[themaclad]

Tranmere Rovers U18 2 PNE U18 3

Brian McManus came off the bench to complete an impressive turnaround for the youth team, with his long-range effort the decisive strike in a 3-2 win away at Tranmere Rovers.

Joe Rodwell-Grant had given the young Lilywhites the lead after just 12 minutes, but the hosts scored twice before the break to overturn that effort and lead at half-time.

But Aaron Bennett drew PNE level midway through the second half before McManus’ effort 12 minutes from time sealed the win for Nick Harrison’s side.

Academy manager Harrison made four changes to the side that beat Notts County by a one-goal margin a fortnight ago; Jimmy Corcoran, Harry Huddart, Ben Dooley and Bennett replacing Ollie Lombard, Kyi Nicholson, Hafizul Rahman and McManus.


And it was a quick start from the visitors who were ahead with barely ten minutes played.

It was a wonderful goal to break the deadlock, too, with Joe Nolan finding Bennett on the left, holding the ball up well and setting up Lewis Coulton to cross first time, with his delivery met by a bullet of a header from Rodwell-Grant to find the net.

The Lilywhites’ tempo slowed, however, with Tranmere stepping up to find some rhythm, which produced two goals of their own, ensuring them a one-goal advantage at the halfway stage.

Louis Potts entered the fray for the start of the second half but North End had to wait to make their breakthrough again.

It finally came in the 67th minute, with McManus making an immediate impact from the bench – his ball over the top appearing to cause some confusion as the Tranmere backline and goalkeeper appealed for an offside flag, which did not come, and Bennett duly lobbed the bouncing ball over the goalkeeper from just outside the box.

The comeback was complete 11 minutes later with the visitors again making inroads down the left, Tyrhys Dolan this time the provider, cutting back to tee up McManus to shoot, who took one touch before hammering a fierce strike into the bottom left corner from 20 yards.

The win extends the unbeaten run of North End’s youngsters to six matches, with five wins and one draw in that time, with their next match at home to Port Vale on Saturday 30th November in an 11am kick-off at UCLan Sports Arena.

PNE line-up: Corcoran; Huddart, Williams, McFayden, Coulton; Nolan, Dooley (McManus, 65); Holland-Wilkinson (Potts, 46), Dolan, Bennett; Rodwell-Grant. Subs not used: Nicholson, Eastham, Leigh.

[themaclad]

Match Reports
PNE U18 9 Port Vale U18 1

Six different goalscorers meant that North End beat Port Vale in emphatic fashion, with Nick Harrison’s side dominating the game with both exceptional attacking play and composed defending.

The clash was one of high intensity and the young Lilywhites kept the pressure on throughout, in a fantastic, well-earned victory.

North End went in to half-time already 5-1 up, with goals from Lincoln McFayden, Brian McManus, Louis Potts and a brace from Ethan Walker putting the game to bed early on. In the second half, substitutes Aaron Bennett and Jacob Holland-Wilkinson added to the scoreline, with the latter completing his hattrick.

Academy manager Harrison made four changes from the one that came from behind to beat Tranmere Rovers last time out, with Lewis Earl, Ethan Walker, McManus and Potts back in the starting eleven.

It was a quick start for PNE with Ethan Walker winning a free-kick just outside the box, but he saw his effort fly just high of the goal.

The breakthrough came with just ten minutes on the clock. Walker was involved again when delivering a brilliant cross from a free-kick on the edge of the box, and Lincoln McFayden produced a strong header past the Vale goalkeeper.

Two minutes later North End scored again, Joe Rodwell-Grant provided the ball in from the same position as the first goal, and with Walker free in the box, he calmly slotted the ball into the net for his first of the game.

The third goal came from good link up play between the PNE attackers, with Rodwell-Grant again finding space on the right-hand side and delivering the ball into the danger area, it fell into the path of Potts who then found McManus and he produced the finish to increase the lead.

Goalkeeper Jimmy Corcoran was then called into action at the other end for the first time in the game, producing a fine double save from Port Vale’s Abdi Osman and Hayden Campbell.

The visitors' only goal did then come, however, with Osman crossing from the left and Ammar Dyer finishing past Corcoran.

The game was then controlled brilliantly by the attacking play of PNE, and on the 37th minute Walker scored the fourth goal, hitting a fantastic long shot straight into the Vale goal for his second of the match.

The last action of the first half saw Rodwell-Grant again applying the pressure from the right, he struck a ball into the box with real pace and Louis Potts made no mistake with the finish.

Harrison made two changes at the halfway stage, with Aaron Bennett and Tyler Williams replacing Walker and Earl.

Jacob Holland-Wilkinson then entered the field on the hour mark, replacing Potts up top.

After a patient start to the second half, the sixth North End goal came from substitute Bennet on 70 minutes when he found space in the box and calmly shot past goalkeeper Harvey Adams.

The home side continued the constant pressure on the Vale defence, with the substitutes again making an impact, this time combining to score the seventh goal.

Williams produced a fantastic long ball forward, and Holland-Wilkinson controlled sharply before striking the ball into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal.

North End then saw a change in between the sticks, with Connor Eastham replacing Corcoran in goal. Both 'keepers had a relatively calm morning with most of the action in the game coming from the opposite end of the pitch.

Holland-Wilkinson then grabbed another goal for the Lilywhites when he got behind the Port Vale defence, broke into the box with pace and provided a calm finish.

Two minutes later, the forward then completed his hattrick, and the scoring for North End, with Lincoln McFayden supplying the ball into the box and Holland-Wilkinson finishing fiercely into the goal.

The emphatic win extended PNE’s unbeaten run to seven matches, with six wins and one draw, and manager Harrison was pleased with his team's relentless style.

"It’s brilliant to win a game 9-1," he told the club website. "Massive credit to the players, I thought they turned it on, the intensity was good and the fact that they created multiple chances and took them is an ideal situation."


Despite not being on the scoresheet himself, Rodwell-Grant proved an important figure in the attacking set-up and although pleased with the youngster's display, Harrison stressed he was not one for singling out individuals and instead spoke of his satisfaction to see so many good performances combine for a fine team display.

"I’m not one for singling out players but I thought he [Rodwell-Grant] played his part in the game. I think all the players should take credit for the performance and the result today; we need players like Joe Rodwell-Grant to perform in that final third – which he did today – but I thought there were a number of players who did that.

"That’s what’s really pleasing, it wasn’t just one or two players doing well today, it was the collective."

The ruthless nature of the display was exemplified by Jacob Holland-Wilkinson coming off the bench to score a hattrick inside the closing 20 minutes and when asked about his impact, Harrison admitted to being pleased with how the young forward stamped his footprint on the game.

"We made a change just to freshen the game up a little bit. Jacob provided us with that bit of pace in behind and I thought that’s how he got his goals really. I felt we exploited the space in behind really well, his runs were really good and his finishes were excellent. From that perspective, it worked really well bringing him on."

The youth team's next game is the clash with Bristol City in the FA Youth Cup at Deepdale on Monday 16th December and Harrison’s side will no doubt go into that full of confidence after another victory.

PNE line-up: Corcoran (Eastham, 70), Huddart, Coulton (Nicholson, 70), Nolan, Earl (Williams, 46), McFayden, Rodwell-Grant, Dooley, Potts (Holland-Wilkinson, 60), McManus, Walker (Bennett, 46).

[themaclad]

Accrington Stanley U18 0 PNE U18 3

Two first half goals from Tyrhys Dolan and Aaron Bennett meant that a young PNE side comfortably beat Accrington Stanley, with Jacob Holland-Wilkinson adding a third just on the hour mark.

North End pressed fantastically throughout, and it was another positive performance for the team. The game was played at the UCLan Sports Arena but with PNE officially being the away side.

The Lilywhites dominated the game, having most of the possession and creating plenty of well- worked chances, while also defending resolutely when the visitors attacked.

Academy manager Nick Harrison made seven changes to team that started in the 9-1 victory against Port Vale last time out, with Connor Eastham, Kyi Nicholson, Tyler Williams, Ben Dooley and goalscorers Bennett, Holland-Wilkinson and Dolan all back in the starting eleven.

PNE started the game brightly, with Holland-Wilkinson looking to utilise his pace, getting in behind the Stanley defence, but unfortunately the goal didn’t come. Bennett also saw plenty of possession in the early stages, with him crossing the ball into the box from the right-hand side, but nobody in a white shirt was able to make a connection.

The Lilywhites’ strong attacking play came with a reward in the 14th minute. Holland-Wilkinson got on the ball again and tricked past multiple Stanley players, he found Dolan in the box and he shot first time past the goalkeeper and into the goal.

Holland-Wilkinson was again involved in another chance for North End, he muscled past the defence and passed out wide to Bennett who again crossed well into the box, but after a short scramble it came to nothing.

PNE pressed well when the visitors had the ball, Joe Nolan tackled strongly on the edge of the box and found Dolan in space, who shot at goal, but Stanley’s ‘keeper was out quickly to catch the ball.

Kyi Nicholson found time on the ball and broke quickly near the box, the defender crossed into the danger area but again Accrington’s ‘keeper was alert and caught the ball before it led to another chance for North End.

Minutes later, the second goal did come. The Lilywhites were pressing strongly and Nolan picked out the perfect pass to Bennett who was unmarked in the box, he shot strongly into the goal.

The third goal came straight on the hour mark, as North End were again pressing high on the Stanley defence. Brian McManus, who had pushed further upfield, provided a great through ball into Holland-Wilkinson, who shot past the keeper, and after hitting the post initially, he then delivered the ball into the bottom corner of the goal.

It was the forward’s fourth goal in his last two games, after his hattrick against Port Vale last time out.

There were three changes made early in the second half, with Louis Potts, Harry Huddart and Lewis Earl replacing Holland-Wilkinson, Dolan and Ethan Walker.

Substitute Potts then went on a fine run down the right after holding the ball up brilliantly under pressure, he passed into the path of Bennett who found his shot saved well by the ‘keeper.

The win extended the PNE’s unbeaten run to eight matches, with seven wins and one draw in that time, and manager Nick Harrison was impressed with the amount of chances his side created in the game.

“We created a number of chances, which was pleasing”, he told the club website. “Obviously last week we were very clinical which is why we scored nine [against Port Vale], but the most important thing it is about the number of chances we create and then limiting the opposition to the number of chances they create, I thought we did that really well today.”

Harrison made seven changes to the team that started the game against Port Vale last weekend, as he sees the games as opportunities for every player to get more minutes to their name and help them play their part in the team’s results.

“We’ve made a lot of changes in a lot of games this season, bringing players in, younger players in, players who may have not have had as many minutes, and today’s game was just another opportunity to do that. I was really pleased to see the impact those players made in the starting line-up.”

The mix of strong attacking play and resolute defending was showcased in North End’s performance, and the Academy manager also highlighted how happy he was with his defence keeping a clean sheet.

“We’ve scored three goals today and we’ve kept a clean sheet, that’s brilliant. We’ve played well and to create the number of chances that we did, to score the goals that we did and not concede is really pleasing.”

PNE line-up: Eastham, Nicholson, McManus, Nolan, Williams, McFayden, Bennett, Dooley, Potts, Holland-Wilkinson (Earl, 63), Dolan (Huddart, 63), Walker (Potts, 63). Subs not used: Coulton, Rodwell-Grant.

[themaclad]

Best Bristol City in Youth Cup

[themaclad]

Wigan game on TV

[themaclad]

Match Reports
PNE U18 2 Blackpool U18 0

Goals from Jacob Holland-Wilkinson and Trhys Dolan meant that PNE U18 came out comfortable 2-0 winners in their local derby game against Blackpool in the North West Youth Alliance league.

PNE controlled the game well, their attacking play limiting the number of chances the visitors had, and defending strongly when Blackpool did attack the North End defence.

It was a top of the table clash at UCLan Sports Arena, with PNE sitting at the top of the league while the visitors were in second.

Academy manager Nick Harrison made two changes to the team that started in the 2-0 victory against Bristol City in the FA Youth Cup at Deepdale, with Harry Huddart and Aaron Bennett coming into the starting line-up in place of Tyler Williams and Joe Rodwell-Grant.

PNE dominated the early exchanges and it wasn’t long before they were rewarded for their efforts. Continuing his fine form in front of goal, Jacob Holland-Wilkinson got the first goal of the game after Joe Nolan supplied a great pass through the Blackpool defence, and he finished brilliantly under the legs of goalkeeper Charlie Monks.

Minutes later, it seemed that PNE would score their second of the game, a ball crossed high into the box found itself at the feet of Tryhs Dolan who looked destined to score, only for the visitors to scramble the ball to safety.

Blackpool grew into the game the longer the first half went on, but the young Lilywhites’ defence stayed strong and the score remained 1-0 at the break.

Early in the second half, PNE goalkeeper Jimmy Corcoran made a good save down to his left as Blackpool midfielder Ryley Smith broke with pace and shot from outside the area.

North End grew into the second half. Lewis Coulton raced down the left wing and found Bennett who was free just outside the box, the attacker shot but the ball went over the bar.

Rodwell-Grant and Brian McManus shared some quick interplay inside the Blackpool box, but their defence managed to clear the ball away for corner before the ball could test the goalkeeper.

Another chance fell to PNE, with Ben Dooley free on the edge of the area but his shot was well saved by Monks.

Rodwell-Grant outpaced the defenders and found himself against the keeper, but his shot was well saved.

In the 80th minute, North End’s strong attacking play paid off again when Dolan scored a fantastic goal from the outside of the box, turning the defenders and curving his shot straight into the top right-hand corner of the goal.

The win extended PNE’s unbeaten run to ten games in all competitions, and ensured they had the bragging rights over local rivals Blackpool.

[themaclad]

Barnsley now 21/1/20

[themaclad]

PNE U18 6 Walsall U18 1
Jacob Holland-Wilkinson and Lewis Earl netted braces as the youth team emphatically sealed their passage into the Youth Alliance Cup northern semi-final with a 6-1 win over Walsall.

Tyrhys Dolan and Brian McManus also grabbed a goal apiece, with the visitors making more of a game of the second half, managing to pull one back and seeing a penalty saved by North End’s substitute goalkeeper Ollie Lombard.

Nick Harrison made just one change from the side which beat Blackpool, as Tyler Williams replaced Harry Huddart in the starting line-up, having been in the first team squad against Norwich City last weekend.

It was the centre back Earl who opened the scoring in a blistering start to the game from the home side.

Lewis Coulton swung in a free-kick from the right-hand side and Earl’s glancing header to meet his delivery was just about adjudged to have crossed the line.

Aaron Bennett played the key pass to catch Walsall on the counter for the second goal, with his ball over the top catching out the visiting goalkeeper who failed to clear when coming off his line and leaving Holland-Wilkinson with a simple task to finish.

Bennett provided the assist for the third as well, with a slaloming run down the right flank and into the area, where he crossed low for Dolan at the back post to take one touch before converting the ball home.

Coulton returned to his feet, having been sent to the ground in the box seconds before, to receive another neat pass from Bennett and lay it across the face for Holland-Wilkinson, who didn’t get the cleanest connection on the ball, but put it over the line nonetheless.

The fifth was arguably the pick of the first half efforts, as Bennett’s corner in from the right was headed away as far as Earl, who showed marvellous technique to hit a thunderous volley into the roof of the net from ten yards.

With the FA Youth Cup fourth round tie away to Oxford United approaching on Wednesday night, the second half was understandably less of an all-action affair.

It saw the visitors deny the young Lilywhites a clean sheet by pulling a goal back, and they have might inflicted further damage when Earl conceded a penalty, but first year ‘keeper Lombard – who replaced Jimmy Corcoran for the final 20 minutes – saved from 12 yards.

The hosts did add to their tally in the closing 45 minutes, though, and it was a goal to remember for McManus, receiving the ball from Joe Nolan 30 yards out and hitting the sweetest of strikes into the top left corner.

The victory ensures North End a place in the last four of the northern section of the Youth Alliance Cup, with Fleetwood Town, Rotherham United and Shrewsbury Town having all progressed to the northern semi-final stage with victories this weekend, too.

The winner of each semi-final will contest a northern final, the winner of which will face the successful side from the southern side of the draw to decide the destiny of the trophy.

Attentions for the youth team now turn to another cup competition with the aforementioned trip to Oxford United in the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday night, with a 7pm kick-off. Tickets will cost just £5 for adults or £2 for those aged over 65 or under 16.

PNE line-up: Corcoran (Lombard, 70); Dooley (Nicholson, 46), Williams, Earl, McFayden; Nolan, McManus; Bennett (Rahman, 46), Dolan (Huddart, 65), Coulton; Holland-Wilkinson (Leigh, 70).


YOUTH CUP TIE MATCH POSTPONED

[themaclad]

Youth team beat Oxford 2-0 in Youth Cup

---

Blackburn away next round

[themaclad]

PNE U18 2 Fleetwood Town U18 3

The youth team were on the receiving end of a five-goal thriller at UCLan Sports Arena in Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash at UCLan Sports Arena, as Fleetwood Town came from behind to win 3-2.

Sitting in first place in the North West Youth Alliance league going into the game, the young Lilywhites made a strong start to the game, with Louis Potts’ first half brace ensuring a two-goal cushion at the break.

But the visitors responded in the second half as Barry Baggley, Kian Makepeace and Lewis Cooke all hit the target, ensuring it was the Cod Army who took all three points, taking them from second place ahead of the game to now being joint top of the league alongside PNE.

Nick Harrison made two changes to the team that beat Oxford United at Deepdale in the FA Youth Cup on Monday night, Potts replacing Ethan Walker – who has since been loaned out to Stalybridge Celtic – and Harry Huddart coming in for the injured Ben Dooley.

The home side were by and large the dominant outfit for the opening period of the game, but only came close to making their possession count when Potts shot over the crossbar and Tyler Williams couldn’t quite stretch to meet Lewis Coulton’s corner.

There had been a slight opening for Fleetwood as well, when Anthony Williams’ header looped into the air and forced Jimmy Corcoran to palm away.

A much more purposeful header from Carl Johnston threatened to break the deadlock minutes later, as he met Billy Batch’s left-wing delivery, but planted his effort against the left-hand post.

The Lilywhites continued on the frontfoot, with Tyrhys Dolan not quite able to turn home the cutback from Jacob Holland-Wilksinon, before, between them, Potts and Joe Nolan somehow failed to score – the former denied by Scott Pengelly’s fine one-on-one save, the latter perhaps even more unfortunate to see Sam Barrett to clear his rebound off the line.

PNE did make a deserved breakthrough just before the half hour mark. Dolan’s anticipation allowed him to edge into the box and prod the ball past Pengelly, and although a defender got back to prevent him turning over the line, Potts ran onto the subsequent loose ball and hammered home first time from ten yards.

Fleetwood saw more of the ball from that point onwards but North End continued to carve out openings, and were unfortunate not to make one count two minutes before the break.

Holland-Wilkinson again made inroads down the right and delivered perfectly for Potts rushing to the back post, managing to stretch a leg out to meet the cross but convering onto the crossbar.

But the home side’s No.9 did double his own and the team’s tally in first half added time, again showing predatory instincts in the box as he tapped Lewis Coulton’s cutback from the opposite flank towards goal and beat Pengelly with the help of a slight deflection.

It was a deserved half-time advantage for North End, but the second half very much proved to be one that belonged to the visitors.

They halved the deficit just moments after the whistle blew for the start of the second half, as Batch crossed in from the left and Makepeace got the slightest of touches to flick onto the back post, where Baggley nodded in just three minutes after the restart.

Fleetwood hit the woodwork three times before they drew level, Batch firing onto the crossbar after Lewis Earl had cut out Makepeace’s run into the box, with Earl getting back crucially again to clear when substitute Cooke’s effort rebounded off the underside of the goal frame, and Baggley then clipping the outside of the post from 20 yards.


The equaliser arrived with 20 minutes left on the clock, as Makepeace weaved his way into the box with some neat close control and rifled into the bottom right corner.

Cooke hit the post for a second time minutes later with his low shot from a corner but it proved a case of time of third time lucky for the substitute.

He netted the decisive goal with 12 minutes remaining, receiving the cutback from Baggley down the left side of the box and firing into the far corner.

Although the Lilywhites had two potential penalty shouts in added time through Coulton – one of which earning the Scotland youth international a booking – that proved to be the match-winning effort, thus ending a 12-game unbeaten run for North End’s youngsters.

Academy manager Nick Harrison was pleased with his team’s first half display but suggested they lacked a response when Fleetwood pulled one back early in the second half.

“It was a game of two halves,” he told the club website. “I thought we were very good first half, I thought the work rate and understanding as a team was very good and we deserved to be in the lead.

“Winning the game 2-0 at half-time, the next goal is important and we concede it. What’s disappointing is how we dealt with the game after that. I don’t think the players took enough responsibility on the pitch to affect the game and to try to control it.

“I just thought some poor individual decisions and us not protecting the goal well enough lets them back in the game.”

After their FA Youth Cup exploits over the last week, which saw a win over Oxford United on Monday night with the game having been postponed the previous week, Nick admitted there were some tired bodies in the squad but wouldn’t excuse that for this defeat.

“I think we certainly had a few players that were tired but that’s the nature of football," he continued.

“If they’re going to become professional footballers, especially in the Championship with the number of games there are so close together, they’ve got to experience that.

“They’ve then got to learn for the last parts of the game to keep hold of your lead, to protect the goal and win the game 2-1.”

PNE line-up: Corcoran; Huddart, Williams, Earl, Coulton; Nolan, McManus; Holland-Wilkinson, Dolan (Bennett, 81), Coulton; Potts (Rodwell-Grant, 79). Subs not used: Nicholson, Lombard, Leigh.

Fleetwood Town line-up: Pengelly, Goldsborough, Batch, Boule, Patterson, Barrett, Morris, Williams, Makepeace, Johnston (Cooke, 57), Baggley. Subs not used: Borwick, Collins, Hayes, Takpe.

Referee: Mr C Wood.