Supporters will hope the famous 2-1 scoreline is a sign of things to come against the Magpies this season.

The second-string were well worth their victory, and at times looked as though they would sweep the Tynesiders away, such was their domination and goal threat.

There were senior figures in the side - Rade Prica, Graham Kavanagh and Nick Colgan - but this was a night for youth to shine, and Jack Colback - given the honour of skippering the side - led the way with a dynamic performance in midfield.

Sunderland took the lead in the 27th minute through excellent work from young midfielder Jordan Henderson.

He beat two United players on the right-hand side of the box before drilling a low shot towards goal, which Prica turned in amid a crowd of bodies from just a couple of yards out.

Sunderland were well on top even before the goal - Prica glancing a header narrowly wide from a fourth-minute corner; Anthony Stokes testing keeper Fraser Forster from a narrow angle in the eighth.

Newcastle's first chance did not arrive until the 18th minute, and even then, left-winger Frank Danquah's effort had the look of a rugby conversion.

Five minutes later, Sunderland went close when Kavanagh was brought down in the box and Colback seized on the loose ball, before having his shot blocked over the bar from the edge of the six-yard box.

Goalkeeper Forster pulled off a good save in the 26th minute from an inswinging Kavanagh corner which was dipping under his bar, but then Sunderland took the lead through Prica's goal.

The Black Cats should have buried United in the minutes that followed, with Prica and Stokes unable to make the best of good openings.

The visitors doubled their lead in the 42nd minute when Colback went on a weaving run and cracked in a rising shot which hit the post, came out, struck Frazer on the back, and bounced back into his net.

Technically it was an own-goal, but the stadium announcer credited it to Colback, and the youngster grinned afterwards: "I'm claiming it!"

That might have been game over, given the flow of play so far, but Newcastle pulled one back within a minute.

There was a suspicion of offside about the goal, but the flag stayed down and Ryan Donaldson teed up Jonathan Godsmark inside the Sunderland area to sidefoot home from 10 yards.

The second-half started the same way as the first, with Sunderland bossing the game, but a youthful United side were given hope by the fact they were only one goal behind.

In the 52nd minute, United midfielder Mark Doninger's touch took him past Michael Liddle, but his goalbound shot was blocked by Peter Hartley and Sunderland responded.

Ten minutes into the second-half Prica flashed a shot just over the bar, and the Swede then produced a backheel to set up Henderson, whose chipped shot found the gloves of Forster.

Both sides had their chances after the hour mark.

Colback was played through on a surging run in the 63rd minute and sprinted into the box, only to be denied by a blinding one-handed save from Forster.

Then it was Colgan's turn to produce a top-drawer save - palming over a long-range rocket from striker Nile Ranger.

Newcastle had appeals for a penalty turned down in the 66th minute and had to be content with a corner as Sunderland came under real pressure for the first time.

Stokes was unlucky with a low shot which Forster got down well to save.

Then Ranger headed narrowly wide at the other end from an acute angle.

But United's goal lived a charmed life midway through the second half, with Forster put under immense pressure and Kavanagh unlucky in a terrific goalmouth scramble.

The closest United came to an equaliser was late on, when Danquah smacked in a terrific shot from distance which cannoned off Colgan's cross-bar.

The home team threatened in the three minutes added on, when Darren Lough's piledriver struck Hartley.

But the game ended theatrically when 93rd-minute claims for handball in the Sunderland penalty area were waved away and incensed United players mobbed referee Andrew Halliday, surrounding him and continuing their complaints after the final whistle.

Besieged Halliday must have been tempted to remind the players of the Premier League's new 'Respect' initiative, but the scenes only added to the fun and the satisfaction of a small knot of Sunderland fans who made the journey to St James's Park.

Newcastle United: Forster, Marwood, Edgar, Tozer, Ferguson, Godsmark, Donaldson, Doninger, Danquah, Ranger (sub Morris 89), Zamblera (sub Lough 64). Subs not used: Soderberg, McLaughlin, Bath.
Sunderland: Colgan, Kay, McArdle, Hartley, Liddle, Henderson, Meyler (sub Cook 77), Kavanagh, Colback, Stokes, Prica. Subs not used: Dowson, Wilson, Chandler, Madden.

Ref: Andrew Halliday. Att 1,528.