United's Reserve side ended their home league programme for the season on a winning note on Tuesday, although yet again the fixture was staged behind closed doors.

The Magpies made a bright start and Sammy Ameobi had a good chance to open the scoring within the first minute after Michael Richardson found space down the right and provided a low centre. However, the shot was hit into the ground and bounced up and over the crossbar.

However, the opening goal wasn't long in arriving, with just eight minutes played when Patrick McLaughlin crossed from the right, picking out the unmarked Ryan Donaldson beyond the far post. Playing his first game since returning from a loan spell at Hartlepool, Donaldson headed the ball back across 'keeper Connor Roberts and inside the post.

Peter Beardsley's side then doubled their lead just before the quarter hour mark through striker Phil Airey, who converted his third close range chance within seconds via the post, after his earlier attempts had been saved by Roberts and then blocked by a visiting player.

Further chances saw Donaldson and Richardson try their luck from distance, but Everton reduced the arrears on 27 minutes, after a defensive slip-up from James Tavernier gifted possession to Conor McAleny, the young striker advancing before beating Tim Krul with a crisp shot.

The second half again saw United begin strongly and Phil Airey converted a centre from Alex Nicholson just three minutes after the restart, but had strayed offside. 

Playing down the right, Michael Richardson then twice found space on the edge of the box to shoot, seeing one effort blocked and Roberts smother the other.

With Krul enjoying a trouble-free afternoon and Everton's in-form striker Apostolos Vellios getting little change out of a new centre half pairing of Tavernier and Patrick Nzuzi, United held on with some ease to claim the victory.

Biffa

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