Keith Bertschin's men enjoy second victory in five days.

Barclays Premier Reserve League

LATICS 2
Holt 45
Routledge 57
NEWCASTLE UNITED 1
Ranger 23

Latics came from behind to make it back-to-back victories for the first time since Keith Bertschin took over.

The win came courtesy of a wonder goal from young midfielder Jon Routledge, last year's Youth Team Player of The Year.

The former Liverpool trainee set off on a mazy run through the centre of the Newcastle defence just before the hour mark, before cutting back and looping the ball delightfully around veteran keeper Steve Harper from the edge of the box.

Just before the break, Latics had equalised with a great finish from Joe Holt, who latched onto a superb through ball from Tomasz Cywka, and applied a clinical finish into the bottom corner.


HOLT END, Joe Holt fires in the equaliser just before half-time

At the other end, goalkeeper Neil Postlethwaite was in inspired form, pulling off a string of superb saves, whilst captain Andrew Pearson, back after a cruciate knee ligament injury, was in commanding form.

Bertschin said he was delighted with the victory, his team's second in five days.

"The boys really hard for this and I thought as a team were superb once again. Newcastle were a strong team but we kept battling and our finishing on the night was the difference."

The visitors had opened the scoring through the powerful Nile Ranger, who swivelled brilliantly on the edge of the box and fired a drive past Neil Postlethwaite.

LATICS
Postlethwaite, Field, Pearson, Meace, Mustoe, Hampson (Breeze 78), Routledge, Holt, Kupisz, Cwyka, Mahon.
Subs: Gracey, Kirkbride, Prince

NEWCASTLE UNITED starting XI
Harper, Morris, Edgar, Tozer, Folan, Godsmark, Marwood, Doninger, Ameobi, Ranger, Donaldson
Subs: Taverner, Johnson, Newton, McCruden, McGlaughlin