The Lasses were behind after ten minutes when Lily Murphy slotted into the bottom corner from close range.
They responded emphatically when Oona Sevenius, who took the captain's armband after Jordan Nobbs departed in the second half, finished on the half-turn.
However, after a lot of effort and determined defending, Villa went ahead with two late goals from Lucia Kendall.
Tanya Oxtoby made nine changes from last weekend's 4-1 win against Sheffield United Women, with Gemma Evans, Hanna Németh and Kayla Rendell making their full debuts.
Then in the second half, there were professional bows for PGA (Professional Game Academy) graduates Casi Gregson and Abbie Richardson.
Despite coming up against WSL opposition, it was Oxtoby's side who opened the match as the stronger of the two teams, dominating possession and moving Villa around.
However, it was the home side who took the lead. Rachel Maltby got a stroke of luck when her attempted cross rebounded off Charlotte Wardlaw and afforded her a second chance to cross, which she did by picking out Murphy, who swept home from six yards out.
The WSL side proceeded to look dangerous and threatening when pressing United and getting forward, but they were also vulnerable to the Lasses' counter-attacking threat.
Sevenius broke down the right at pace, but her cross carried too much power, although Leanne Kiernan was able to recycle the ball and return it to United's Finnish international, who, on the turn, swivelled and fired into the bottom corner.
Newcastle began to grow in confidence after getting back level and almost stormed into the lead when Freya Gregory charged into the box unmarked, before picking out Nobbs - but at a difficult height, her volley fizzed over the bar.
There was a sense of urgency and high energy from Villa after the break, and that almost caught out Freya Gregory at left back when she was dispossessed by Mia McAuley, who looked to catch Rendell off her line but could only find the stand behind her goal.
Villa were presented with a golden opportunity before the game reached the hour mark, when Murphy was played through one-on-one with Rendell, but the on-loan shot-stopper stood tall on her debut and saved with an outstretched leg.
Rendell came to Newcastle's rescue once again ten minutes later, this time to deny Georgia Mullett from the edge of the area after she managed to create herself some space and force the England youth international into a smart save low down.
After a lot of Villa pressure and finding it difficult to get over the halfway line, United's resolve was finally broken in the 84th minute when Kendall pounced upon Lois Joel losing possession and left Rendell rooted to the spot as she struck home.
Kendall then doubled her tally for the evening in second-half added time when she reacted quickest to some pinball in the box, which saw the ball rebound off the post, and she had the simple task of finding the back of the empty net.
Newcastle United Women: Kayla Rendell, Charlotte Wardlaw (Lia Cataldo 64), Jordan Nobbs (c) (Demi Stokes 64), Mollie Lambert (Katie Bradley 64), Freya Gregory, Hanna Németh, Oona Sevenius, Lois Joel (Abbie Richardson 87), Gemma Evans, Jessie Gale (Casi Gregson 64), Leanne Kiernan
Subs not used: Anna Tamminen, Jemma Purfield, Hildur Antonsdóttir, Aoife Mannion
