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Newcastle United	3 - 1	Middlesbrough
Half time:	2 - 1
Score Sheet:
Offiong (2) Moore (12) Offiong (90)		Garbutt (45)
	Teams
Adam Collin Lee Norton Andy Ferrell Damon Robson Peter Ramage Aaron Labonte Chris Moore Craig Robson Michael Chopra Richard Offiong Tommy English		Ross Turnbull Jonathan Agbatar David Murphy Andrew Kelly  Andrew Davies Alan Harrison Chris Emms Anthony Storey Jamie Cade Stewart Downing Chris Garbutt
Substitutes:
Chris Carr for Norton (58) Ross Gardner for C.Robson (83)		Jonathan Cooper for Harrison (46) Andrew Taylor for Emms (73)
Subs not used:
Carl Bell Neale McDermott Lewis Guy		James Winter Paul Harvey Anthony McMahon
Bookings:
n/a		n/a
Referee: G.Smith
Attendance: 2,669. Free admission with tickets available up to kickoff, after earlier conflicting announcements during the previous week about pre-collection of tickets. Rampant paranoia for once replaced by a modicum of common sense.  The toon fans who turned up on Cup final morning with many youngsters supported the lads well and seemed interested in the contest - a stark contrast to the mindless hordes of teenagers who turned up for the recent England youth game.....

2 mins Attacking the Leazes end, Newcastle powered forward from the kickoff and were ahead inside two minutes. Michael Chopra saw his shot rebound back off the post, but strike partner Richard Offiong was on hand to knock the ball into the roof of the net for his 28th league goal of the season 1-0

12 mins A deserved second goal came when Davies and Storey of Boro collided on the edge of the centre circle, freeing the ball for the alert Chopra to mount an attack. His well-weighted through ball to Offiong striding down the left resulted in a cross that was only half blocked by a defender, falling to Chris Moore on the right side of the area. He finished with a clever curling effort that sped across the turf and past the unsighted keeper into the bottom left hand corner of the net 2-0

45 mins Gradually however the smoggies worked their way back into the game and probably deserved their 45th minute goal, Garbutt nodding home at the far post from a Downing corner, despite the presence of Newcastle defenders on the goal line. Not the best time to concede a goal, and coach Alan Irvine had one or two harsh words for his defenders when they returned to the home dressing room moments later 2-1

Half time: Newcastle U17 2 Middlesbrough  U17 1

90 mins Finally United broke Boro's resistance again, with a tremendous chipped effort from Moore only just wide of the goal, and then a second goal for Offiong in the last seconds of normal time. English found space on the United right, and his cross dropped perfectly in the area for Offiong to confidently roll his shot into the corner of the goal, to the great delight of his colleagues 3-1

Full time: Newcastle U17 3 Middlesbrough  U17 1

Alan Irvine commented:

"It's a fantastic achievement and we're all delighted that we've got to the Final. Over the course of the season, given the progress they have made, they thoroughly deserve their success.

"Our forwards have often made the difference and although the supply to them was not as good as usual, we still scored three goals and had more up front than Middlesbrough. Our failing this season has been in defence where we have let in too many goals. In the two weeks leading up to the semi final we have done more intensive work on defending than in the rest of the season put together and today I thought our two centre backs were outstanding in an all round good defensive display."

     Celebrations after Offy made it 3-1

United's Under 17 lads overcame sweltering conditions and a highly-rated Boro side to clinch a playoff final place against Ipswich Town in front of 2,669 happy fans at St.James' Park on Saturday morning.

After going ahead within 90 seconds, United captain Peter Ramage then saw his goalbound header scrambled clear after 4 minutes, as United threatened to stun their visitors further. With Moore finding space down the United right, more goals threatened, and Chopra saw his close-range effort on 34 minutes chalked off by a linesman's flag - had he avoided Offiong's header, it may well have gone in and been a valid goal. However nerves were jangled by the Boro goal, coming right on hafl time after they had sneaked back into the contest.

After the break it was a similar story, with Boro pressing hard for the equaliser, and United grateful for some solid defending, especially from Chris Carr at right back. Coach Alan Irvine had withdrawn Andy Ferrell from left back and switched right back Lee Norton to the opposite flank, leaving Carr to track the dangerous runs of Downing.

United weathered the pressure, and almost caught the visiting defence out, with long clearances from defence by Peter Ramage giving Chops and Offy the chance to run at the Boro backline. One eye-catching piece of skill by Offy in the 76th minute took him away from two Boro players, and his speed then accounted for a third before he laid the ball towards the right side of the area to Chopra. The England youngster was forced slightly wide by his first touch, but rounded the keeper only to see his shot kicked off the goal line by a recovering defender.

With time running out, an injury and consequent break of play allowed what was almost a second drinks break of the afternoon, as both teams clustered round their respective dugouts and took on water. Had the Teessiders snatched an equalising goal, the 30 minutes of extra time would have been played by two very tired teams and the outcome could have hinged on an individual error. Happily it was Boro who ran out of steam, and United who remained firm to the last.

The prolific Richard Offiong finally settled the match with seconds left, and tree minutes of extra time produced no more goals, meaning it was a victorious Newcastle team who took the applause of an appreciative home crowd in the East Stand. Pity the first team couldn't serve up similar fayre....

Biffa 

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