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Watson: 'No Complaints With Reds Reversal'
Written by Newcastle Utd
Under-18 coach Dave Watson had few complaints as Newcastle's youngsters lost to Liverpool
By Tom Easterby
After their 5-1 defeat at the hands of Liverpool on Saturday, under-18 coach Dave Watson had few complaints as Newcastle United continue their search for a first Barclays Under-18 Premier League win of the season.
Mackenzie Heaney's goal looked to have given the Magpies a fighting chance after Harry Wilson's early penalty and a Sergi Canos effort had given the visitors a two-goal advantage, but second half strikes from Wilson, Jerome Sinclair and Will Marsh completed an emphatic win.
"I think it looks worse than it was," said Watson of the scoreline.
"Liverpool were very good, make no mistake about it, but I thought we went toe-to-toe with them for the first 45 minutes, got ourselves back into it and then the next goal was always going to be important - if they got it, it's a hell of a battle, if we got it, we're right back in the game.
"The concentration levels after half-time weren't the best and we gave a goal away after four or five minutes of the second half, so it was going to be an uphill battle then.
"Once you're 3-1 up, as a team, you're more relaxed on the ball, you keep better possession, and that's what Liverpool did.
"I can't fault the lads for their effort and their commitment - they give us that week in, week out."
The 53-year-old former England centre-half, who spent 15 years as a player at the Reds' Merseyside rivals Everton, bemoaned the failure of his side to convert their opportunities in front of goal but was hopes the experience will stand his youngsters in good stead going forward.
"It's difficult, but as long as the kids come away and have learned something from the game and have picked something up and are moving on next week, that's great by us," he said.
"We had chances - balls across the goal, a couple of through balls with people running onto it - and on another day, we might have scored one or two but we didn't take our chances and we got punished at the other end.
"A lot of the kids are learning, a lot of the kids are getting better, and another year down the line it'll be very interesting to see where we're at."