20 mins Obita shot 0-1

41 mins Obita shot 0-2

45 mins Tanner shot 0-3

Half time: United 0 Reading 3

Full time: United 0 Reading 3

Reading's reserves registered a comfortable victory over Newcastle's second string at a blustery Darsley Park on Wednesday in a rearranged, behind-closed-doors U21 League game.

Blue skies but gale force winds made meaningful football practically impossible and it was a raw introduction to life in a black and white shirt for new signing Massadio Haidara, who played for an hour in the left back role.

What proved to be a rare excusion into the visitor's box saw debutant teenager Tom Heardman head Adam Campbell's right wide centre narrowly wide after eight minutes, before Alex Kitchen's low effort was comfortably dealt with by goalkeeper Jonathon Henley soon after.

Reading's left winger Jordan Obita then found himself in space on the left side of the United area in the 10th minute, but saw his shot beaten down by Jak Alnwick.

The United custodian could do nothing however on 20 minutes when the same player got in the same position and this time fired beyond him and into the net.

Alnwick then blocked another similar effort from Obita just before the half hour mark, before the weather - and the game - took a decided turn for the worse.

The wind that was cutting sideways across the exposed pitch became more blustery and with a rain shower making conditions even more difficult, a forward ball by the visitors dropped towards the edge of the United box. 

Alnwick came off his line in an attempt to block, but a gust of wind took the ball back away from him and at the point that he tipped it away from an opponent, the Magpies 'keeper was outside his own penalty area. 

A straight red for him saw United reduced to ten men and when the game restarted with a free kick in a central position 18 yards out, sub 'keeper Jonathan Mitchell's first act was to pick the ball out his net after Obita's free-kick took a deflection en route to goal.

More defensive confusion on the stroke of half-time then  allowed Reading forward Craig Tanner to shoot into an empty net to make it 0-3 at the break.

The weather conditions then improved slightly and the second half was played in brighter conditions, but with neither side able to gain any advantage and neither 'keeper seeing much activity to keep them warm.

Newcastle were reduced to nine men for the final ten minutes, when midfielder Jamie Sterry was dismissed for a tackle on Tanner near the halfway line, barely 15 minutes after debuting at reserve level from the bench.

However, there was no further scoring, with only a hopeful penalty shout from Campbell late on worthy of note as Newcastle made it just one win from their last half dozen reserve home games this season.

From the squad that lost at Bedlington earlier this month, fringe players Abeid and Ranger were absent while there was also no place for Lubo Satka or Yven Moyo.

Unavailable to Willie Donachie were Conor Newton, Curtis Good and Brad Inman (on loan), while Alex Nicholson and Michael Richardson remain sidelined due to injury.

It's reported that a further quartet of reserve team players who didn't feature (JJ Hooper, Dennis Knight, Marcus Maddison and Michael Riley) have now been released, but that's not yet officially confirmed. 

As well as featuring for the U21s. Jonathan Mitchell remains on loan at Blue Square North side Workington, getting another 90 minutes under his belt the previous evening when his side lost 0-3 at home to Gainsborough Trinity.

NB: (The teamsheet gave Lee Desmond as 6 but Paul Dummett played and captained the side)

Biffa

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