4 mins Anderson penalty. 1-0

Half time: Forest 0 Magpies 1

51 mins Anderson shot. 2-0

71 mins Anderson shot. 3-0

84 mins Salmon shot. 3-1

Full time: Forest 1 Magpies 3

Elliot Anderson scored the first hat-trick by a Newcastle player in PL2 since Elias Sorensen's treble against Aston Villa at Walsall in October 2018.

Having featured last week against Huddersfield Town in the Premier League Cup, 17 year-old Harry Barclay made his PL2 debut. He's the 27th different player we've used during the 12 games played so far in that competition.
 

An Elliot Anderson hat-trick gave the U23s a first victory in six outings on Monday - and a maiden win for coach Elliott Dickman since joining United from the mackems.

Facing a Forest side on a similar barren run at the home of Derbyshire non-league side Alfreton Town, The Magpies got off to an excellent start. Just four minutes were on the clock when midfielder Joe White went down in the box under slight contact from a defender, leaving Anderson to confidently dispatch his fourth successful spot kick of the season.

The hosts should have equalised five minutes later, but Oliver Hammond headed over when well placed.

What proved to be the turning point of the game in the 12th minute, when Forest came close to scoring through Julian Larsson but the ball was cleared upfield and Lucas de Bolle found himself with a clear run on the home goal.

Forest goalkeeper Nicky Hogarth rushed off his line to avert the danger, but raised both hands to prevent the Newcastle man lobbing him - and crucially had taken half a step out of his own box when doing so.

With a trio of visiting players in close proximity appealing and the adjacent linesman waving his flag, referee Baines produced his red card and reduced Forest to ten men.

They sacrificed midfielder Alex Gibson-Hammond in order to and introduce substitute 'keeper Alex Akers and he was immediately tested by Jack Young, after White's free-kick for the initial offence had been charged down.

The visitors dominated possession for the rest of the half but created little in the final third while the occasional Forest foray periodically testing United 'keeper Dan Langley and a defence including PL2 debutant Harry Barclay.

Anderson got his and United's second six minutes after the break when a diagonal ball from White picked out Forest old boy Matty Bondswell on the left and he pulled the ball back for Anderson to rattle it home.

Elliot completed his hat-trick in the 71st minute after being gifted the ball by a wayward clearance from goalkeeper Akers, bearing down on goal and forcing it in to complete a first treble at this level.

The home side pulled a goal back in the 84th minute when a low corner passed through a crowd of players in the six yard box and skidded in off substitute Lewis Salmon.

On paper a convincing victory then, but had the two sides remained at full strength for 90 minutes, the outcome may well have been a different one. 

Biffa