3 mins Obertan shot 1-0

25 mins Aarons shot 2-0

Half time: Magpies 2 Eagles 0

48 mins Obertan shot 3-0

76 mins Obertan shot 4-0

Full time: Magpies 4 Eagles 0

Reserve coach Willie Donachie:

"That's very good for the confidence - I've been kind of dropped from the first team and it's good to play with a young, enthusiastic team so I'm very pleased.

"I just enjoyed the game. Of course it's been a while since I played in any competition, so even if it's a Reserve game you still have to put your work into it.

"The coaches helped me a lot, Peter (Beardsley) and Willie (Donachie), so it's been a great time for the team. I'm trying to work hard for myself, to stay fit and be ready for whatever happens.

"And as I told you, it's great to see that the Reserves at Newcastle are doing great and getting results. If they keep working hard and play like they played today, with the same attitude, I think they've got good stuff coming for them."

Waffle

the GO team - Obertan's first

Newcastle reserves extended their unbeaten run to nine games after a resounding victory at St. James' Park on Friday night that featured a Gabriel Obertan hat trick. Do not adjust your set.

Absent from the senior side since late March, Obertan featured as an over-age player last week for the U21s and reprised his centre forward/captain role on Friday. 

And the number nine took just three minutes to open the scoring, racing away from his marker to reach a fine ball out of defence by Romain Amalfitano before firing a low shot into the Leazes End goal from 12 yards.

Having beaten league leaders Reading earlier in the week, the Eagles looked to bounce back and visiting defender Ryan Innis headed a 16th minute free kick narrowly over Jak Alnwick's crossbar.

United doubled their lead on 25 minutes after a sustained spell of pressure, Rolando Aarons curling home a superb effort from the right hand edge of the area for his second U21 goal - both of which have come against Palace. 

It was 3-0 after 48 minutes when Obertan netted his second goal of the evening with a similar effort to the first, 'keeper Dave Gregory getting a hand to his shot but failing to prevent it from hitting the back of the net.

No less than four Palace players then found their way into referee Martin Coy's notebook, while Kwesi Appiah wasted the chance to give his side a foothold in the game by blazing wide of the target after James Tavernier's rick. 

Obertan then became the fourth Magpie to register a reserve hat trick this season (after Adam Campbell, Brad Inman and Xisco) when he was put through the middle and left with just Gregory to beat on 76 minutes. 

Although the Frenchman's initial shot was blocked, the rebound fell into his path and he knocked it into the unguarded Gallowgate End goal.

Coming close to scoring a fourth, Obertan also capped a lively display by setting up Amalfitano to shoot wide. And the margin of victory could have been even greater, with substitute Jonathyn Quinn twice denied from close in. 

Palace threatened a consolation with two minutes left, as a substitute let fly from similar range to Aarons. However Alnwick clawed it round the post to preserve his clean sheet and boost what could be vital goal difference.   

The result maintained United's hopes of progressing to the national finals with two games to play. That would require them to top Group Two and then beat the Group One winner (either Everton or Aston Villa) in a one-off game. 

That would see the Magpies qualify for a place in the final stage alongside the top three Elite Group finishers, who look like being Manchester United, Liverpool and Spurs.

U21 Premier League Group Two: 

Remaining fixtures:

Mon 22.04.2013:
Reading U21 v Bolton U21 (1pm)
Stoke U21 v Man City U21 (7pm)

Fri 26.04.2013:
Man City U21 v Norwich U21 (1pm)

Mon 29.04.2013:
Norwich U21 v Newcastle U21 (1pm)
Crystal Palace U21 v Bolton U21 (7pm)

Fri 03.05.2013:
Norwich U21 v Crystal Palace U21 (2pm)
Newcastle U21 v Bolton U21 (7pm)

Date tbc
Stoke City v Crystal Palace (ko tbc)

Biffa

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