Heed win is Fylde under impressive
UNDER-18S FOOTBALL
GATESHEAD Under-18s ended their National League Under-19 Alliance season on a high by beating AFC Fylde 2-1 at Kellamergh Park.
It was the same side soundly beaten 7-0 by Fylde at the International Stadium at the end of 2016 an own goal and a second from newcomer Lewis McGeoch helping secure a victory and demonstrate just how far the side has come.
The hosts did grab a late consolation but Jon Shaw’s side held out to claim an encouraging victory going into next season.
The under-18s’ manager said: “It was our last league game of the season so to go out with a win is great.
“We can also tie in a few things about how the team not only performed brilliantly in the match but how they have improved over the course of the season.
“We played Fylde earlier in the season and they beat us 7-0 at home and that sort of kickstarted our mentality in regards to where we want to be and to set ourselves a goal for the end of the campaign.
“Now, with more or less the same team, we have managed to turn things around and show just how much we have come on by beating them.”
Shaw added: “It was a good game, we had the wind behind us and we dominated the first half and had a few good opportunities before we found the breakthrough.
“Liam Butler broke away down the left and put a good cross in which the Fylde defender headed into his own goal.
“We knew the second half would be tough with the wind against us but we defended well and made a tactical change.
“First years Liam Carrick and Lewis McGeoch came on and linked up instantly to put us 2-0 up.
“It was a great ball from Liam to set up Lewis and it was great to see him score.
“After that the Fylde lads started to push and to be fair to them they scored a brilliant goal from about 20 yards out.
“It flew straight into the top corner, no fault of Iain MacLeod in goal at all because it was a great finish.
“That set up a nervous end to the game for us but we saw it out like professionals - so overall it was a really good performance.”
Throughout the season Shaw was able to call upon players from Micky Cummins’ under-19 side to bolster their chances of victory.
However, this game was significant as it was Heed’s first win without an under-19 player in the side.
Shaw said: “The lads are pleased because it was their first win completely as an under-18 squad.”