Forthcoming Fixtures

Newcastle Tooned Out by City

MCFC Reserves 3 - 0 NUFC Reserves

City reserves produced their best display of the season in the re-arranged December fixture against Newcastle United at Hyde United's Ewen Fields with midfielder and goal scorer Paul Marshall producing an all action display. City's other goal scorers were Ian Daly with a header from a free kick and a bit of eastern European magic from Vladimir Weiss.

City showed their intent in the third minute by winning the first corner of the match in the third minute. City were playing some great one touch football and causing the Newcastle defence a lot of problems but they were pretty well organised and so it was not until the nineteenth minute that Newcastle's goalkeeper Tim Krul was called to make a good save as everything before hand seemed to go straight at him. The save came about when Ryan McGivern and Donal McDermott had some good inter play down the left side and McDermott's deep cross straightened up and was heading the far corner of the goal but Krul adjusted himself and tipped the ball away.

City did not have to wait long for the opening goal however as within five minutes Weiss evaded a few Newcastle challenges before feeding Marshall who pushed forward and used his trusty left peg to fire the ball past Krul from twenty five yards.

City did not sit on their laurels as a ninety second spell where balls into the box were causing the Newcastle defence all sorts of problems with Marshall being at the heart of it and it all ended in captain Clayton McDonald bursting into the box with a bit of sublime skill for such a big fellow as he eventually flicked the ball up and half volleyed to goal; but fortunately for Krul it was virtually straight at him.

Late in the first half Newcastle had their best chance of the match to score when Jonathan Godsmark was put clean through but Tobias Johansen came out well and got down quickly to smother Godsmark's shot.

That only spurred City on further as Adam Clayton was cynically brought down in the Newcastle half and chief free kick taker Marshall took responsibility as he whipped his in-swinging dead ball right into the danger area as Daly ran in and rose well to head the ball into the far corner of the goal.

The second half was not quite as intense but City still always looked in control as in the sixty fourth minute City carved out another decent chance thanks to Weiss' trickery as he evaded the Newcastle defence before cutting the ball back to Daly but he found James Taylor on the line to clear the well struck shot.

City sealed the victory in the eighty first minute when McDermott's tenacity with three Newcastle players as he gained clear ground away from them he saw Weiss in space on the right and again Weiss bamboozled the Newcastle defence as he surged towards the box before from a tight angle he fired a powerful low shot across Krul and into the far corner of the goal.

My feelings go out to David Ball as he worked tirelessly up front and created some reasonable chances but it just did not run for him and there was no exception with five minutes remaining as the ball after another great passage of play came out to Ball on the left hand edge of the penalty area and he pushed into the box before unleashing a strong shot across Krul that just went wide of the far post.

City went two points clear of Sunderland at the top of the table with this result but Sunderland have two games in hand over City. If City continue to play like they did against Newcastle then they will surely have a chance at winning the title; but whether or not any scouts watching take the chance on prising some of our young players away on loan or permanent deals will clearly have a bearing on how our stiffs do in the league I am sure.


City: T Johansen(GK), Obeng(Morris 83), McGivern, Mee, McDonald(Capt.), Clayton, Weiss, Marshall, D Ball, Daly, McDermott.

Subs: Clegg(GK), Kay, Moore, Brown.


Newcastle: Krul(GK), Taylor, Lough, Doninger(McDermott79), Grieve(Marwood 13), Tavernier, Godsmark, Inman, Ranger, Smith(Capt.)(McCrudden65), Danquah.

Subs: Ferguson, Dummett.


Att: 166.