Mace Goodridge was sent off just before the break for a mistimed tackle on Boro skipper James Cook.

Both players went in for a loose ball near the centre circle but Cook got there first and Goodridge was shown a straight red card.

That was the first major incident in a half which Newcastle had shaded, with Lewis McNall and Owen Gallacher both coming close to scoring.

Boro's Ben Liddle hit the woodwork from a free kick at the beginning of the second half but United defended well to restrict the visitors to just a few half-chances.

And the game really opened up in the final few minutes; Jay Wilson and Patrick Reading both came close for Boro before substitute Mackenzie Heaney expertly controlled Matthew Longstaff's pass and fired agonisingly wide.

Liddle saw another effort well dealt with by Nathan Harker, then at the other end Heaney slid the ball to Owen Bailey, who was denied by James Bradley.

The Boro keeper then kept out a Kelland Watts half-volley and and a Gallacher strike before, with the last kick of the game, Wilson fired wide for the visitors after a well-worked move.

Newcastle United Under-18s: Nathan Harker, Ben Kitchen, Gideon Adu-Peprah, Matthew Longstaff, Owen Bailey, Lewis Gibson, Adam Wilson (Kelland Watts 85), Mace Goodridge, Lewis McNall (Callum Smith 16), Thomas Allan (Mackenzie Heaney 72), Owen Gallacher

Subs not used: Ben Smith, Kieren Aplin