MIDDLESBROUGH'S under-21 side secured a late win against North-East rivals Newcastle to go top of the table last night.

Boro started well and a 20-yard shot from Emmanuel Ledesma brought the first corner of the game when tipped round by Jak Alnwick in the first couple of minutes.

Jordan Jones was just off target from 25 yards few minutes later, by which time Boro had won a second corner in their attempt for an early breakthrough.

Newcastle may have been pushed back early, but they were not slow to break and Kevin Mbabu was an often used and potentially dangerous threat when moving from his home at right-back.

Haris Vuckic had a shot blocked on the edge of the penalty area when set up by Alex Gilliead, but that was the only effort that carried menace despite plenty possession.

A thundering, but fair, challenge from Boro skipper Jonathan Burn on Vuckic brought a temporary halt to proceedings as both players needed treatment. On resuming it was the Magpies who continued to look as though it were they who might make the breakthrough, though Ledesma wasted a chance to set up Jones when making the wrong choice of pass on the edge of the box.

The opening goal came on 34 minutes as Vuckic took off towards the edge of the Boro penalty area and set up Adam Campbell who ran in between Bradley Halliday and David Atkinson before slotting home low from 12 yards.

James Husband, playing wide left midfield, wasted a chance to square to Fewster when Boro pressed again. Boro won a corner, but Bryn Morris headed just wide from a left-wing Ledesma delivery.

It took another smart save from Ripley to turn away a fierce drive from left-back Liam Gibson just in from the right-hand edge of the penalty area.

It looked as though Newcastle had the win, but Boro pressured the Magpies and drew level on 88 minutes when Husband timed his run well to head past Alnwick from nine yards to register a deserved equaliser.

Entering injury-time Boro went one better as Alnwick, under pressure from Fewster, could only palm into the path of sub Callum Cooke who volleyed in his third goal in as many games to send Boro top of the table.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Ripley; B Halliday, Atkinson, Burn (Capt.), Bennett, Morris, Jones (McCarthy 71), Maloney (Cooke 65), Fewster, Ledesma, Husband. Subs: Coddington (gk); Fry, Griffiths.

NEWCASTLE: Alnwick; Mbabu, Gibson, Bigirimana, Williams, Satka, Gilliead (Kemen 46), Barlaser, Campbell (Heardman 60), Vuckic (Olley 64), Roberts. Subs: McKinnon, Robinson.