Newcastle United Reserves	5-2	Manchester United Reserves
Half time:	3-2
Score Sheet:
LuaLua (22) LuaLua (36)  Bernard (43)  Caldwell (54)   McMenamin (75)		Webber (7)   Fortune (37)
	Teams
Adam Collin Andy Griffin Wayne Quinn Steve Caldwell Marcelino Mark Boyd Jamie McClen Brian Kerr Michael Chopra Lomana LuaLua Olivier Bernard		Rachubka Rankin Pugh O'Shea Tierney Fortune Davis Stewart Djordjic Yorke Webber
Substitutes:
Colin McMenamin for LuaLua (66) Bradley Orr for Boyd (74)		Muirhead for Fortune (46) M.Williams for Yorke (58) Fox for Davis (71)
Subs not used:
Stephen Brennan Ryan McGuffie Andy Ferrell		McDermott B.Williams
Bookings:
none		Tierney (59) Stewart (77)
Referee: tbc
Attendance:  1827 including Bobby Charlton - no sign of his brother though, funny that...Also in attendance were Clarence Acuna (with his specs on) and almost inevitably, former coach Mick Wadsworth.

7 mins Danny Webber fired the visitors in front after seven minutes when a quick counter attack from Michael Stewart caught us out; Webber's shot looking to go through Collins' hands en route to goal, at the Airport End 0-1

22 mins The equaliser came from Lomana LuaLua with a close range header, following a strong run down the right and cross to the near post from Brian Kerr. Their keeper also seemed to lose the ball on its way in 1-1

36 mins United's second also came from LuaLua with a great low shot from the right hand side of the area following a Michael Chopra pass 2-1

37 mins Seconds later Mark Boyd underhit a backpass a minute later, allowing Fortune to beat Collins from the edge of the box. It was cruel luck on "skip", who moments before had cleared a goalbound shot off his own line 2-2

43 mins The Magpies regained the lead when Olivier Bernard hit a low shot through a crowd of players after a left-wing cross from Wayne Quinn.

Half time: Newcastle Reserves 3 Man U 2 

54 mins Defender Steve Caldwell scored for the second year running against Man United with a thumping volley. A Boyd corner was knocked down by LuaLua for Caldwell to smack joyfully home 4-2

75 mins Substitute Colin McMenamin profite with Kerr once again proved to be the provider, driving through the middle leaving his fellow countryman to thread it past the keeper from the edge of the box 5-2 

Full time: Newcastle Reserves 5 Man U 2 

Tommy Craig commented:

"That was excellent. I was doubly pleased because we had to really compete to win the game.

"The first-half was a very good game with both teams competing in the middle of the park and both teams trying to get forward.

"There were big, big performances through the game from my lads.

"From the goalkeeper, to the lads at the back, through to the midfield and the front two. It would be wrong to single any one out.

"It was an excellent team performance against a side which is always difficult to play against.

"We stood up to be counted - it's always nice to win but even nicer when you have to dig deep to do it.

"It was probably our best performance of the season. We gifted them the second goal but dug ourselves in to win the game."

For anyone who shivered through the bore draw two weeks previously against Sheffield Wednesday and stayed away from this one, you missed out.

The contrast couldn't have been greater - both in terms of the entertainment value of the game as a whole and a simply inspired performance from Newcastle.

A succession of quality goals kept the crowd fixated, and with both sides intent on attacking the opening half was as good a football match as has ever been seen on Kingston Park.

If things slowed down every so slightly after the interval, then the second half was still streets ahead of the plain fare invariably served up on this ground. The occasional gust of wind and rain shower were symbolic rather being than being the habitual game-ruiner, and Newcastle scored two more well-constructed goals as the visitors gradually accepted their fate.

Good performances came from Kerr in central midfield (overshadowing McClen in both determination and passing ability) and Bernard in an advanced left sided role, while Michael Chopra enjoyed his most involved 90 minutes at this level and provided some astute balls to colleagues as well as showing good movement. Goalscoring chances didn't really come his way, but that surely won't bother him unduly.

Let's pray that the mood of the players stays the same, and the conditions at KP relent long enough for three consecutive weeks of home games here to be enjoyable spectacles as we aim to put pressure on the league leaders, Manchester United and Middlesbrough.   


Biffa 

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