A missed penalty by striker Ryan Donaldson capped a disappointing night for United as a strong Middlesbrough side deservedly took all three points in the Tyne-Tees derby.

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The Newcastle and Bolton saga continued on Monday night, as St James’ Park finally welcomed back second string football when United played the White Men in the first home game of the new season.

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Three second half goals gave Lee Clark’s men victory over Bolton at St James’ Park as United’s reserves maintained their unbeaten start to the season.

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Newcastle midfielder Mark Doninger hit a terrific second half equaliser as Lee Clark’s reserve side began the new season with a draw at the Stadium of Light.

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A youthful United Reserve side kicked off their pre-season campaign with a 3-2 win at Sam Smith’s Park against a hard working and spirited Benfield. After an even half hour, Kazenga LuaLua drove forward down the left, cut inside and shot, with a deflection taking the ball past the Benfield keeper to give United the lead. Just two minutes later the advantage was doubled as James Marwood this time cut in from the right and struck the ball beyond Grainger.

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Andy Carroll’s goal 20 minutes from time helped United to add another game to their unbeaten home Reserve League run, which now stretches for 18 games, and leaves us 2nd in the table just a point behind leaders Manchester United, as Blackburn were seen off 1-0 at Kingston Park last night.

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The Reserves began their Northumberland Senior Cup defence on Monday with a comfortable 3-0 win over Northern Alliance side Walker Central at Kingston Park

Several chances had gone begging already when James Troisi’s cutback was turned home by Andy Carroll 7 minutes before the break. The impressive Dean Critchlow’s superb run and calm pass allowed Carl Finnigan to double the lead 2 minutes after the interval, and Troisi capped a superb individual performance with a fine drive from 20 yards in the closing moments.

Some games are so uneventful that even journalists can’t write enough rubbish to make a match report. Such a game was our goalless Reserve draw with Wigan at Kingston Park. It was a game of very few chances, with returnee Pav Srnicek making a couple of fine saves and preserving a clean sheet, while at the other end Mike Pollitt only really had one save to make, from Carl Finnigan.

NUFC: Srnicek, Bertram, Bernard, Doninger, (sub Cavener 64) Huntington, Atkin, Troisi, Pattison, Finnigan, Carroll, Cave. Subs (not used): LuaLua, Cook, Edgar, Godsmark

Referee: Andy Haines (mackemland)

Attendance: 639

Next up for the lads is a Northumberland Senior Cup fixture against Walker Central at Kingston Park next Monday night, 7.30pm.

A young United side was led to an emphatic victory over a more-experienced Liverpool outfit by an inspired Albert Luque at Wrexham tonight.

United had the Spaniard in the side together with Olivier Bernard and Matty Pattison, while Liverpool put out a strong-looking side including Jermaine Pennant, Robbie Fowler, Bolo Zenden and Jerzy Dudek.

Luque gave us the lead from 30 yards after 25 minutes, and James Troisi doubled that advantage 8 minutes later to put us 2 ahead into the break.

At the 3/4 point of the game, Luque struck from 35 yards this time to make it 3-0 and, although Robbie Fowler grabbed a consolation in the 89th minute, Carl Finnigan ensured a 3-goal victory in the 1st added minute.

NUFC - Cook, Bertram, Bernard, Doninger (sub Critchlow 57), Huntington, Atkin, Troisi, Pattison, Finnigan, Luque (sub Carroll 80), Cave. Subs (not used) - LuaLua, Morris, Francis

Liverpool - Dudek, Peltier (sub Smith 7), Warnock (sub Darby 35), Roque, Paletta, Guthrie, Pennant (sub Flynn 61), Zenden, Fowler, El Zhar, Threlfall. Subs (not used) - Hobbs, Roberts

With 7 minutes to go at Kingston Park last night, the report wrote itself. Some awfully sloppy goals conceded, a fightback which began well but never quite materialised as we were restricted to long range shots, and a lack of a decent final ball.

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The reserves triumphed by the odd goal in 7 at Sam Smith’s Park last night in a friendly against Newcastle Benfield Bay Plastics. Coach Tommy Craig was conspicuous by his absence from the game, with rumours flying regarding his future at the club. Terry McDermott and Lee Clark took the reins for the night, and may end up doing so for the foreseeable future, if Tommy and United do part ways.

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United went behind, then infront, but had to settle for a draw infront of 575 last night at Kingston Park. Everton put out a strong side, including David Weir, Tony Hibbert, James Vaughan and Victor Anichebe all having first team experience, with United again sticking to their policy of young players, with Matty Pattison the only player to have competitive first team experience.

James Vaughan gave Everton the lead after 20 minutes, but United full-back Chris Shanks levelled within a quarter of an hour. It looked like United had done enough to win the game, when Kris Gate put us ahead with 17 minutes to go, but 10 minutes later a penalty award allowed Mark Hughes to pull the visitors level, to repeat the 2-2 scoreline of last season’s corresponding fixture.

Next competitive action for the Reserves is against Wigan on 13th September, but Tommy Craig’s boys will play a friendly against Newcastle Benfield Bay Plastics on Monday night, the 4th.