Boro’s Under-21s went top of the Barclays Under-21 Premier League Second Division in dramatic fashion as two late goals helped them to a 2-1 win over Newcastle at Victoria Park.
Paul Jenkins’ side came into the Tees-Tyne clash looking to extend their seven-game unbeaten run, but a first half Adam Campbell goal looked set to condemn Boro to a first defeat since August.
But two late goals in as many minutes by James Husband and Callum Cooke handed the Teessiders the local bragging rights and helped them soar to the division’s summit.
Jenkins made six changes to the young side that beat Gateshead in the Final Third Development League Cup on Wednesday.
Goalkeeper Connor Ripley returned between the posts while Under-21 regulars Bryn Morris, Lewis Maloney and Jordan Jones were called into the midfield.
Meanwhile there were also starts for duo James Husband and Emmanuel Ledesma after finding themselves out of favour in Aitor Karanka’s first-team picture.
Their surprise inclusions was a timely boost for the Under-21s following Luke Williams and Andy Halliday’s respective loan moves away from the Riverside, as the Teessiders looked to get the better of a Newcastle side who came into the game sitting one place higher than them in the league table.
Boro started brightly and on two minutes Ledesma found space and stung the palms of keeper Jak Alnwick in the Newcastle goal.
But that was as promising as it got for Boro in a drab first-half in which both sides struggled to find their feet.
The visitors thought they should have been awarded a penalty on 10 minutes when the ball appeared to strike David Atkinson on the arm, but referee Neil Sharp waved away the protests.
Neither side managed to get the ball down in a frantic opening 15 minutes, and the Magpies’ management was left furious when Husband went to ground appealing for penalty under an innocuous challenge from Kevin Mbabu - but the referee was again unmoved.
But a half that had offered little attacking talent was lit up shortly after the half hour mark when Adam Campbell raced onto Haris Vuckic’s pass and calmly slid the ball past the onrushing Ripley to give Newcastle the lead.
Boro continued to struggle to impose themselves on the match and could have found themselves two goals down shortly after when Callum Roberts found space, but his shot was parried by Ripley.
Trailing at the break, Boro upped their intensity after the break - but found themselves on the wrong side of the referee as Bradley Halliday was shown a yellow card for another crushing tackle.
Moments later the Magpies’ danger man Campbell found himself free in the box, but his tame shot towards goal was hacked clear by Andre Bennett.
Smart link-up play between Morris and Fewster brought Boro’s best chance on 55 minutes but the England Under-19s striker shot narrowly over Alnwick’s bar.
But at the other end Roberts fizzed a teasing cross in and the Geordies were only denied a second when Ripley acrobatically tipped Mbabu’s fierce effort over the top.
Jenkins introduced Callum Cooke on 65 minutes as Boro tried to up the ante, but it was the visitors who came close again as left-back Liam Gibson’s drilled shot was pushed behind again by the impressive Ripley.
With top of the table up for grabs, Boro continued to attack with Ledesma growing into the game as the second half progressed, and Morris again found Fewster but was thwarted by a last-ditch sliding challenge by Gibson.
Morris saw his 30-yard drive sail harmlessly over the bar as the clock ran down and Newcastle’s defence looked set to repel Boro’s late assault.
There was still time for late drama as Husband rose highest to head Ledesma’s deep delivery into the net on 88 minutes.
And the Victoria Park faithful was left stunned as Cooke drilled home a late winner moments later to send Boro top of the league - leaving Peter Beardsley’s Geordie outfit totally despondent.
Boro: Ripley, B Halliday, Burn (c), Atkinson, Bennett, Jones (McCarthy 71), Morris, Maloney (Cooke 65), Husband, Ledesma, Fewster
Newcastle: Alnwick, Mbabu, Gibson, Bigirimana, Williams, Satka, Gilliead (Kemen 45), Barlaser, Campbell (Heardman 60), Vuckic (Olley 64), Roberts
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