17 mins Turner-Cooke shot. 1-0

30 mins Turner-Cooke shot. 2-0

Half time: Newcastle U21s 2 Blackburn Rovers U21s 0

Full time: Newcastle U21s 2 Blackburn Rovers U21s 0

A winning start to life as U21 coach for Diarmuid O'Carroll, leaving his post as St.Mirren assistant boss in order to become a permanent replacement for Ben Dawson.

Jay Turner-Cooke's brace secured a first home win of the season in PL2 for Newcastle U21s on Friday, giving Diarmuid O'Carroll a winning start as Magpies coach. 

United took to the field at Whitley Park with 17 year-old full back Leo Shahar captaining the side - one of eight players retained from last week's 0-1 loss to West Ham. 

Rovers arrived pointless after their opening four games and fell behind on 17 minutes; Alfie Harrison's right wing cross headed down by Ben Parkinson for Turner-Cooke to smash into the roof of the net from close range.

Thirteen minutes later Turner-Cooke got his second with a drive from the edge of the box that Jack Barrett couldn't keep out of the bottom corner of the goal.

Harrison was unable to keep his first-time shot down as United came close to a third shortly after the break, but failed to trouble Barrett for the rest of the evening. 

Blackburn proved to be similarly inaccurate, with a succession of balls played across the Magpies box going harmlessly out of play - home 'keeper Aidan Harris equal to one goalbound effort from Aodhan Doherty.   

Biffa