Youth Cup Semi Final: NUFC v Liverpool

[Tom_NUFC]

Anyone going?

 

I thought I might if I'm up in time to get things done first.

 

Only £3 in - 1pm kick off

[Guest toonbaz]

i'll be goin, nowt better to do on a saturday afternoon with no first team action.

[Guest TheOrder]

I'll be there. My mate just happens to captain the academy nowadays, and he'll be a bit arsey if I don't go today like

[sempuki]

 

 

 

Newcastle Utd U18 2, Liverpool U18 4

 

Mar 11 2007

 

 

 

 

By The Sunday Sun

 

 

United's kids of 2007 need a near miracle to match the class of `85 after schoolboy errors cost them dear at St James's Park.

 

By having a hand in three of Liverpool's goals, Newcastle surrendered the initiative ahead of the semi-final second leg.

 

But Joe Joyce's largely rookie side showed great spirit in refusing to lay down arms completely.

 

And with Andy Carroll around, they may just yet emulate Gazza and Co by reaching the final.

 

United's lofty centre-forward dragged his side back into the game with a superb 63rd-minute header with Liverpool coasting at 3-0 up.

 

 

 

And the second-half examination he gave the Reds' rattled back four will at least keep them honest at Anfield a week tomorrow.

 

 

Unfortunately, Liverpool were 4-1 up by the time Carroll's 15-year-old strike partner Ryan Donaldson forced Jimmy Ryan to put through his own net.

 

 

But therein lies United's greatest hope of all: their age.

 

 

As well as Donaldson, the likes of Newcastle schemer Kazenga LuaLua and left-back Mark Bertram are just 16; winger Jonny Godsmark is 17.

 

 

Whatever befalls this side in the return leg, their long-term future looks bright.

 

 

LuaLua impressed only in flashes yesterday - starved of the ball for long periods as Liverpool bossed possession.

 

 

But he showed enough to justify the excitement surrounding him.

 

 

And after a first 40 minutes in which the visitors were decisively on top, United's midfield duo of Mark Doninger and skipper Rob Cavener impressed.

 

 

Shame that Liverpool had one foot in the final by then.

 

 

Newcastle goalkeeper Mark Cook is highly rated, so there's every chance he will learn - rather than suffer - for his troubles yesterday.

 

 

They began in the 24th minute, when his pass hurried Ross Cowan into a clearance which fell straight to Liverpool's Charlie Barnett.

 

 

The midfielder barely looked up before unleashing a shot from the best part of 35 yards.

 

 

And, despite getting a firm hand to the ball low to his right, Cook - who had already turned aside a similar strike from Ryan - saw it squirm over his line.

 

 

Those openings - and a free header sent flying over by Astril Ajdarevic - were testament to Liverpool's early superiority.

 

 

And when Craig Lindfield doubled their lead eight minutes before the break, a hiding seemingly beckoned for the hosts.

 

 

Ajdarevic provided the through ball, and Lindfield - benefitting from Cook's decision not to close him down - steered a neat finish into the bottom left-hand corner.

 

 

But where lesser young men would have gone under, United kicked against the red tide.

 

 

Having previously looked to find Carroll too often from deep, they finally strung enough passes together for Doninger and Cavener to gain a foothold in central midfield.

 

 

That in turn allowed the wandering LuaLua to get onto the ball.

 

 

And with the service to him improving, Carroll himself posed more of a threat.

 

 

No more so than when his shot on the turn was blocked by the legs of keeper Martin Hansen and rebounded into the path of Bertram, only for the full-back's shot to be cleared off the line.

 

 

Moments earlier, Bertram had seen his lofted ball into the box headed inches wide of his own goal by Stephen Darby.

 

 

Something for United to build on though - and they set straight back to work after the interval.

 

 

Only Donaldson will know how his follow-up shot missed an empty net after a LuaLua effort had been deflected his way by Hansen.

 

 

And Liverpool were forced to absorb prolonged pressure as the hour-mark approached.

 

 

But then more Magpie charity left the visitors seemingly home and dry.

 

 

Cook could only clear a cross as far as the edge of the box, where Barnett dispatched a shot which was well saved but put in on the rebound by Ryan Flynn.

 

 

Yet again though, Newcastle's spirit kept them afloat.

 

 

Three minutes later, Carroll finally received a cross worthy of him, and the result was formidable - Doninger's centre dispatched with a towering header into the bottom right-hand corner.

 

 

Game on. Or at least it was for the eight minutes until Alex Francis endured a moment which will hopefully also spur him on to better days.

 

 

Even if it was prompted by a call from Cook, the centre-half's back header fell way short of his keeper - as Flynn lurked in the gap.

 

 

What followed - the cutest of lobs over a stranded last line of defence - was reminiscent of a certain Micheal Owen.

 

 

Considering Carroll had grazed the bar from 20 yards in the run up to the moment which will haunt Francis, United now had overwhelming cause to give up the ghost.

 

 

But back they came - and quickly.

 

 

From another delivery into the box by Doninger - from the right side this time - Donaldson pressured Ryan into volleying into his own net.

 

 

For the final quarter-of-an-hour, it was pretty much all Newcastle. But Carroll fired across the face of goal, and Donaldson volleyed over.

 

 

So salvation proved beyond them. But United still have their pride - and a glimmer of hope.

 

 

Sights still set on final

 

 

Newcastle academy boss Joe Joyce insists his boys' sights are still set on reaching the FA Youth Cup final.

 

 

United face the formidable prospect of retrieving a two-goal deficit at Anfield in their semi-final second leg against holders Liverpool.

 

 

But Joyce maintained that his side are more than a match for the Reds - if they can cut out the mistakes which cost them yesterday.

 

 

"I'm disappointed to come away with a 4-2 defeat and with the way we played for the first 30 minutes," said Joyce.

 

 

"But from the moment we went 2-0 down, we forgot about the size of the occasion and our nerves and got back into the game.

 

 

"The lads didn't play to their potential in that first half-hour, and I can't put that down to anything but nerves.

 

 

"But I thought we played terrifically well in the second half and were unfortunate not to score more goals.

 

 

"Of course, we've also got to be better defensively, but we've seen in the second half today that there is a way you can get behind this Liverpool side and score goals.

 

 

"We have the ability - not least through Andy Carroll - to hurt them at Anfield, where they may be the ones who are nervous."

 

 

And apart from man-of-the-match Carroll, Joyce is expecting another player to rise to the challenge of causing an upset in the return leg.

 

 

"We've not seen the best of Kazenga LuaLua today," added the boss. "He's been carrying a bit of an injury but should be fully fit and raring to go for the second game.

 

 

"We've now got a week to reflect, do more work and get ourselves ready for what is a very big test. But this tie is not over by any means."

 

 

Meanwhile, Liverpool coach Steve Heighway admitted his side had been kept honest by Newcastle.

 

 

"Credit to them, they stepped it up in the second half and put us under pressure," said the Anfield legend.

 

 

"We had had a good look at Andy Carroll beforehand and told the lads not to give away too many free kicks, because he is so strong in the air. But they did!"

 

 

Fans' view: Which of these youngsters has a first-team future at Unied?

 

 

"Andy carroll - i see what the fuss has been about him now. He's awesome in the air and is decent with the ball at his feet.

 

 

"It's difficult to see too many of the others coming through, but LuaLua looks a handful when he's on the ball."

 

 

ALAN TEMPLE, Kenton.

 

 

"Lualua has a lot to learn but it's great to see a player running at defenders with pace like he does.

 

 

"Carroll was really impressive too once we got balls in to him from out wide.

 

 

"But in terms of composure, I liked the look of the skipper, Cavener."

 

 

SEAN THOMPSON, Chapel Park.

 

 

"Carroll's clearly got a future because he'll give anyone problems in the air. What a spring he's got on him!

 

 

"But I was impressed with the other lad up front, Donaldson. For a 15-year-old, he looks strong and knows where the goal is."

 

 

STEVE LAIDLAW, Wallsend.

 

 

 

[Guest tomi]

I read on the FA's site that the away goals don't count if the aggregate scores are level at the end of the second leg, so if the lads somehow manage to win by two goals then is goes to extra time. They still have a moutain to climb, but hope dies last.

[Guest smoggeordie]

Away goals counts AET iirc

[Guest tomi]

26/c.

If the aggregate score is level at the end of the second match, an extra 30 minutes shall be

played with 15 minutes in each half and If the score is still level at the end of extra time, the

winner shall be determined by the taking of kicks from the penalty mark in accordance with

the procedure adopted by the International Football Association Board.