After a summer of transition from top to bottom at the club, with everyone but the ever popular Tea Lady seeming to have their position at the club under scrutiny, it was largely the same batch of youngsters who we grew to know the ins and outs of in a topsy turvy past twelve months at Little Benton. United, having a reputation as “Cup specialists” after two consecutive runs to the Youth Cup semi final, took on a gutsy Crewe side in the season opener.

With the likes of Krul, Carroll and Cavener heading on to pastures new, a lot more emphasis was placed on some players who were marely squad players last term. Lot’s of tears were shed behind closed doors in May, as many youngsters, supposedly expecting 12 month deals at the club, were unexpectedly shown the door by our former lovable Chairman.

A cold, blustery day at the Academy saw Newcastle United line up with a familiar back line. Mark Cook, the villain in the Youth Cup Semi Final against Liverpool, retained his place between the sticks. Recent first team debutants Mark Bertram and Darren Lough took up their usual spots at Right and Left Back respectively. Other familiar faces in the starting XI included Callum Morris, Alex Francis, James Marwood and Mark Doninger, with United lining up in a very attack minded formation.
Up top, a combination of pace and power was formed by the lightening quick Jonny Godsmark and Frank Wiafe Danquah, best know for his miss from a yard out in the friendly at Hull.

The substitutes, in contrast, were relative unknowns. Dan Leadbitter, Michael McCrudden, Stewart Bath, Kieran Wrightson and Campbell Bell took up their places on the…err… grass in the imaginary dug outs.
255 minutes prior to the senior side kicking off their home campaign, the bairns did the same, everyone looking to impress early doors ahead of a long and tough campaign.

The early action was very scrappy, as to be expected in mid August, with free flowing football at a premium.

The first chance of any real quality in the contest resulted in a goal for the home side. A run of real quality down the left flank by Doninger and a slick ball to Danquah. A return pass to Donnger allowed the flying winger to whip a ball accross the six yard box. Coming in at the far post was little Godsmark who, cool as a cucumber, slipped the ball past an inexperienced and helpless Jack Baker in the Crewe Alexandra goal.

Just before the end of the opening period, the hard working visitors earned a deserved, if unexpected, equaliser. A sloppily conceded free kick ended in with the ball in Mark Cook’s net. Luke Danville, a second year scholar for Alexandra, whipped in a decent cross. Josh Thompson managed to create a chance for former Liverpool man Ben McHugh out of very little with a superb flick on. The versatile defender did superbly not to get the ball trapped under his feet and smashed it goalwards. Cook did well to get anything on the shot, but unfortunately for the stopper, the ball looped up and under the crossbar, to draw the Railwaymen level.

An uneventful second half was a story of three chances, as goalmouth action was at a premiem. Callum Morris steamed forward with two goalbound headers, only to see both cleared off the line by the visitors. Josh Thompson had a superb chance to take the three points to Crewe, but Mark Cook instinctivly saved superbly. The only substitute for the home side was Campbell bell in the 80th minute made little impact, on a day where Crewe came for a point and it was a case of “job done” for the visitors.

All in all, it was a gritty, battling game, where no team showed enough to deserve victory, but no team deserved to lose.

For me, it’s a case of one point won, rather than two lost.
My Man of the Match: Jonny Godsmark

NSG