5 mins Diallo shot. 1-0

24 mins Higgins shot. 1-1

30 mins Richards shot. 1-2

38 mins Higgins shot. 1-3

45+1 mins Vilca header. 2-3

Half time: Magpies 2 Baggies 3

49 mins Cleary shot. 2-4

90+4 mins Cleary shot. 2-5

Full time: Magpies 2 Baggies 5 

Newcastle's U21 side returned to action at a freezing Little Benton academy on Monday afternoon, looking for their first PL2 victory of 2023. 

Despite conceding the opening goal and missing a penalty however, it was the visitors who left with all three points to aid their hopes of securing automatic promotion to Division One.

United took the lead in the fifth minute when Michael Ndiweni raced into the area from the right and unselfishly squared it for Amadou Diallo to knock home.

It was almost 2-0 when a free kick into the box was headed down by Rodrigo Vilca and Remi Savage fired across the goal.

The visitors were awarded a spot-kick in the 14th minute after Matty Bondswell nudged Rico Richards. Jamie Andrews took the kick but Max Thompson dived to his right and tipped the shot on to the post and away.

But the young Baggies levelled in the 24th minute when Akeel Higgins was left unmarked on the edge of the box and fired home - Thompson getting a hand to it but unable to keep it out.

Albion went ahead on the half hour when Reyes Cleary was one on one with Thompson, who blocked the shot but couldn't prevent Rico Richards walking the ball in.

That lead was extended seven minutes before the break when Cleary powered down the left flank and centred for Higgins to race in and notch his second of the game, touching in at the back post.

United reduced the deficit in first half added time as Rodrigo Vilca was left unmarked to head in a Nathan Carlyon corner at the near post.

It took just four minutes of the second period for West Brom to restore their two-goal lead; Cleary rounding off a solo run by placing a shot between Thompson and his near post.

The black and whites pushed forward in an attempt to reduce the arrears, Ronnie Hollingshead tipping over a full-blooded effort from substitute Jamie Miley.

It was Albion who rounded off the scoring though, Cleary breaking from halfway in the fourth minute of added time and eluding the challenge of Ciaran Thompson before firing home.

That's now seven home games in all competitions without victory for United, while they have failed to win any of their last eight PL2 fixtures. With four games to play, they sit nine points and four places adrift of the final playoff spot, aka fifth place.

Biffa