Newcastle United's unbeaten Premier League 2 run came to an end against league leaders Leeds United. Max Dean's hat-trick after Kris Moore opened the scoring within a minute sealed a 4-2 victory over the young Magpies.
Elliott Dickman made just one enforced change from the side who were held to a draw by rival Sunderland in their last outing. Jay Turner-Cooke missed out following his sending off, with Nathan Carlyon coming into the starting eleven.
Moore headed the hosts in front after just 50 seconds, and a second-half hat-trick for Max Dean extended the Whites' winning run to eight matches. Harry Barclay and Josh Scott scored what proved to be consolation strikes for the visitors, and here are three things we learned from Newcastle U21s' defeat at Thorp Arch.
READ MORE: Leeds United U21s vs Newcastle United U21s highlights
Costly errors punished
It was always going to be a difficult afternoon for Newcastle. Michael Skubala may have named nine changes, but this was still a Leeds side who are unbeaten in the league this season. But it was a task made nigh-on impossible by defensive errors which were ruthlessly exploited.
Dickman's pre-match team talk went out of the window within a minute as Moore was able to open the scoring without challenge. Newcastle cleared the initial corner, but the centre-ball was unmarked for the second ball and his header did not give Jude Smith a chance.
The visitors quickly recovered and handled pressure well to go into the break level, but seemingly crumbled within minutes of the restart. Dean grabbed his first after pouncing on indecision from Barclay who had beaten him to the ball, but allowed the striker to nip in and poke the ball past Smith.
Minutes later, Dean was gifted a second from a poor free-kick from Alex Murphy. The striker was presented with an open goal, with Smith out of position as he offered himself for a pass.
Leeds did create other openings, and Smith was called into action on several occasions and produced fine stops. But it was the 18-minute hat-trick from Dean which took the game away from the visitors, with Magpies shooting themselves in the foot after the break.
Scott's run goes on
It was nightmare start for the young Magpies on the back of the heartbreak of conceding an injury-time equaliser against Sunderland. Faced with a clash against the league leaders, Dickman's side gave themselves no time to settle after conceding the early goal.
However, it took just six minutes for the visitors to regroup and claw themselves level. It was great play from Jamie Miley to cut inside and release Scott in acres of space on the right flank.
The former full-back had plenty of time to overthink, but he confidently dispatched the ball beyond Kristoff Klaesson at his near post. It means Scott has now netted in four of his last six PL2 fixtures, and is just one behind top scorer Dylan Stephenson.
The goalscorer also turned provider as Newcastle briefly found a lifeline in the second half, with Barclay sweeping home the cutback to halve the deficit. It was a disappointing afternoon for the team, but another encouraging display from the 20-year-old.
Unbeaten run ends
Newcastle do not return to Premier League 2 action until the new year, and it is a disappointing end to their recent unbeaten league run. Dickman's side has begun the season with three straight defeats, and exited the Papa John's Trophy without scoring a goal.
However, the young Magpies had quietly been building momentum in the league, and the late disappointment against Sunderland last time out still stretched this unbeaten run to six matches. Victory at Thorp Arch would have seen Newcastle leapfrog Norwich City into fourth spot.
It will be the manner of the defeat that will arguably sting the most, but the Magpies must now dust themselves down for the beginning of their Premier League Cup campaign. Dickman's side have been drawn in a group with Bristol City, Crystal Palace and Sheffield United, and begin with an away clash against the Robins on November 14.
