Reserves pick up the win

Reserves in thriller at Pointon Park...

Saturday 5th April 2025

Newcastle Town Reserves took the short trip to Pointon park Cheddleton to face Leek CSOB in the Staffs County Senior League Premier Division, hoping to make it three wins out of their last four games. CSOB were sitting two places higher in the league having played the same number of games with an eight point advantage over Castle.

Newcastle's squad was heavily depleted with ten members of the squad either ill or unavailable however, with still a decent set of players available it was a good opportunity to see other members of the squad gain more game time.

On a playing surface very hard and a strong wind, conditions were not the best and it was no surprise to see the opening ten minutes a scrappy affair, both sides struggling to find any quality or opportunities to get any threat on goal. It was the home side who struck first when Thomas O' Shaughessy popped up in the six yard box to get CSOB in the lead on 15 minutes following some half decent possession.

This seemed to wake Castle up and began to find more space in the wide areas together with a little more quality with the ball. This led to an equliser on 18 minutes with a break down the left side and good possession from Orlando, Christer and Barnett led to panic in the CSOB defence, and after a good save from the home keeper a scramble led to Orlando getting the final touch to score.

Castle now settled down and despite the conditions were using the ball better, this improved play resulted in Castle winning a number of free kicks in the oppositions half one of which led to Sam Pickups great cross into the box to find the head of Zac Turner on 42 minutes who guided the ball into the bottom corner of the net HT 1-2.

Castle came out second half with a definite higher tempo and on the 50 minute mark Orlando struck again, this time he got his head to a well flighted free kick from Charlie Winfer 1-3 Castle. It was all Castle now and several chances were missed as it became one way traffic for the visitors. With castle having much of the ball in and around the CSOB penalty area a sequence of shots on goal were blocked and half cleared, one of these clearances found Tyler Christer five yards outside the box and his left foot drive was too powerful for the keeper to get anything on, 58 minutes 1-4.

To give credit to the home side they kept going well and gave their team some fresh legs off the bench, the game was becoming scrappy again and Castle with no subs to call on were looking a little leggy, however it was a very good ball from the home side which caught Castle napping and Lennon Hill came off the bench to grab a late goal on 85 minutes for the home side.

A very well earned three points away from home from a squad who adapted well and worked hard to ensure it was three wins from the last four games.