30 mins Porter first-time shot 0-1

44 mins Taylor first-time volley. 0-2

Half time: Potters 2 Magpies 0

69 mins Turner-Cooke penalty. 1-2

Full time: Potters 2 Magpies 1

Returning to the side was full back Matty Bondswell, who has been on loan at Shrewsbury Town but struggled to get any pitch time at the League One side.

Most recently with Leeds United, trialist midfielder Alfie Hughes was in Newcastle's starting line-up for a second successive game.
 

The U23s suffered a setback to their hopes of claiming a PL2 playoff place on Monday, beaten by promotion rivals Stoke at the Bet365 Stadium.

Seeking their fourth successive away win in the league, Elliott Dickman's side were instead two goals behind and a man short by the interval.

Adam Porter gave City the lead on the half hour, before Douglas Taylor doubled the lead with a confident finish after 44 minutes - Charlie Wiggett shown a straight red in between for fouling Taylor en route to goal.

And the Potters almost ended the game as a contest early in the second half, when Will Forester's header rebounded off Jake Turner's near post.

The Magpies did pull a goal back when Tommy Simkin impeded striker Isaac Westendorf in the box on 69 minutes. Home goalkeeper Simkin was shown a yellow card and Jay Turner-Cooke fired home the resultant penalty.

History then almost repeated itself in the second minute of added time, when Newcastle's Kyle Crossley broke into the box and came up against Simkin.

The pair had faced each other at U18 level on Friday night with Crossley netting a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw; sadly this time the City custodian blocked his shot and Dylan Stephenson fired the rebound over.

This defeat and results elsewhere saw United drop to seventh: just six points now separating eight teams in the hunt for one of the four playoff spots.