U23 Report: Newcastle United 4-3 Leeds United | OneFootball

Magpies fightback to defeat Whites.

Premier League 2

Newcastle United 4 (Toure 33, Anderson pen 71, Kenneh O.G 73, Flaherty 90)

Leeds United 3 (McCarron 21, 27, Gelhardt pen 31)

Leeds: Caprile, Drameh, Cresswell, Kenneh, Huggins, Jenkins, McCarron (Summerville 59’), McKinstry, Kamwa (Greenwood 45’), Gelhardt, Dean.  Subs not used: Van Den Huevel, Moore, Gibbon.

Booked: Gelhardt, Greenwood, Dean.

Venue: Whitley Park

Mark Jackson’s side suffered defeat away at Newcastle United on Friday afternoon. The Whites will be disappointed to have lost the game having gone into half-time with the score at 3-1 in their favour, following two goals from Liam McCarron and a penalty from Joe Gelhardt.

A second half comeback saw the hosts take all three points in the Premier League 2 clash, with a stoppage time winner.

It had taken just two minutes to have the first significant effort on goal. Gelhardt went charging towards the Newcastle penalty area and was brought down, just outside the box. The forward stepped up to hit the resulting free-kick, which took a slight deflection off the wall before hitting the crossbar.

The hosts would then hit the woodwork themselves. Toure picked the ball up inside the box, showed neat footwork before hitting his effort off the post, low to Caprile’s left.

In what had been a relatively even opening 20 minutes or so, the game was about to change before half-time, in a blistering 10 minute spell for the Whites. Gelhardt linked up well with McCarron, before driving to the edge of the Newcastle penalty area. He pulled it back into the box where McCarron made no mistake with his finish, firing into the top corner.

Moments after, Leeds nearly went two ahead with Max Dean volleying narrowly over the bar from Niall Huggins’ pinpoint cross. However, it would only take another minute to double the lead. McCarron once again showed his finishing abilities, accurately placing home a header from Stuart McKinstry’s cross.

The Whites were now firmly in the ascendency. When Huggins burst into the area and was brought down, the referee had no hesitation pointing to the spot. Gelhardt stepped up and calmly slotted the penalty away to put his side three goals in front, with all of them coming in a 10 minute spell.

Newcastle refused to be deflated by this. Frustratingly for Mark Jackson, the lively Toure waltzed in unmarked from a corner and powered a header home, to reduce the deficit to 1-3. Bobby Kamwa was the next to find the back of the net, shortly before half time, but he was flagged offside.

Half time: Newcastle United 1-3 Leeds United

A change during the interval saw Sam Greenwood return from injury, as he came on to replace Bobby Kamwa. The forward line that Greenwood had come on to be part of came close to making it four, with Gelhardt and McCarron once again causing problems.

The next 20 minute spell or so following that early attack was a scrappy affair. Gelhardt and Dean picked up yellow cards, with many stoppages in play throughout meaning the game wasn’t as free-flowing as the first half.

In the 70th minute, the momentum changed. A long ball into the Leeds penalty area wasn’t dealt with and Elia Caprile brought down Cedwyn Scott, for a penalty. Elliot Anderson made no mistake and hit the back of the net, despite Caprile diving the right way.

The next attack following the penalty would see the hosts equalise. A quick paced attack down Leeds’ left-hand-side of defence allowed a dangerous ball to come across the middle of the goal. Nohan Kenneh was aware of the threat behind him and tried to block the cross, but in doing so he turned the ball into the back of the net, making the score three each.

With both teams now going for the winner, it became an open end-to-end match. Dean had two efforts on goal for Leeds, whereas Newcastle’s Anderson was their man threat. With four minutes of added time announced, the hosts then got their winner through Stan Flaherty, who calmly placed a low effort into the bottom corner of the goal.

The whistle went and called time on a match that had seen two very different 45 minutes. Leeds stay second in the table with others having games in hand around them, whilst Newcastle move up to sixth following today’s victory.

Full time: Newcastle United 4-3 Leeds United