Full time: Blackburn 2 Newcastle 1 

Lee Clark commented:

"I've told the lads that they got what they deserved from that game - and that was nothing.

"We didn't pass the ball well and gave it away cheaply too often.

"The result doesn't disappoint me, but the performance certainly did and we demand better than that."

"Ryan was only on for 25 minutes, but he is one of the only positives to come from the game. He's only 15 but has done very well for me this season and took his goal extremely well.

"It's unfortunate he was injured, but he's OK now.

"Fraser Forster has made some good saves and we were lucky it wasn't more than two."

Lee Clark's reserve side were in action on Monday night against their Blackburn counterparts at the home of Morecambe FC, 

And we got off to a flying start when young striker Ryan Donaldson scored after just four minutes.

The 15 year-old Tynesider (he's 16 in May) netted his first goal at this level, running on to Fraser Forster's long clearance to register with a well-struck effort from the edge of the area.

Donaldson becomes the youngest scorer at this level in recent years - by our reckoning even beating present Coach Lee Clark's debut effort for us in 1988 by a couple of weeks.

However Donaldson's joy was cut short when he proved unable to continue after tangling with Rovers 'keeper Fielding as he challenged for a left wing cross on 15 minutes.

Phil Cave replaced him and took up a left midfield spot, with Alan O'Brien moving into attack. 

Rovers then took the initiative, but we held out until the interval, thanks to a combination of some wayward finishing and good goalkeeping from Fraser Forster.

Forster was picking the ball out of his net just before the half hour, but lively Irish midfielder Keith Treacy ran offside and the goal was rightly ruled out.

United's best chance of a second goal on 32 minutes came when Bernard won a free kick down the left flank.

Pattison's dead ball strike dropped into the box and after a brief scramble, David Edgar saw his close-range snap shot rebound off Fielding.

Lining up for the home side was former mackem Michael Gray, who despite the mild weather on the Lancashire coast wore gloves.

Toon youngster Jonny Godsmark faced him down right wing and gave as good as he got,  despite taking a whack in the mouth that saw him forced to leave the field for treatment to stop the bleeding.

Unfortunately it was more of the same after the break and Paul Gallagher levelled for Rovers from close range after 53 minutes.

Godsmark was then replaced by fellow midfielder Mark Doninger, but the Blackburn bombardment continued and Gallagher struck the United crossbar on 56 minutes.

The Scottish striker made no mistake 14 minutes from time though, getting on the end of Olson's cross and picking his spot before driving the ball past Forster for his second of the night.

Back came the Magpies, substitute Doninger narrowly failing to connect with an attempted header from close range on 78 minutes after being set up by O'Brien and Gate.

United did their best to challenge for an equaliser but Rovers held on without further scares.

Christie Park had proved to be a happy hunting ground in previous seasons for us:

2001/02 won 1-0 LuaLua
2002/03 won 4-0 Cort, Orr, Elliott, Chopra
2003/04 won 6-3 Chopra 3, Ameobi, Viana, og
2004/05 drew 1-1 N'Zogbia
2005/06 won 1-0 Chopra

(Thanks to NUFC.com correspondent Andy G for report)

Reserves