City stage outstanding comeback in Under-18 PL North win over Newcastle

Newcastle found the net three times in the opening 21 minutes with Jayden Koussou, Kacey Wooster and Henry Johnson firing the hosts comfortably ahead.

Finlay Gorman pulled one back in our favour before Karim Cassim added another for the visitors on the stroke of half-time.

Just 13 seconds into the restart, Teddie Lamb blasted home an equaliser and suddenly the Blues were right back in it.

And the comeback was complete as Lamb converted once again on 72 minutes with Dexter Oliver ensuring the three points were guaranteed with an 86th minute strike.

WHAT HAPPENED

After a phenomenal 7-0 victory over Wolves in mid-week, boss Oliver Reiss opted to make one change from the rotated U18s side he played on Tuesday afternoon. 

With no Ben Vickery involved in the squad, Max Hudson returned to the set up and Cassim was rewarded with his first start after finding the net against the West Midlands outfit.

Following a 3-1 victory for the young boys in blue in the corresponding fixture against Newcastle at the City Football Academy, Reiss’ side were hoping to do the double over the Magpies.

However, it didn’t start in the fashion that City would have wanted.

After struggling to get out of our own half in the opening nine minutes, Koussou capitalised on a free header at close range to swing the proceedings in the hosts’ favour.

Despite what looked a foul on Harrison Miles, Wooster doubled Newcastle’s advantage on 17 minutes and it would be a great test of City’s character. 

Newcastle moved further ahead four minutes later with Johnson heading home.

But the game was far from over.

On 34 minutes, Harrison Miles teed up Gorman who laid off a composed strike from range and tucked the ball into the bottom corner to keep City’s hopes of a revival alive.

Cassim then narrowed the deficit as his strike on the stroke of half-time bundled into the net following a goalkeeping error from Roman Dowell.

And City almost found an equaliser in what was a frantic first-half, Oliver Tevenan floated the ball across to Lamb at the back post, but his headed effort hit the woodwork and we would head in just behind.

Unbelievably just 13 seconds into the restart Lamb hauled us right back into proceedings with an equaliser and suddenly City could stage a seemingly unreal comeback.

It really was a game of two halves and City would soon turn this game on it’s head.

Lamb dinked the ball over Dowell on 73 minutes and suddenly the fate of the game was fully in our grasp as the youngster recorded a brace, his 14th of the season.

And the goals just kept coming with Dexter Oliver also adding his name to the score sheet with four minutes to play.

Almost unbelievably after the first half performance, City could’ve gone on to score more as the game entered the closing stages.

It was a great display of character from Reiss’ young boys in blue as we came away with all three points in the North East.

HOW WE LINED Up

NEWCASTLE XI | Dowell, Johnson, Durrant, Epia (Bloomer 73’), Moran, Taylor (C) (Cogdon 88’), Tika-Lemba (Hutchinson 82’),  Koussou (Morgan 65’), Ndiweni, Pinnington, Wooster

SUBS | Holland

CITY XI | Hudson, Headley, Drake (C), Barrett, Tevenan (Obin 90+1’), Miles, Oliver, Gorman, Lamb (Martin 90+1’), Cassim (Holt 69’), T. Samba (Courtman 90+1’)

SUBS | Grigg

AS A RESULT

City maintain our four point lead ahead of second-place Manchester United.

Reiss’ side also still have two games in hand over our title challengers.

UP NEXT

Our focus now shifts to City’s trip to Derby for our Under-18 Premier League North clash.

Reiss’ side take on the Rams on Saturday 28 February, with kick-off scheduled for 12:00 (UK).

The game will be available to watch live on mancity.com and the Official Man City App for fans with a CITY+ subscription, with the stream to start shortly before kick-off.