Birmingham City Under-21s 2 Newcastle United Under-21s 2 | OneFootball

After a goalless first half at the Knighthead Performance Centre, which saw Serbian defender Miodrag Pivaš make his United debut at under-21 level since joining from FK Jedinstvo Ub last summer, Charlie McArthur's header opened the scoring shortly after the restart, guiding the ball home from Alfie Harrison's corner.

The young Magpies, however, fell behind in the closing stages after Bria Bateman's strike and Aurèlien Guernier's penalty but Neave's late effort, his third goal in his opening four matches at under-21 level, salvaged a point for the visitors in the final stages.

With Adam Lawrence watching on the sidelines ahead of his appointment as the club's Under-21s Lead Coach on Monday 1st September, the Magpies survived an early scare in the opening minute as Frank Tattum latched onto Aurelien Guernier's dangerous pass inside the penalty area before his first-time strike was drilled into the side-netting.

In a first-half lacking a number of clear-cut goalscoring opportunities, Magpies goalkeeper Adam Harrison prevented Menzi Mazwi from opening the scoring after Guernier's initial effort was blocked by McArthur before the tame rebound was comfortably held by the Newcastle-born shot-stopper.

Newcastle were forced into an early change as Trevan Sanusi, who joined the Magpies from Birmingham in the summer of 2023, was withdrawn after suffering a leg issue before Dylan Charlton produced a vital goal-line clearance after Daniel Isichei's lofted cross was flicked towards goal but the alert teenager hooked the ball clear to safety.

United's second-string took the lead in the 49th minute through McArthur as the Scottish centre-back, a representative of his country at under-21 level, rose high from Harrison's in-swinging corner before guiding a powerful header into the net.

In the 58th minute, Newcastle's one-goal lead was distinguished as Bateman levelled for the Blues after the Magpies were unable to clear the ball to safety and, following a ricochet inside the box, the ball fell into Bateman's path who directed a fierce attempt into the right-hand corner.

Harrison, who was named in a senior matchday squad for the first time during Newcastle's UEFA Champions League visit of AC Milan in December 2023, produced a strong stop to prevent Isichei from firing Birmingham ahead as the winger's low goal bound effort was crucially pushed behind the post by the teenage 'keeper.

Cathal Heffernan, introduced from the bench in place of Pivaš, went close to firing United back in front as the Irish defender controlled the ball inside a crowded area before his lowly-driven effort was saved on the goal line by Blues goalkeeper William O'Sullivan.

Newcastle were dealt a difficult blow in the 78th minute as Birmingham took the lead courtesy of Guernier's spot-kick. After Guernier managed to win the ball on the byline despite Charlton's efforts to shield the ball out of play for a goal kick, the left-back brought down the Blues winger, who netted the resulting penalty despite Harrison getting a hand to the attempt.

With the full-time whistle nearing, Newcastle equalised in the first minute of stoppage-time courtesy of Neave as the Winlaton-born striker, who made his first-team debut for Eddie Howe's side in a pre-season friendly against Celtic FC, raced onto Joe Brayson's delightful pass and, after cooly rounding O'Sullivan, placed the ball into an empty net.

Neave looked to have sealed the young Magpies' first league win of the 2025/26 season in the final minutes after completing a neat attacking move, slotting home from Travis Hernes' low cross, but the effort was disallowed after the latter was adjusted to have strayed into an offside position during the build-up.

Newcastle United Under-21s: Adam Harrison, Ciaran Thompson (Logan Watts 75), Miodrag Pivaš (Cathal Heffernan 63), Charlie McArthur (c), Dylan Charlton, Scott Bailey, Travis Hernes, Alfie Harrison, Trevan Sanusi (Fraser Harper 24), Seung-soo Park (Joe Brayson 75), Sean Neave.

Subs not used: James Taylor.