Starlet Heaney Gets The Ball Rolling

By Dan King - Newcastle United Digital Editor

The honour of scoring Newcastle United's first goal of the 2015/16 season went to Mackenzie Heaney.

On Tuesday night, the England youth international swept home from Jamie Holmes' low centre to put the Magpies' under-18 team 1-0 up against Corby Town in front of assistant coach Paul Simpson at Little Benton.

United went on to lose an entertaining friendly match 3-2 as the visitors from Northamptonshire fought back in the second half, but it was the perfect start to the campaign for former Walker Central Boys Club teenager Heaney.

"It was brilliant to give the lads a bit of a lift in the friendly and get them kick-started for the season," said the 16-year-old, who won Sport Newcastle's Jack Hixon award in 2014.

"I played the ball out wide, it got switched to the other side, then Jamie Holmes ran and cut it back and I put it into the far corner with my right foot.

"Scoring a goal - especially with my weaker foot - is a great way for me to start the season and it was a positive start for the boys even though we lost in the end."

Heaney has just begun a two-year scholarship with the Newcastle Academy, but was a regular at under-18 level last year while still at school.

And he told nufc.co.uk: "All last year, I played for the under-18s and the lads made me feel welcome but this year, since I've come in as a proper scholar, it feels much better.

"I've had a few good months - I trained with the first team once last season and got my first England goal (against Switzerland under-16s in February). That was a top corner finish with my left foot so I was happy with that.

"This season I'm aiming to keep pushing on and try and finish in a good position in the league with the boys."