Why Newcastle are in safe hands in the Checkatrade Trophy

Nathan Harker with Newcastle at the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens this summer. (Pic: HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens)

Newcastle United's Under-21s beat the League Two club 2-0 at Meadow Lane on Tuesday night thanks to goals from Callum Roberts and Elias Sorensen.

Roberts gave the club the lead with an early penalty, and Harker made a series of first-half saves as County piled on the pressure.

Elias Sorensen opens up on his goals and Geordie accent after hitting form at Ne...

And Sorensen netted after the break to double Newcastle's advantage.

"We needed everybody, whether it was the goalkeeper or full-back," said coach Dawson.

"Just at those important times, you need your keeper to make a save. It keeps the score 1-0 after the early goal, keeps us in the game and takes the pressure off everybody. It just allows us to manage the game a little bit better."

Harker has happy to play his part in the club's second Checkatrade Trophy win.

The 19-year-old said: "Everyone in the changing room knew it would be tough and that it would be a test, but I thought we came out really professionally and dealt with the challenge.

"I think (the best save) was probably the first one, the header, just because of the position we were in.

"We'd just scored and we knew they'd put balls in the box. If that one had gone in, it would have set us back a step. I think that was a really important save, as much as I didn't really know anything about it! I was in the right position."