McNall opened the scoring from the penalty spot and Owen Bailey made it two soon after as Dave Watson's side raced into a two-goal half time lead.

But Joshua Maja pulled one back after the break and after Adam Wilson's drive made it 3-1 to United, their local rivals fought back as Maja - this time from the spot - and Elliot Embleton levelled the scores.

But McNall's second of night just three minutes from time won it for the visitors and settled what was a thrilling Tyne-Wear derby contest under the lights at the Eppleton Colliery Welfare ground.

Barely 20 seconds into the tie, the hosts squandered a glorious chance to seize the advantage when Maja burst into the box and fired just past Nathan Harker's upright.

After an early flurry of pressure from the Black Cats, Wilson had United's first attempt on goal with ten minutes on the clock. The teenager - who scored his first goal for Newcastle's under-23 side at Swansea last week - cut in from the left, and saw his low shot tipped wide by goalkeeper Woud.

And it was another superb run from Wilson that led to the opening goal. Sunderland full back Oscar Krusnell bundled him over in the area on the quarter-hour mark, and McNall stepped up to blast the resulting penalty past Woud.

And four minutes later, they made it two. Matty Longstaff, in a composed display in central midfield, curled a free kick into the box, and captain Bailey was first to meet it. The ball looped over Woud and into the net to give Watson's side an early two-goal lead.

Callum Smith then lashed over from a Ben Kitchen cross as the visitors looked to move further ahead, but Sunderland remained a threat, as evidenced by Christopher Allan's fierce strike from distance which flashed just past Harker's post. An error from Kelland Watts gave Embleton the chance to pull one back, but Harker was quick off his and able to block the shot just before the break.

The Magpies' stopper was called into action within a couple of minutes of the restart too as Joel Asoro raced onto a long ball, but Harker was again quick to come off his line and snuff out the danger.

But nine minutes into the second period, the hosts did pull one back. Maja's powerful drive from just inside the box found the target, and Sunderland were back in the contest.

Lee Connolly's curling effort which flew just wide came as another warning for United as Sunderland upped the ante.

But after that spell of pressure, Wilson restored Newcastle's two-goal cushion in fine style with just a quarter of the tie remaining. Cutting in from the left as his side poured forwards on the counter, the winger unleashed an unstoppable low drive from the edge of the box which found its way into the bottom right-hand corner past Woud's despairing dive.

Bailey brought down Maja in the area and the striker converted from the spot to get another one back for the Black Cats and then, with just over ten minutes left on the clock, Embleton's excellent low finish from 15 yards out left Harker with no chance, bringing his side level.

And after Asoro's header was tipped over by Harker, Newcastle had a chance to win it at the other end when Kieren Aplin's cross hit the bar and McNall nodded Wilson's cross wide of the post.

But the frontman made up for that miss late on, settling the tie and sending his side through to the last eight by turning his man and planting a shot low beyond Woud with just three minutes remaining.

Sunderland Under-18s: Michael Woud, Owen Gamble, Oscar Krusnell (Jack Diamond 71), Christopher Allan, Brandon Taylor, Alex Storey, Joel Asoro, Elliot Embleton, Lee Connolly, Joshua Maja, Jake Hackett.

Subs not used: Jacob Young, Anthony Patterson, Sonny Best, Fergus McAughtrie.

Newcastle United Under-18s: Nathan Harker; Ben Kitchen, Kieren Aplin, Matty Longstaff, Owen Bailey, Lewis Gibson, Adam Wilson, Kelland Watts (Mace Goodridge 67), Lewis McNall, Thomas Allan (Dan Lowther 57), Callum Smith.

Subs not used: Otto Huuhtanen, Gideon Adu-Peprah, Craig Spooner.