City U18s held to draw at Newcastle in final league game | OneFootball

City’s thrilling 3-3 draw at Newcastle United means we complete the Under-18 Premier League North campaign with an outstanding 23-game unbeaten run.

It was another quick start from Oliver Reiss’ side with Christian Dunbar-McDonald putting City ahead inside the opening 10 minutes.

But two quick goals for the hosts early in the second half, from Kacey Wooster and Matheos Ferreira, posed a new challenge for the Blues.

Oliver Reiss’ young side met it head on, though, with Leke Drake’s header drawing City level on 69 minutes.

Substitute Finlay Gorman, who had assisted Drake 10 minutes prior, fired a 25-yard strike into the bottom corner to regain the lead for City.

But an added-time equaliser from substitute Matthew Taylor meant the spoils were shared.

The draw means City complete the league campaign with a 23-game unbeaten run to reach a new record points tally since the competition’s restructure in 2017/18.

WHAT HAPPENED

After wrapping up the title race the week prior with a dramatic 4-3 triumph over Derby County, Oliver Reiss’ rotated the squad ahead of our trip to Newcastle.

It was an electric start to the game with both teams going full force, but the advantage would fall in City’s favour with Dunbar-McDonald carving out a solo goal on eight minutes, firing home a thumping effort from close range.

The early goal helped City settle on the ball with Newcastle now looking to counter quickly.

The next best chance for either team was in the form of a darting run inside by full-back Oliver Tevenan, with his effort fizzing just wide of the left post on 39 minutes.

It followed a lengthy spell of play locked in the centre of the pitch, with both teams working hard in the Saturday heat as the half-time whistle echoed around the Newcastle United Academy training pitch.

Newcastle had looked the brighter of the two sides after the restart, and drew themselves level just before the hour with a well-worked free-kick.

The set piece was swung in towards the back post from the right and skipper Henry Johnson rose highest, heading back across the face of the City goal, with Wooster quickest to react for his ninth of the season.

Newcastle then found the lead through Ferreira, who passed the ball into the bottom right corner after Max Hudson’s clearance fell kindly to him on 59 minutes.

City looked to respond quickly as we shifted the match's momentum back in our favour, with substitute Finlay Gorman slotting in Luca Fletcher who saw his chance saved by Aidan Harris.

Reiss’ side would not need another invitation though, as Drake headed home Gorman’s in-swinging corner to draw City level with 21 minutes left to play.

City continued to look the most threatening and, in our next attack, Gorman turned from provider to scorer, when the 16-year-old picked out the bottom right corner with a fantastic 25-yard strike to restore the lead for City on 79 minutes.

But we were dealt a late blow following Newcastle's flurry of attacks in the final minutes.

Substitute Taylor found an equaliser for the hosts on 91 minutes to see the points shared in our final league fixture before the Under-18 Premier League National final against Aston Villa next weekend.

HOW WE LINED UP

For our final league game before the National final, Max Hudson earned another appearance.

In front of him, a back four of Charlie Courtman, Leke Drake, Kaden Braithwaite and Oliver Tevenan worked hard to protect the goal.

In City’s engine room, Femi Fapetu was alongside Floyd Samba and 15-year-old Tyrese Noubissie on his Under-18 debut.

Luca Fletcher led our attacking line with Kylan Midwood and Christian Dunbar-McDonald providing support out wide.

NEWCASTLE XI | Harris, Shahar, Cogdon, Johnson, Epia, Finneran, Ferreira, Munda, Wooster (Taylor 78’), O’Donovan (Brayson 78’), Sanusi (Fitzgerald 66’).

UNUSED SUBS | Jones, Durrant.

CITY XI | Hudson, Courtman, Drake, Braithwaite (Headley 60’), Tevenan, Fapetu (Thomas 46’), Midwood, F. Samba, Fletcher, Noubissie (Gorman 60’), Dunbar-McDonald (T. Samba 66’).

UNUSED SUBS | Whatmuff.

WHAT IT MEANS

City complete the campaign with a record-breaking 65 points, with no team hitting those heights since the competition’s restructure in 2017/18.

We also head into the Under-18 Premier League National final with momentum on our side.

UP NEXT

We face Aston Villa in the showpiece occasion, which will see the Northern title winners take on the Southern equivalent at Villa Park on Saturday 17 May.

Kick-off in the West Midlands is scheduled for 13:00 (UK). Regular updates on the game will be available on X: @ManCityAcademy with a comprehensive match report and post-match reaction to follow after the final whistle.