8 mins: Mandroiu shot

Half time: Imps 1 Magpies 0

84 mins: Draper shot

Full time: Imps 2 Magpies 0

NUFC in the EFL Trophy - all time:

2017/18 Crewe Alexandra won 2-1
2017/18 Port Vale lost 0-1
2017/18 Oldham Athletic lost 1-4
2018/19 Doncaster Rovers won 3-1
2018/19 Notts County won 2-0
2018/19 Grimsby Town won 3-2
2018/19 Macclesfield Town drew 1-1 (won 5-3 pens)*
2018/19 mackems lost 0-4
2019/20 Macclesfield Town lost 1-2
2019/20 Shrewsbury Town lost 0-3
2019/20 Port Vale lost 1-2
2020/21 Shrewsbury Town lost 0-3
2020/21 Crewe Alexandra lost 0-1
2020/21 Bolton Wanderers lost 2-3
2021/22 Sheffield Wednesday lost 0-3
2021/22 Harrogate Town lost 0-2
2021/22 Mansfield Town lost 3-6
2022/23 Doncaster Rovers drew 0-0 (lost 2-4 pens)
2022/23 Barnsley lost 0-2
2022/23 Lincoln City lost 0-2

* At SJP, all others were away ties.

Tuesday evening saw Newcastle U21s conclude their EFL Trophy group stage participation for another season with defeat at Sincil Bank.

A goal in each half ensured that the League One Imps progressed to the knockout stages of the competition - something that was already beyond Elliott Dickman's Magpies after just one point from their first two games.

Lincoln took an eighth minute lead after United's Alex Murphy made an ill-advised run into his own box and lost possession, Danny Mandroiu lashing the ball home.

Joe White then saw his 23rd minute shot deflect off the City crossbar, the same player having earlier dispossessed home 'keeper Jordan Wright but going away from goal and unable to shoot.

Lincoln threatened further goals and had the ball in the Newcastle net before and after the break; a Ben House effort ruled out for offside on 31 minutes and the flag raised again five minutes after the break after Mandroiu had beaten Jude Smith.

United's Jay Turner-Cooke came close to catching Wright off his line with a shot from distance in the 65th minute, but it bounced wide.

Any hopes that United had of getting back into the tie were ended with a second home goal six minutes from the end of normal time - substitute Freddie Draper cutting in from the left and netting.

Niall MacKenzie