On a night when Florian Lejeune made his comeback, Newcastle reserves gave their Teesside rivals a two goal start but recovered to force a draw at Whitley Park.

United's French defender has been sidelined since last April with a serious knee injury, but looked comfortable on his return and completed 45 minutes without incident.

The visitors caused Neil Redfearn's side problems down each flank and Marc Bola's menace down the Boro left led to two goals in as many minutes for them.

First, the former Arsenal trainee sent over a first-time centre on 34 minutes to Stephen Walker, who had time to control, pivot and shoot home

And within a minute Bola and Walker had combined for Ben Liddle to slam a rising shot past goalkeeper Dan Langley and into the net, the Boro prospect's seventh goal in as many games.

Newcastle's best moment of the opening half came four minutes from the interval, when Mo Sangare played in Tom Allan, but he was unable to test Zachary Hemming in the Boro goal.

Into the second half and the hosts looked visibly fired up, Lejeune's replacement by Oisin McEntee seeing United switch to a defensive back three.

However they were quickly forced into another change when Jamie Sterry was unable to continue, making way for Kyle Scott - namesake Josh Scott then appearing in place of Victor Fernandez.

Despite looking much brighter and playing with far more urgency, it still looked like being a blank night for the black and whites, whose shooting remained wayward.

That all changed with 15 minutes of normal time to play when Jack Young scored a memorable first U23 goal, converting a fine curling effort from outside the box.

The comeback was complete in the third minute of added time when Young's free-kick from the left was dropped in the Boro box and the ball was eventually forced home from close range by substitute Oisin McEntee to gain his side a deserved point.

The Teessiders moved up into third, while Newcastle also advanced one place and now sit eighth in the 12 team division - seven points behind Boro.

Our difficulties on home soil remain however; this stalemate meaning that we've won just one of our five league games at St. James' Park and Whitley Park this season and two of our last nine. 


Biffa