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PNE U18 0 Burnley U18 0 (PNE Win 7-6 On Penalties)

Jimmy Corcoran saved the decisive spot kick as the youth team beat Burnley on penalties, following a goalless 90 minutes, to reach the semi-finals of the Lancashire FA Professional Youth Cup.

The young Lilywhites had largely controlled the play in normal time, Tyrhys Dolan and Tyler Williams both hitting the woodwork in the second half, but it was Corcoran’s save that ultimately separated the teams, with the other 13 penalties in the shootout all successfully converted.

Lewis Earl, Darren Brannigan and Corcoran came into the side as three changes from the last outing against Fleetwood, as Burnley started strongly in blustery conditions at UCLan Sports Arena.

Michael Fowler drew a strong save from Corcoran from a tight angle seven minutes in but the majority of the chances were created by the home side from there on, Brannigan touching Jerome Jolly’s cross goalwards on the quarter hour without troubling goalkeeper Harry Allen.

Adam O’Reilly played through Brannigan to go one-on-one against Allen but the defender recovered in time to tackle, the Burnley ‘keeper then palming a Jolly free-kick straight at Dolly, the deflection going out for a throw in when it could have gone anywhere.

Brannigan got his head on a pair of Jolly crosses, heading over and then straight at Kelly, either side of Corcoran dealing well with a deep free-kick from Chris Conn-Clarke.

O’Reilly and Dolan were both superbly denied by Allen late in the half after going through on goal and Potts put past the post either side of the break.

There was some additional pressure from the visitors in the second half with Lewis Simmons clearing superbly ahead of Fowler, who himself lobbed over the bar before the hour but Corcoran was forced into a diving save from Conn-Clarke minutes later.

Baxter then volleyed over from a Jolly corner and sent another decent long-range effort just wide, while Earl did well to halt Fowler’s run at the other end.

The Lilywhites came closest on 71 minutes courtesy of Dolan’s moment of brilliance, wriggling himself away from a defender 20 yards from goal and curling against the top right-hand post.
Burnley had a couple of late opportunities as well, the best of which around 15 minutes from time as Corcoran brilliantly turned behind Mitch George’s low shot, before the PNE stopper saved another effort on the bounce from Fowler.

North End almost had the final say, though, as Williams turned Jolly’s corner onto the post, but a shootout prevailed.

Baxter, Simmons, Brian McManus, O’Reilly, Dolan and Jolly had all converted before Corcoran stuck out a leg to save Burnley’s sixth penalty, Potts subsequently slotting home the winning penalty, showing no sign of pressure.

The Lilywhites are now into the last four of the competition and Academy coach Andy Fensome was pleased with the side’s performance.

“We’re very pleased to get the win today and I thought the boys played extremely well,” the Professional Development Phase coach told PNE.Com. “We passed the ball well in difficult conditions with it being very windy.

“There’s always going to be chances at different stages of the game and especially first half we created some really good chances.

“Yes, Burnley had some chances second half, but the back four worked extremely hard, they covered each other and the boys in front of them worked hard and created chances.”

“We practised yesterday in training so that was a good bit of preparation from the boys [for penalties]. We didn’t score the goals in normal time but today they were clinical finishes [in the shootout] and I don’t think the ‘keeper could’ve got near any of them.
“We’ll work on some more things during the next week or so. It’s good for the lads to come in and listen them to cheering and being happy, that’s what football should be all about – getting results and that’s what the boys did today.”

North End’s youngsters are next in action on Saturday 3 November with a trip to Carlisle United. Their semi-final opponents in the Lancashire FA Youth Cup will be confirmed in due course, you can first discover who will they take on by following @pnefcacademy on Twitter.

PNE line-up: Corcoran; Simmons, Earl, Williams, McFayden; O’Reilly, Baxter; Potts, Dolan, Jolly; Brannigan (McManus, 79). Subs not used: Nolan, Cottam, Pollard, Holland-Wilkinson.

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Browne Robinson and Maguire all in Republic squad

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PNE U18 1 Tranmere Rovers U18 0
Jerome Jolly scored the only goal as the youth team got back to winning ways with a 1-0 triumph over Tranmere Rovers at UCLan Sports Arena.

Josh Pollard played the pass for his fellow second year to convert ten minutes before the break, the young Lilywhites remaining firm in the second half to secure victory.

Pollard came into the side as one of five changes from last time out against Wrexham, as Charlie Lyons returned following a three-match suspension, while Jack Armer, Jack Baxter and Darren Brannigan were all called upon having recovered from their respective injuries.

The game followed a familiar pattern from the off, North End’s youngsters controlling possession but having to remain patient in the face of a resolute Tranmere backline.

Both sides had early glimpses of goal, one Jolly corner looking as though it might have snuck inside the near post but for a clearance and Pollard failing to get a shot away quickly enough from an Ethan Walker centre.

Nathan Corness carried the visitors’ main threat, one dangerous pass for Bailey Thompson just overhit before he saw a shot of his own blocked, Walker reaching the byline at the other end but crossing into the grasp of Tranmere ‘keeper, Bayleigh Passant.

There were several occasions, though, where fine margins seemed to keep out the Lilywhites, Pollard and Jack Armer both racing in on goal within moments of one another, with Passant twice quick off his line.

Jack Baxter had a shot blocked from 20 yards before Pollard was rewarded with a free run down the right for his pressing, but his delivery, aimed towards Brannigan in acres of space, was cut out by a defender.

Tranmere might have taken the lead just after the half hour but the chance escaped George Nugent after he’d won the ball back in space just outside the box, but he spent too much time on the ball and North End cleared after his shot was deflected over.

Crucially, in the following 34th minute, Jolly struck to give PNE the lead.

The second year scholar had blazed wide from a Baxter pass moments earlier but he made no mistake this time around, controlling Pollard’s measured pass, who had regained possession in midfield, and slotting the ball through Passant’s legs.

The hosts looked hungry for another and although they failed to test the ‘keeper again before the break, that sense of danger remained in the second half with Pollard heavily involved, shooting over from range and almost setting up Armer again, but the defender couldn’t get a shot away.

Tyrhys Dolan headed straight at Passant from a Jolly cross and then nodded wide from a Walker free-kick the other side of the hour mark.

Walker went close himself with less than a quarter of an hour remaining, flashing one past the post from 20 yards and placing marginally over from similar range soon after, while Kyle Hayde’s speculative strike at the other end found the side netting.

There was still time for Tranmere to provide a late scare but fortunately for PNE, substitute Harrison Musuamba headed wide from point blank range and Cottam saved another nodded effort, the hosts holding out for a thoroughly deserved win having bossed the majority of the game.

Academy manager Nick Harrison was impressed by his side’s display.

“I thought it was an excellent performance and a good result as well,” he told PNE.Com. “It’s a clean sheet and a win, so three points, which is what the players strive for.

“In the first half, we made them defend deep. We penetrated them quite early on in the game and made lots of forward runs and good decisions on the ball to really stretch them.

“We opened the game up and started passing the ball really well as the first half went on and the goal is a good move, although I felt we probably had better moves in the game which we probably could have scored from.

“It was a really well taken goal, a good finish and good movement which came from quick play in their box, which we’ve spent a lot of time talking to the lads about in terms of breaking teams down.
“We come up against lots of teams that want to defend their box and get numbers behind us, so it’s really pleasing to see us do that and see Jerome Jolly score the goal.”

The boss was equally pleased to see Tranmere prevented from breaching the PNE backline.

“We’re as delighted to get the clean sheet as we are to get the goal that wins us the game. The back five did really well, the players in front of them protected them well, we pressed when we needed to and we were solid when they broke against us.

“We dealt with their threats really well, they had a tall No.9 [Bailey Thompson] and although we might not have won every header, we didn’t need to do that.

“We defended really well against him and nullified that threat and when we won the ball back, we broke well and got into some good areas.

“We’ have liked to have created some more chances but ultimately I felt we controlled the game, we passed it and kept the ball well and were patient in our attacking play.

“Maybe if we had shown a little bit more quality, we might have scored one or two goals to make the scoreline reflect the game a bit more.”
PNE line-up: Cottam; Simmons, Earl, Lyons, Armer; Pollard, Baxter; Jolly, Dolan, Walker; Brannigan (Potts, 73). Subs not used: Williams, Lenton, McFayden, McManus.

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Maguire injured again lasted 4 minutes of the Republic's game last night

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Blackpool U18 3 PNE U18 2


The youth team were undone by a 90th minute own goal as Blackpool won the U18 derby 3-2 at Myerscough College.

North End’s youngsters raced into a two-goal lead thanks to Ethan Walker’s strike and Jerome Jolly’s corner being parried into the net, but the hosts were back in it before the half hour with Andy Kanga and Sam Maddox on target.

And the Lilywhites conceded against the run of play right at the death as a PNE man glanced a free-kick into his own net.

North End scored almost straight from the kick-off courtesy of some individual inspiration from Walker. The winger’s mazy run inside from the left saw him turn his marker inside out and curl a precise effort into the top left corner to give the visitors the perfect start.

Lewis Earl might’ve scored just five minutes later when he prodded Jolly’s corner towards the bottom corner only for it to be turned behind for another corner.

But Jolly whipped in menacingly again from that subsequent corner, curling right into the goalmouth and ‘keeper Harvey Simson could only parry that delivery over his own line to make it a two-goal advantage after seven minutes.

The hosts played themselves back into the game, though, with Earl required to make a crucial tackle on Kanga to clear for a corner, which Maddox got his head to without troubling Jimmy Corcoran.

Nathan Shaw’s shot sailed over the crossbar minutes later but Blackpool did pull one back on 20 minutes with Kanga baring down on goal and although his initial touch past Corcoran took him wide, he managed to convert from the angle.

Shaw crossed dangerously in the next attack but Ewan Bange took the ball off Kanga’s toes and his heavy touch meant the chance was gone.

Blackpool did equalise in the 27th minute when Kanga teed up Maddox 25 yards from goal and his first-time strike found the far-left corner for a fine leveller.

Shaw then unleashed another piledriver straight at Corcoran while Jack Baxter sent Louis Potts into space at the other end but he scuffed his shot wide of the near post.

Walker and Jolly curled a free-kick apiece marginally over, while Potts met Lewis Simmons’ cross at the back post but couldn’t divert past Simson.

The visitors carried through their late first half improvement into the second half, with Tyrhys Dolan getting to the left byline with some clever play, his centre converted wide of the far post by Walker while Shaw had an attempt blocked at the other end.

The tempo slowed in the closing 45 minutes but PNE looked in greater control for large parts, Jolly glancing a header over just after the hour, while Tyrhys Dolan drew a save from substitute ‘keeper Sam Kellett moments later.

Jolly then curled for the top left corner but a header off the lined thwarted him and Potts touched Earl’s pinpoint cross goalwards but it was a routine stop for Kellett.

Darren Brannigan was brought on for the final quarter of an hour and he had a decent looking attempt blocked within minutes of his arrival, Simmons racing to the edge of the area five minutes from time but curling straight at Kellett.

The Lilywhites’ late efforts would count for nothing, though, as in the 90th minute, Shaw’s free-kick delivery was flicked into the far bottom corner by a North End head for Blackpool’s winning goal.

Academy manager Nick Harrison explained that the late goal North End conceded completely swayed the team’s post-match perspective of the game.

“I think when we reflect on the game, we can look at the fact that we had 12 attempts to their six, so from a positive point of view, that shows that the group can create chances,” he told PNE.Com.

“It also highlights that the players in the box have to be more clinical to put the ball in the back of the net, but that’s something we’ve spoken about before. The goals we conceded could’ve been avoided, either from a lack of concentration, from not blocking a shot or not pressing the ball.

“It’s a stupid free-kick that we give away towards the end of the game, which leads to the own goal. It’s U18 football, the players have got to learn from it and they’ve got to learn from it quickly.

“Without that [the late goal], we can say it’s a point and we created lots of chances and maybe should’ve won it. But because of that silly decision at the end, we’ve not got any points and instead we’re speaking about being more clinical.”
Harrison had been pleased by his side’s second half improvement but stressed that there was still plenty for the players to learn from.

“Even though we lost the game today, we still had moments in it where I thought we did well.

“I thought when we got those two goals early on, the players almost looked like they thought they’d won the game and dropped a little bit deeper – they stopped doing the things we did well in that first 15 minutes.
“So I’m pleased that when we spoke to the players about that at half-time, they went back out in the second half and played much better and looked a lot more solid.

“I felt we did dominate the game overall, but the players have to learn that if they dominate the game, they’ve got to win it and ultimately that’s what professional football is all about.”

PNE line-up: Corcoran; Simmons, Earl, Lyons, Armer; Pollard, Baxter; Jolly, Dolan (Bennett, 88), Walker; Potts (Brannigan, 75). Subs not used: Williams, Cottam, McFayden.

[themaclad]

Johnson out for season

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Rumours that Johnson's muscle has come away from his thigh bone and they cannot operate on him for for five months

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Match Reports
PNE U18 3 Morecambe U18 0

Tyrhys Dolan and Jack Baxter scored their sixth goals of the season, while Brian McManus notched his first for the youth team, as North End’s youngsters saw off Morecambe 3-0.

Dolan headed in two minutes before the end of a quiet opening half, but McManus and Baxter scored inside three second half minutes to add some deserved gloss to the scoreline for a controlling second half display.

There were three changes to the side which took on Blackpool from last time out. Lewis Coulton was handed a youth team debut at left back, replacing Charlie Lyons, who has joined Longridge Town on work experience, with James Cottam and Darren Brannigan returning in goal and attack respectively.

The young Lilywhites would have the larger share of possession throughout, although that looked as though it may suit Morecambe judging by the opening moments, with a couple of incisive passes behind the hosts’ backline from Kaleb Young just astray of their intended targets.

Josh Pollard was first to try his luck for North End, striking a loose ball over from 20 yards, while Henry Dorward went one better at the other end by hitting the target, but without troubling Cottam.

And both sides were largely restricted to long shots in a frustrating first half, although PNE had a great chance to take the lead just ten minutes in, as Jerome Jolly crossed to the far post for Louis Potts, who hooked his volley into the side netting.

Baxter curled a free-kick wide moments later and Lewis Earl did well to force Young’s run out of play at the other end.

Almost half an hour passed before the Lilywhites tested opposition ‘keeper Ollie Jumeau, although Dolan’s long-range drive was comfortably straight at him.

And with Earl only required to block Amilcar Codjovi’s strike in terms of efforts at goal, the half looked to be petering to a close until Dolan popped up in the 43rd minute.

His goal came after Baxter swung in a free-kick from deep on the left channel, Brannigan managing to scoop it goalwards and Jumeau could only parry as far as Dolan who duly headed home.

North End looked more in control in the second half, dealing well with Morecambe’s threat as they were forced out slightly more, a couple of PNE’s half chances falling to Potts and Jolly, neither of whom could get the ball from under their feet to test Jumeau.

Brian McManus and Joe Rodwell-Grant were brought on just after the hour, the former making an almost immediate impact.

Indeed, McManus made it two in the 66th minute, Jolly sliding him through with only Jumeau to beat, the Irishman applying a cool side foot finish with his right foot.

And the hosts had another in the 69th minute as Dolan found Baxter in the box with his back to goal, but he managed to weave past a few defenders and tuck inside the bottom corner right-footed.

Aaron Bennet and Tyler Williams joined the fray either side of Rodwell-Grant forcing Jumeau into a strong near post save with PNE cruising, but Morecambe might’ve denied North End their clean sheet in the dying moments.

The forward rounded Cottam but his run was too wide, with Coulton getting back to clear the cross, making sure of a defensive shutout and convincing victory to boot.

Academy manager Nick Harrison was pleased with his side’s response to their loss against Blackpool from last time out.

“Last Saturday, I felt we performed well enough to get a positive result with the amount of chances we had,” Nick told PNE.Com. “What’s pleasing today was that we’ve defended much better, kept a clean sheet and taken our chances.

“We can again say that we could’ve scored more and if we were a little bit more clinical, the scoreline would’ve been much higher.
“It’s really pleasing to get the clean sheet, we’re really pleased with the performance and it’s good to get the win.”

With U16s Lewis Coulton and Joe Rodwell-Grant and U15 midfielder Aaron Bennet all involved, Harrison felt this game was the right time both to hand those promising youngsters a chance, while also taking some of the scholars out of the action, following an intense few weeks’ action.

“A lot of our lads have done a lot in the last month or so in terms of games and training, so we felt it was the right time to take one or two out of this game by not finishing the 90 minutes.

“We’ve got an excellent group of players coming up behind, from our U14s upwards, who are more than capable of making that transition from schoolboy football to this kind of football.
“We want to make sure there’s always a pathway for them and we thought this was the right game to do that and it was really pleasing for the three young lads who all contributed in the game.

Nick concluded by speaking of the three different players on the scoresheet for North End.

“We’re delighted with all the goalscorers today and we want to continue that – the chances that we are creating, we do need to be even more clinical and finish teams off by scoring even more goals.

“It’s brilliant for him [Brian McManus] to score the goal and contribute that way, he just needs to do that more now – he needs to be an all round midfielder where he dominates without the ball but also from an attacking threat as well.

“Likewise, it’s always good for Jack Baxter to get a goal; he’s capable of that from free-kicks and open play.”
PNE line-up: Cottam; Simmons, Earl, Armer, Coulton; Pollard, Baxter (Bennett, 71); Jolly, Dolan (Williams, 81), Potts (McManus, 63); Brannigan (Rodwell-Grant, 63). Subs not used: Corcoran.

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Robinson out for three months

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Youths beat Charlton on penalties after 2 all draw