Mixed feelings for Portsmouth prospects after FA Youth Cup defeat at Newcastle United
Portsmouth Under-18s exited the FA Youth Cup with a 5-2 defeat at Newcastle United on Tuesday night.
There were mixed feelings for Portsmouth academy coach Sam Hudson after his side exited the FA Youth Cup with a 5-2 defeat at Newcastle United.
The Pompey youngsters endured something of a nightmare start on a freezing cold night in the North East as their hosts raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening seven minutes thanks to a quickfire double from winger Michael Mills. However, highly-rated striker Tayo Singerr continued to add to his already glowing reputation when he halved the deficit with 19 minutes on the clock as he punished some sloppy defensive play with a typically cool finish.
The likes of Beau Mullins, Michael Ani and Jermaine Osifo all went close to grabbing an equaliser for Pompey before the Magpies went out of sight with two impressive finishes from winger Matheos Ferreira either side of half-time. The same player then went on to complete his hat-trick midway through the half with a clinical finish at the far post as Pompey’s defence failed to react to a cross from the left.
To their credit, Hudson’s side kept working hard throughout the remaining 20 minutes and got some consolation for their efforts when substitute Brandon Downey scored in injury-time. Despite his disappointment at seeing Pompey’s hopes of an FA Youth Cup run come to an end on Tyneside, Hudson praised his players for their efforts against a talented Magpies side.
He told The News: “We were pleased they kept going towards the end and I felt we got into good positions in the final third but the big difference between the two sides was applying the final touches. We got into good areas but it was either making an extra pass or attacking a bit cleaner at times. That’s a positive to take but we just needed to be more clinical. When we pressed and pressed right, we actually got the ball back in dangerous areas but we didn’t get a return from that.
“I felt if Newcastle had won the ball in the same areas, they would have got a return from it and that’s the difference. To concede early is never ideal against any side so the reaction to that was important and I felt our best moment in the game was after conceding the second up to conceding the third. It’s all ifs and buts but if we’d dealt with the second ball and the simplistic parts of the game better, and certainly for the third goal, then we got in at half-time at two-one down, then we have confidence going into the second half. We started both halves slowly, they were our worst periods. I’m proud of the reaction but disappointed we had to react in that way.”
Newcastle United U18s: Mair, Patterson, Durrant (Goodbrand), Johnson, Moran, Finneran (Taylor), Ferreira, Alabi (Miley), Wooster, O’Donovan (Pinnginton), Mills (Seldon) Subs Not Used: Dowell, Hutchison.
Portsmouth U18s: Glover, Ani, Sizer, Buckland (Wilson), Mullins, Thomas (Bailey), Martin, Agu (Hammond), Chioma (Korsah), Singerr, Osifo (Downey) Subs Not Used: Allen, Tregunna.
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