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Barnsley XI 2 Newcastle United U23s 3
Written by Newcastle Utd
Newcastle United Under-23s rounded off their preparations for the 2016/17 season with a victory over a Barnsley XI on Monday
By Tom Easterby - Newcastle United Club Reporter
Barnsley XI 2 (Brown 41, 89)
Newcastle United Under-23s 3 (Heardman 3, Longstaff 35, Charman 66)
Newcastle United Under-23s rounded off their preparations for the 2016/17 season with a victory over a Barnsley XI on Monday afternoon.
Peter Beardsley's side travelled to Yorkshire to face the Tykes at their Oakwell academy training base in what was the Magpies' final pre-season fixture before the new Premier League 2 campaign gets underway in a week's time with a trip to Norwich City.
A strong United side featuring the likes of Gael Bigirimana and Curtis Good lined up against Barnsley, though United were without the services of forward Ivan Toney, who completed a loan move to Shrewsbury Town on Monday.
But they began brightly, and Tom Heardman put them ahead just a few minutes into the contest, capitalising on some lax defending from the hosts and rounding the goalkeeper before slotting home the opener.
It was Heardman's first goal in well over a year, with the tall frontman having missed the entirety of the 2015/16 season through injury, only making his return to the fold in last week's 1-0 defeat to Northern League side Ashington.
Ten minutes before the break, the Magpies made in two. Some good work from Bigirimana was rewarded when Sean Longstaff stroked home his fifth goal of pre-season to give the visitors some breathing space.
However, a deflected effort from Jacob Brown four minutes before half time gave Barnsley hope, and they then went close to a leveller just after the restart, but Scottish centre-half Stuart Findlay was well-placed to clear the ball off the line.
Winger Sammy Ameobi - introduced in place of Alex Gilliead at half time for his first outing of pre-season - then linked up well with Bigirimana to release lone forward Luke Charman, who made it 3-1 with just under 25 minutes of the game remaining.
After 18-year-old Charman saw a further few chances come and go, substitute Dan Ward struck the woodwork as United sought to extend their lead late on.
And while Brown made sure of an nervy finale by pulling one back with just a minute left on the clock, Beardsley's youngsters had already done enough to secure the victory.
United's focus now turn to next Monday's trip to Norfolk, where they will face Dmitri Halajko's Norwich - who fielded first teamers Kyle Lafferty, Robbie Brady and ex-Magpie Sebastien Bassong in a bid to build up their match fitness in their friendly win over Colchester United on Monday.
Newcastle United Under-23s: Freddie Woodman; Michael Newberry, Callum Williams (Stuart Findlay 46), Curtis Good (Stefan Broccoli 74), Liam Gibson (Kyle Cameron 64); Gael Bigirimana (Dan Ward 74), Dan Barlaser (Jack Hunter 54); Alex Gilliead (Sammy Ameobi 50); Sean Longstaff; Callum Roberts (Jamie Holmes 74); Tom Heardman (Luke Charman 46).