FOOTBALL SHORTS

THE latest of the Newcastle City Cup finals will be contested next week.

In the Under-13 Curry Cup, Benfield take on Gosforth Central at Gosforth Academy on Thursday (4.15).

Benfield manager Louis Lawson will select from: Adam Lackenby, Adrian Januz, Cameron Robson, Dave Binwana, Mufid Alabas, Thomas Armstrong, Lucas Lowery, Kevin Cina, Anthony Farrier, Dylan Currie, Lakin Bones, Hans Susakani, Chris Aykereo and Will Toward.

Gosforth Central coach David Slipper hopes his team can win the City Cup for a second consecutive season.

He selects from: Josh Farley, Joseph Hudspith, Oliver Finlay, Jamie Petch, Charlie Nagel, Leighton Bell, Harry Law, Daniel Dixon, Luke Kearns, Sam Yeeles, Elliot Crown, Leon O’Leary, Max Tait and Lochlan Gibbons.

■■THE last qualifying groups for the Newcastle Under-Nines competition will take place on Wednesday at Kenton School.

The action will start at 4.00 and three schools will qualify to take their place on Finals Night on Wednesday, April 24, at Walker Riverside Academy.

■■IN the semi-finals of the Under-11 Girls’ Becky’s MND City Cup, St Alban’s defeated Farne 2-0.

St Alban’s are in the County Cup final and Farne are county futsal champions so a close encounter was expected.

The first ten minutes were very tense with neither side able to break the other down.

The game changed when St Alban’s earned a penalty put away by Ruby Kirkbride.

The game was settled just before the end when Scarlet-Rae Belshaw’s corner found Kirkbride in space and she volleyed the ball home.

St Alban’s (pictured above) will now face Walkergate in the final on March 27 at the Newcastle United Academy. ■■MONDAY night will finally see the Newcastle Under-11 Girls West League reach its conclusion.

There have been three rounds of fixture postponements due to bad weather.

St Michael’s lead the way from Farne but Farne have games in hand.

The action kicks off at 4.00 at Walbottle Campus.