Young stars fight to make season matter
UNITED MARCH INTO LAST 16 OF PREMIER LEAGUE CUP
NEWCASTLE United Under-23s made easy work of their final group game in the Premier League Cup to march into the last 16 of the competition.
The win for the young Magpies keeps alive their chances of silverware in three competitions with the Premier League International Cup and Northumberland Senior Cup also still up for grabs.
A crowd of just 109 witnessed their progress in the competition but this was a convincing United performance at a chilly Whitley Park.
After coming into this fixture on the back of a 5-1 hammering at home to Southampton last week, this win lifted spirits in the Toon camp at second string level with a good attacking performance, and even when there were a few gaps at the other end, teenage Finnish goalkeeper Otto Huuhtanen was on hand to keep the visitors at bay.
Newcastle took the lead with just seven minutes on the clock when Victor Fernandez picked out Mo Sangare before the midfielder found Luke Charman who slotted home with an angled finish.
It was pretty much game over three minutes later when Fernandez crossed from the right-hand side to find Charman in the box and he flicked home a header to grab his second.
There was a lengthy stoppage when Colchester’s De Carrey Sheriff collided with Curtis Good and was knocked out cold with the Australian also suffering a facial injury. Good managed to return to the action but Sheriff was carried off with the challenge ending his afternoon.
Diaz Wright squandered a chance to pull one back late in the half when he could only find the side netting but Newcastle were good value for their 2-0 interval lead. With 50 minutes gone Newcastle extended their lead after Charman laid the ball off for Sangare who powerfully held off two opponents and stroked home a third goal to keep up his positive start to the year.
Further injury concerns then saw Owen Bailey stretchered off with a shin injury following a 50-50 challenge but the youngster was on his feet again after the game following some treatment.
Late in the game Colchester threatened a consolation goal but Huuhtanen was in fine form to deny Paul Rooney, Tarryn Allaraghia and Tario Issa, William Wright and Elijah Phipps.
In the closing stages Dan Barlaser’s free-kick was tipped away from the top corner by Dominic Kurasik. Newcastle now await the last 16 draw with Derby County, Blackburn Rovers, Southampton, Wolves, Aston Villa, Leicester City, Everton, Liverpool, Bristol City, Exeter City and Brighton all through.