turn in the box before firing home from 12 yards. 

And had United custodian Otto Huuhtanen not been equal to Kevin Healy's 34th minute following a corner, then the Baggies could have had the points sewn up.

However the game then turned completely on its head as Newcastle scored twice in three minutes, having failed to threaten Alex Palmer's goal until that point. 

The first came in the 36th minute when Rosaire Longelo found Toure on the right of the area, the 18 year-old seemingly missing out on the chance to shoot but then deliberately firing the ball across the six yard box and in off defender George Harmon for an OG.

It was then 2-1 when a free-kick into the Albion box was hit into the roof of the net by McEntee following a scramble when his initial goalbound effort was blocked.

United started where they'd left off in the second period and Toure twice came close to netting - mistiming a header when unmarked and  bursting into the box but seeing his shot strike the 'keeper.

Little had been seen of forgotten man Achraf Lazaar until the 54th minute, but he sold the visiting right back a dummy before sending over a peach of a cross that Longelo headed in from close range for his second goal in as many Premier League 2 outings.

The two goal lead lasted for quarter of an hour, until Rayhaan Tulloch's rapid run took him into the home box and his pass was forced in by substitute Jamie Soule despite the presence of a defender.

Toure rounded things off nicely though on 77 minutes, bearing down on goal from the left before converting from a narrow angle with a powerful shot that beat the 'keeper and hit the far post before bouncing into the goal via the opposite upright.

Victory took Newcastle up one place to fourth, five points behind leaders Reading and with a two point cushion on teams outside the playoff places. 

With seven games remaining of a 22 game season, United have already bettered last year's haul of wins, goals and points as they seek to gain promotion to Division One at the fifth time of asking. 

Biffa