Despite the absence of top scorer Sean Longstaff, Newcastle's second string produced their most impressive display of the season so far to steamroller Aston Villa at St. James' Park on Monday. 

And Peter Beardsley's side rounded off an encouraging weekend for the club by emulating the U18s and first team by in scoring four goals, avenging a 0-4 reverse earlier in the season at Villa Park in the process.

Unbeaten in their last three Premier League 2 outings and yet to lose on home soil this season, the Magpies included Rob Elliot for his first game in eight months after recovering from a cruciate injury. 

However the goalkeeper was picking the ball out of the net within a minute of the first whistle - Villa breaking from their own box through Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and Corey Blacett-Taylor for Andre Green to tap in.

United equalised on 12 minutes when a Callum Roberts free-kick into the box was glanced in by Curtis Good and his central defensive partner Stuart Findlay was next to net latching on a Roberts corner and heading powerfully home from close range on 42 minutes.

That lead came at the end of a prolonged period of home pressure, with the lively Yasin El-Mhanni twice testing 'keeper Viktor Johansson and various other opportunities made and missed.  

The home side's domination continued after the break, as a Roberts corner was headed in just after the hour by Tom Heardman - Callum's third dead ball assist.

Roberts then saw his 74th minute effort blocked, the rebound falling nicely for substitute Liam Smith to steer home a low shot to make it 4-1.

Villa ended the scoring in the third minute of added time when Elliot - who had just made a good stop to deny Jerrell Sellars - blocked an effort with his foot, only for it to rebound off Lubo Satka and into the net. 

That failed to overshadow a good night's work by United though, who could have won by a far greater margin and clearly benefited from playing at Gallowgate rather than the unloved Whitley Park.

Biffa