Keeper Thompson urges Newcastle United youngsters to learn from 'difficult' Spurs loss
It was a difficult afternoon for Newcastle United U21s as they suffered a home defeat against their Spurs counterparts on Sunday.
Newcastle United Under-21s goalkeeper Max Thompson called on his team-mates to learn lessons from their 4-1 home defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.
After striking the woodwork inside the opening minutes of the game, Spurs grabbed the first goal of the game midway through the first half when England Under-18 international Lucas Williams-Barnett crashed a low drive across Magpies keeper Thompson and inside the far post.
Newcastle responded positively to falling behind and got themselves back on level-terms five minutes before half-time as captain Cathal Heffernan met a free-kick from Alfie Harrison and found the net with a fine header. However, the second-half was all about the visitors as the impressive Williams-Barnett restored their lead seven minutes after the restart with another clinical finish that left Thompson grasping at thin air.
Former Portsmouth loan signing Dane Scarlett added a third with 12 minutes remaining with an unstoppable free-kick from the edge of the area before Tynan Thompson stretched the lead moments later after he had struck the woodwork twice earlier in the game.
Speaking after the game, the United keeper told The Gazette: “It was a tough and they are obviously a good side. It was a chance for us to prove ourselves but we have been beaten so there are a lot of lessons we have to take from it and hopefully apply ourselves better moving forwards. They had a few chances, they scored some good goals but we have to look at how we can improve and move on.”
Experience
Adam Lawrence’s side now face senior opposition in their next two games as Wednesday’s National League Cup tie at Boston United is followed by a Vertu Trophy clash at League One side Mansfield Town seven days later.
For Thompson, facing senior opposition is now new thing after he spent time on loan at Northampton Town and Chesterfield over the last two seasons - and he now hopes his Magpies team-mates can make the most of facing experienced opposition over the next fortnight.
“Those games are a good chance for the lads to go up against senior teams and get a bit of exposure to it,” explained the Magpies stopper. “They can see what it’s like for life after Newcastle if you don’t make it into the first-team here so it’ll be a really good test for them.”
Newcastle United: Thompson, Shahar, Murphy, McArthur, Heffernan, Bailey, Harrison, Finneran, Wooster, Munda, Charlton Subs: Taylor, Pivas, Hartley, Waddini, Brayson
Tottenham Hotspur: Maguire, Ashcroft, Cassanova, Hardy, Byfield, Russell-Denny, Akhamrich, Kyerematen, Scarlett, Williams-Barnett, Thompson Subs: Arganese-McDermott, Rowswell, Black, Lehane, Irow
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