Class effort as city boys reach Trophy decider
SCHOOLS FOOTBALL
NEWCASTLE School for Boys reached the final of the Under-15 ESFA Playstation Small Schools’ Trophy with a 5-3 victory over Oldham Hulme Grammar School.
In bright conditions at Druid’s Park in Woolsington, the Tynesiders took a first-half lead through Alex Nicholson.
He robbed Hulme’s centre-half and broke into the box.
The defender recovered well but in his haste to get goal-side caught Nicholson on the ankle.
While his team-mates were shouting for a penalty, Nicholson kept his balance and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to put Newcastle 1-0 up.
This was the start of a purple patch for the home team and when Nicholson beat two defenders to reach the by-line his cross was smashed home by Zac Munir to make it 2-0.
Five minutes later NSB were three up.
Munir was fouled out wide and from the free-kick Oliver Mullarkey drove the ball into the far top corner.
Shortly afterwards, a corner from Mullarkey found Oliver Fletcher and, just as it looked as though he was going to score, a defender headed his effort off the line.
It was all Newcastle now and their constant pressure paid off again when a Mullarkey corner found Will Varley totally free in the box.
His first effort was well saved by the goalkeeper - but Varley was the first to react and scrambled the rebound hom.e
Hulme pulled two goals back soon after the restart and became the game’s dominant force.
It was therefore no surprise when, with ten minutes to go, they notched again to make it 4-3.
Newcastle were now close to throwing it all away.
However, with five minutes to go James Harper latched on to a pass from Nicholson to drive home and restore the two-goal cushion.
Nicholson and Luca De Bolle then went close as NSB booked their place in the final against St Barnard’s Catholic Grammar School from Slough.