[themaclad]

Seen that but hadn't read about it, I think you have to play a certain amount of first teamers and given we've 6 games up to October 6 think they will take a fine

---

We have a first team and a youth team nothing in between a lot of clubs have Under 21 sides doesn't look good but not worried as we would not have won it anyway

[Devongone]

Blimey like Chesterfield you have nothing between youth and first team ...........

For us that means we pick the best of the youngsters to give a one-year contract. We have no reserve style team for them to play in. They get perhaps a couple of unhelpful loans and the odd friendly (and if they're really good they get to sit on the first team bench) before being released for failing to make the grade, at which point the more stupid members of our fan-base blame the young player himself for not wanting it enough, being too slow or too fat, not good enough, or brave enough ........

[themaclad]

Crazy situation did away with the reserves years ago, think we should have an Under 23 side like lots of lower division sides

[themaclad]

Fined 12500 for handbags with Notlob

[themaclad]

Huddersfield Town U18 0 PNE U18 7


Five different players were on the scoresheet as the youth team beat Huddersfield Town 7-0 at the PPG Canalside Sports Complex.

Adam O’Reilly opened the scoring while Tyrhys Dolan and Darren Brannigan – both of whom could have claimed one of the second half goals as their own – made it three at half-time, as Ethan Walker and Louis Potts’ double rounded off the scoreline for another Youth Alliance Cup group game win.



All 7️⃣ goals from yesterday’s emphatic victory against Huddersfield Town, with @Adam_o_reilly, Tyrhys Dolan, Darren Brannigan, @Ethanwalker_7 and Louis Potts all on target! ?

⬇️ #pnefc

Huddersfield had a clear emphasis on playing out from the back from the off, seeing the majority of the ball early on, but that style suited North End’s pressing game.

Walker was the first to hit the target as goalkeeper Giosue Bellagambi turned behind his low strike and Darren Brannigan headed wide in the subsequent attack.

Walker blazed marginally over shortly after while O’Reily just failed to connect with Lewis Simmons’ cross and Brannigan’s header was saved by Bellagambi.

The breakthrough came after 14 minutes thanks to the alertness of O’Reilly, who intercepted a pass inside the box before finishing coolly through the legs of Bellagambi.

The lead was doubled five minutes later when Walker cut inside and reversed it down the left for Dolan, who charged into the box and dinked it perfectly over the goalkeeper.


The hosts might have pulled one back midway through the half but for a great save from Jimmy Corcoran to deny Jaheim Headley, who provided Huddersfield’s greatest threat, from close range.

Ten minutes before the break, the Lilywhites struck again as Jack Armer intercepted in midfield and delivered to Brannigan in the box, striking into the bottom left corner.

Huddersfield’s best spell came just before the interval with Headley at the heart of things, taking down a long ball forward but not getting enough power on his attempted lob over Corcoran and then firing over down the left, while Walker and O’Reilly’s piledrivers were saved late in the half.

Andre Edionhon and Andrew Ijiwole were brought into the fold for the second half but PNE’s dominance continued as O’Reilly and Jolly each looked to catch Bellagambi out with long range chips, both curling wide.

Only five minutes of the second half had been played when North End made it four with Brannigan rounding off a neat move around the box by teeing up Walker to guide it into the far right corner.
It was five by the 52nd minute, Dolan capitalising on a loose ball from a corner and poking towards goal, his close range shot looking destined for goal before taking a minor touch off Brannigan.

Louis Potts, Josh Pollard and Tyler Williams were introduced to the action with half an hour remaining, the latter quickly involved in the action by flicking a corner on for O’Reilly, whose thunderous volley came back off the underside of the crossbar.

Williams himself headed over at the near post from a corner before O’Reilly chipped agonisingly wide of Bellagambi’s right-hand post from ten yards.

Brannigan had a goal disallowed for offside moments before substitute Potts made it six in the 73rd minute, controlling Brian McManus’ pass and curling into the same far right corner.

Walker flashed a low strike wide of the far-left corner while Edionhon dragged a rare chance past the post the other end.

Brannigan had his shot from the angle well saved late on before Potts completed the scoring in added time, finishing on the volley after the another of the former’s shot was palmed to him.

Academy boss Nick Harrison was delighted with all aspects of his team’s performance.

“It was a really good, aggressive performance in terms of trying to win the ball back high up the pitch and I thought we did that on numerous occasions,” Harrison told PNE.com.

“The players showed great desire and composure in front of goal to put the ball in the back of the net as many times as we did. We’re delighted with the performance and the result.
“It’s [Huddersfield’s playing style] something that we saw on the videos of the games they’ve played. We set up to do that [press high] and we have players who can work hard, defend and win the ball back and they did exactly what we asked of them.

“We actually could have scored two or three more so the scoreline didn’t flatter us, we thoroughly deserved it, so we’re delighted with the way the boys applied themselves given what we asked of them.”

The youth team boss was equally pleased that his team continued their relentless streak in the second half and maintained their concentration to keep a clean sheet as well.

“We had a spell in the first half at 3-0 where we were a little bit slack on the ball and maybe weren’t concentrating, so we talked about that at half-time. We looked a lot better on the ball when we passed it quickly and progressively and we did that really well in the second half

“It's brilliant to score lots of goals but we would’ve been disappointed to have conceded two or three, because they did have a few good chances. Every team is going to do that and I thought we defended well and the back four, which turned into a back three later in the game, dealt with that really well.
“We came up against a group of players who could pass the ball well but we stood up to that, we really competed all over the pitch and when we won the ball, we had large parts of the game where we passed the well but passed it forward and that’s why we created as many chances as we did.”

PNE line-up: Corcoran; Simmons (Williams, 60), Ngongo, Lyons, Armer (McManus, 70); O’Reilly, Baxter; Jolly (Pollard, 60), Dolan, (Potts, 60), Walker; Brannigan. Subs not used: Cottam.

[themaclad]

Harrop ACL injury season over

[themaclad]

PNE U18 1 Bury U18 1

Tyrhys Dolan scored in stoppage-time for the second time in as many matches as the youth team maintained their unbeaten run with a 1-1 draw against Bury.

Aaron Brown had given the visitors the lead after 25 minutes and it looked for long parts as though that would be enough for the three points, but Dolan converted an 93rd-minute indirect free-kick after Bury goalkeeper Jacob Carney was sent off.

Dolan was involved from the very beginning, spreading a fine pass to the left for Ethan Walker who skipped past his marker in the box but shot straight at Carney.

Adam O’Reilly got behind the Bury defence two minutes later as he ran onto Jerome Jolly’s chipped pass, but his penalty appeals were waived away by the referee, after Carney appeared to have brought him down.

Precieux Ngongo nodded wide from a Louis Potts delivery shortly after while Joe Adams lashed the visitors’ first meaningful attempt over the bar.

The Lilywhites should have taken the lead 19 minutes in when Potts flicked a low Walker cross goalwards, his effort well blocked before Jolly placed the rebound over.
Walker drew another save from Carney midway through the half when his dazzling run took him to the edge of the box and his strike for the bottom left corner was tipped wide.

But the game took an unexpected turn when Bury went ahead against the run of play. Their opener came from a move down the left when Adams tricked his way to the byline and pulled it across for Brown, who took one touch before placing low into the net left-footed.

That derailed the hosts’ momentum slightly although there were still chances for an equaliser before half-time, O’Reilly glancing a header wide from Walker’s whipped cross and Adams saw a similarly dangerous delivery flash across the face at the other end.

Another O’Reilly header teed up Potts but he scuffed his volley and Walker then dragged just wide of the far right corner in the closing moments of the half.

Lewis Simmons was booked late in the first half too and it was a similar theme which played out in a fiery second half, but not before some fine saves at both ends, Jimmy Corcoran twice denying Callum Hulme from distance, while Potts drew a reaction save from Carney from closer range.

Jack Baxter also struck just wide with a 20-yard piledriver before Potts was well denied again, his acrobatic volley headed clear off the line.

O’Reilly also went close just after the hour, connecting sweetly with Walker’s cross on the volley but converting wide.

Charlie Lyons and Walker were added to the referee’s notebook as well as Bury substitute Alen Moisin as the game wore on with chances wearing thin, as Walker curled a free-kick over the bar while Adams curled straight at Corcoran.

But a dramatic final few minutes ensued when Carney was sent off for an off-the-ball incident involving Potts and an indirect free-kick inside the box was awarded in the 90th minute.

Three minutes passed before that could be taken, with the visitors forced to introduce sub ‘keeper Mark E. Williams, but the Lilywhites took advantage nonetheless as Walker teed up Baxter to drive it across goal and Dolan got the vital touch at the back post to convert home.

That ensured North End’s youngsters’ unbeaten run remained intact, now stretching to seven games, and manager Nick Harrison was pleased his players fought until the end.

“I thought it was a bit of a scrappy game and a scrappy performance,” he told PNE.Com. “I thought we dominated in terms of possession and the clear cut chances we had, so from that perspective, we thought we should’ve been winning the game anyway.

“We were just missing that final touch, final pass, that final bit of quality to put the ball in the back of the net and I think if we had that, we’d have won the game quite comfortably but we didn’t and that made the game scrappy.

“The goal we conceded just came from a bit of a lack of concentration and we didn’t defend it well individually, but it comes against the run of play.

“We’ve said to the lads at the end that we can think they do better, despite them dominating the game and creating more chances.

“Even though we felt they could’ve done better, they showed great character to keep going and going, we penned them into their half in the second half, certainly into the latter stages of it. And because they kept going, they got their rewards and kept their unbeaten run going.
“I would say it doesn’t make the performance any better but at least they showed that character right until the end to get the equaliser.”

The Academy manager felt the game might’ve followed a different pattern had his side made been awarded a penalty or taken their chances in a particularly dominant opening 20 minutes.

“We probably should have been two or three up by then [when Bury scored]. We played on the frontfoot really well in that first 15 minutes.
“It looked like a penalty from our angle, it looks like he just collides with Adam to take him out but it’s good play from him to get in behind, which we keep stressing to him is a good part of his game – getting into goalscoring positions.

“I think Jerome Jolly knows as a second year scholar that he should score from that position and the game could have been different if we’d have scored those chances. I felt we could’ve run away with it and won convincingly but because we didn’t, it made it a scrappy game.”

PNE line-up: Corcoran; Simmons, Ngongo, Lyons, Armer; O’Reilly, Baxter; Jolly (McManus, 62), Dolan, Walker; Potts. Subs not used: Earl, Cottam, McFayden, Pollard.

[themaclad]

Notts County U18 1 PNE U18 4

Ethan Walker scored a brace as the youth team finished their Youth Alliance Cup group with a perfect record by beating Notts County 4-1.

Walker struck at the beginning and end of the contest, while Charlie Lyons and Jerome Jolly converted in quick succession either side of the hour to ensure that Kion Etete’s late reply for the hosts was just a consolation.

Brian McManus replaced the injured Adam O’Reilly for North End’s only change from facing Bury last time out as the visitors started typically well given their recent form.

Indeed, the young Lilywhites took the lead with their first shot on target after eight minutes, courtesy of Walker. Tyrhys Dolan set him up, driving forward and sending his teammate into space down the left, where he cut back onto his right foot and shot low into the far-right corner.
Dolan had an effort of his own blocked moments later, after Louis Potts had failed to test home goalkeeper Tieran Brookes from Jack Armer’s inviting centre.

Walker and Dolan reversed roles on 25 minutes as Brooks palmed away the former’s drive from the edge of the box, the Lilywhites’ first goalscorer following in to draw another suberb save from Notts’ ‘keeper, albeit from an offside position.

Charlie Lyons quickly played a free-kick forward for Armer to set up another chance for Walker, who dazzled into the box but skewed over left-footed, Coden Duncan curling straight at Jimmy Corcoran at the other end for the hosts’ first effort on goal just after the half hour.

Lewis Simmons forced Brooks to save from a tight angle before Potts nodded a Walker cross wide, who himself curled a free-kick into the wall for the final chance of the half.

The hosts came out stronger after the interval but failed to forge a clear opening before North End doubled their lead after 59 minutes.


That came from Jolly’s free-kick on the right side, his delivery put into a dangerous area and deceiving a few bodies on both sides before it reached Lyons at the back post, who made no mistake with his header.

Jolly got on the scoresheet himself two minutes later, playing a neat one-two with Walker to take him into the box, where he fired into the bottom right corner.

County rallied again with Duncan’s weaved his way to the angle of the six-yard area, but failed to get a shot away, Corey Bucalossi’s effort then being blocked before Kieran Cummings curled wide in the next attack.

Tyreace Palmer quickly got into the action following his introduction from the bench but could only curl into Corcoran’s grasp, and Etete did likewise with his header from fellow substitute Syme Mulvany’s corner.

Etete pulled one back on 81 minutes when he controlled well from another corner and finished high into the net with a powerful finish on his left foot.

Lilywhites substitute Lincoln McFayden then did brilliantly to block Etete’s volley but it was the visitors that finished the better.

Josh Pollard was unfortunate not to score when he headed Jolly’s cross just over, but he did claim a marvellous assist in the following 87th minute attack.

His chipped pass across the box sat up perfectly for Walker to fire into the far-left corner and round off the morning’s work.

4 goals and a win for @pnefcacademy this morning followed by 4 goals and a win for @pnefc 1st team this afternoon! Brilliant ??⚽️??

— David Rodgerson (@RodgersonGK) October 6, 2018
Nick Harrison was pleased with the professionalism shown by his players to win when only a point was required to take them through in the competition.

“We needed a point to go top of the group and progress but we challenged the players to win the game with a good performance, as we always would do, and today they got that with an excellent performance,” he told PNE.Com.

“We set off at 6.30am [for an 11am kick-off], it’s a three hour plus journey on the coach. The players had to prepare themselves which was tough for them mentally but from the first minute, we played on the front foot and got at them with and without the ball.

“Each and every player worked their socks off and it just shows they’re capable of that even though we’ve had to contend with the long journey, they can still do that and if they prepare themselves mentally, it makes things much easier on the pitch.

“Credit to all the players today, I thought they were very professional and worked really hard, but above all, I thought they performed really well and showed what they can do.”
Harrison felt it was a controlling performance, moreover against a decent Notts County outfit, mirroring the Lilywhites’ performances in their two previous wins in the competition this season.

“I thought we really dominated, Notts County are a good team and they have one or two really good players who could’ve threatened us. [Kion Etete] caused us a few problems but the back four dealt with that really well.

“We played on the front foot and we tried to play forward when we could, short and long, and we created a number of chances from that.

“Port Vale was a bit scrappy but we saw that through but here and against Huddersfield, I think every single player has played their part in the performance and has been professional about what they’ve done.

“Above all, I’m delighted with how the players have played. We’ve done that all season really but today we’ve hit the back of the net more times perhaps than we have in previous games.”
North End finish top of Youth Alliance Cup group two with maximum points from their three fixtures and they now go into the northern quarter-finals of the competition. Follow @pnefcacademy on Twitter to discover the Lilywhites’ opponents in the next round.

PNE line-up: Corcoran; Simmons (Earl, 82), Ngongo, Lyons, Armer, (McFayden, 72); McManus, (Pollard, 72), Baxter; Jolly, Dolan, (Nolan, 82), Walker; Potts. Subs not used: Cottam.

[themaclad]

Browne, Robinson and Maguire in Republic squad Burke on stand by as is Maxwell with Wales, Nmecha in England U20 squad

[themaclad]

Fleetwood Town U18 1 PNE U18 1
21 October 2018


Adam O’Reilly struck late in the first half as North End’s youngsters drew 1-1 against Fleetwood Town at Poolfoot Farm, maintaining their unbeaten away record this season.

Carl Johnston had put the Cod Army in front before O’Reilly equalised six minutes before the break and despite a rallying second half display, the young Lilywhites had to settle for a point.

The hosts began at lightning pace in a scrappy contest, the first chance falling their way eight minutes as Barry Bagley beat the offside trap to go one-on-one against James Cottam, but the Northern Irishman lobbed wide of goal.

Baggley provided quality delivery from set pieces throughout, first displaying that to set up defender James Hill from a corner, who looped his header over the far post.

The Lilywhites looked to be settling with Dolan’s effort bouncing into goalkeeper Scott Pengelly’s grasp and Jerome Jolly’s header forcing the Fleetwood stopper into a smart diving save in quick succession, but they lost Jack Armer to injury midway through the half, Lewis Earl his replacement.

Fleetwood went in front after 26 minutes when Baggley tricked his way to the right byline and pulled it back for Johnston ten yards from goal, whose low first-time finish was beyond Cottam.

Tyler Williams’ header goalwards from Jolly’s deep free-kick was blocked on the half hour, while Baggley’s delivery was volleyed wide by Hill before the hosts’ creative force curled a free-kick of his own over the wall, but Cottam held well.

O’Reilly went close in the following minute as Pengelly turned behind his sweeping 20-yard effort, the Fleetwood man then collecting Earl’s header from Brian McManus’ resulting corner.

But O’Reilly went one better in the 39th minute to equalise. Louis Potts’ superb run down the right culminated with a low cross which deflected into the PNE captain’s path as he powered a shot into the roof of the net with a first-time finish.

The Irishman’s effort was enough to take the Lilywhites into the interval level after Sam O’Halloran missed the target with a pair of headers, the away side going on to control the play after the break.

That was evident from as early as the 48th minute, Jack Baxter’s raking pass finding Lincoln McFayden, whose left-wing delivery reached Potts, but he couldn’t wrap his foot around the ball sufficiently to get his effort on target.

Another exquisite disguised pass from Baxter played Potts directly through just before the hour but the frontman didn’t get enough on his dink to trouble Pengelly.

Despite his side dominating the play, Cottam had to keep his concentration at the other end as he brilliantly held onto Shayden Morris low strike after he broke through with a burst of pace.

Baxter then sent a half volley wide from 20 yards before playing Jolly into space down the right channel, his cross picking out O’Reilly to volley, who was only denied by a goal line clearance.

Lewis Simmons defended well to keep out Fleetwood substitute Kian Makepeace, who subsequently headed wide from Dylan Boyle’s cross, after O’Halloran had shot straight at Cottam in a mini resurgence by the hosts.

The Lilywhites had the best chances to win it late on, though, through two fine efforts from Jolly as he curled agonisingly wide of either post, the Lancashire Derby ending as a draw.

After a testing first half, Professional Development Phase coach, Andy Fensome, was pleased to see an improved display from the players in the closing 45 minutes.

“With the two good chances we had in the second half, we should score so if you look at it like that, we should win 2-1,” Fensome told PNE.Com. “At the same time, I wasn’t overconfident that we would hold out, but fair play to the lads for not conceding in the second half.

“We probably panicked on the ball a little bit [in the first half]. Fleetwood put on a good high press and pressed at every opportunity and we didn’t cope with that too well.

“At half-time, we talked to the boys about being confident and taking responsibility which meant if we could take responsibility on the ball and pass properly, we could play through them and I think we did that at times in the second half and played better.
“We had a young, inexperienced back four and to be fair to Lewis Earl, who came on after 20 odd minutes, he played really well. It was only Lincoln [McFayden]’s second or third game and Tyler [Wiliams] is the same.

“They are the lads that are coming up, playing every day and have to keep getting better day in, day out but playing matches provides a bit of pressure and they have to learn to deal with that.”

There will be no respite for the young Lilywhites with a Lancashire FA Youth Cup quarter-final tie awaiting on Tuesday, Burnley the visitors to UCLan Sports Arena in a 1pm kick-off, a which will provide a huge opportunity for the players, according to Fensome.

“It’s a team that we don’t play against very often unless it’s a friendly fixture now,” he continued.

“It’s a massive opportunity in a cup quarter-final, what better game to go and play in? It’s against Burnley, a higher category club, and it’s an opportunity for the players to go and show how good we think they are and a chance to enjoy playing and moving the ball.
“I think as a player, you should go into the game looking forward to it, enjoying the experience and wanting the win to get into the semi-final.”

PNE line-up: Cottam; Simmons, Williams, Armer, (Earl, 23), McFayden; McManus, (Pollard, 63), Baxter; Dolan, O’Reilly, Jolly; Potts (Brannigan, 75). Subs not used: Corcoran, Nolan.