The Magpies came racing out of the traps at Craik Park, and quickly established a commanding lead thanks to goals from Callum Roberts and Tom Heardman. 

However, the Highwaymen’s Matthew Grieve reduced the arrears on the stroke of half-time, before Mark Davison restored parity with a thumping header.

Their tails up, Morpeth looked the brighter as the second-half progressed, only to be undone 15 minutes from time, as Dan Ward tucked the ball home after a driving run.

The home side came within a whisker of a leveller late on, but the Magpies managed to see out the remaining minutes to send the Northern League Division One outfit packing.

Setting the tone for what was to follow, the game began at a frantic pace. Ben Sayer lashed wide for Morpeth from the edge of the penalty area, before Ward fired off-target after checking inside.

Just before the quarter-of-an-hour mark, however, United drew first blood, as Roberts’ attempted cross from the left looped over the head of goalkeeper Karl Dryden and into the net.

And, with 20 minutes on the clock, Newcastle doubled their advantage, Heardman sliding in to convert Liam Gibson’s low cross from just a couple of yards out.

The remainder of the first-half was an end-to-end affair. Davison lifted the ball over the crossbar from a tight angle after gathering Michael Turner’s cross, before Dan Barlaser clipped the woodwork for United from 20 yards.

Just before the break, the Highwaymen halved the deficit. Newcastle failed to clear their lines following a corner from the left, and Davison’s cross was nodded home by Grieve six yards out.

It proved the perfect time to score for the FA Vase holders, who began the second period with a renewed sense of confidence.

And with 51 minutes on the clock, the scores were level once more. Liam Henderson swung the ball in from the right, and Davison’s downward header was too powerful for the Magpies’ Freddie Woodman.

Within the blink of an eye, Davison should have completed the turnaround. But, after holding his line, the frontman somehow skewed wide with just Woodman to beat.

Henderson then saw a rising attempt gathered by the visiting stopper, before United found their attacking mojo once more.

Roberts saw a stinging drive fly narrowly wide of the near post after cutting inside, before the Magpies got their noses in front with 15 minutes remaining.

Ward pounced on a loose ball midway inside the Morpeth half, and – after skipping past a challenge – the midfielder kept his composure to find the net from just inside the area.

This time, there was no way back for the home side, although Joseph Walton ought to have levelled once more, the forward heading wide from a central position after being afforded the time to meet Henderson’s cross.

Morpeth Town: Karl Dryden, Stephen Forster, Michael Turner, Matthew Grieve, Chris Reid, Ben Sayer (Mark Doninger 81), Keith Graydon, Sean Taylor, Joseph Walton (Paul Robinson 81), Liam Henderson, Mark Davison.

Newcastle United Under-23s: Freddie Woodman, Dan Barlaser, Callum Williams, Stuart Findlay, Liam Gibson, Jack Hunter, Dan Ward, Liam Smith (Luke Charman 70), Callum Roberts, Jamie Holmes (Yasin Ben El-Mhanni 77), Tom Heardman.

Referee: Paul Brown

Bookings: Morpeth Town – Joseph Walton (43), Stephen Forster (64); Newcastle United Under-23s – none.