Beardsley Bemoans Seagulls Setback

By Tom Easterby - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Football development manager Peter Beardsley lamented Newcastle United Under-21s' failure to utilise their home advantage after they slumped to a 4-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on Monday.

The Seagulls were the visitors to St. James' Park for United's final Barclays Under-21s Premier League Division Two fixture of the season, but the hosts started badly, going 2-0 down early on after goals from Jack Harper and Joe Ward.

Teenage forward Luke Charman pulled one back shortly afterwards, but second half strikes from James Tilley and Jonah Ayunga sealed just a second league win of the season for bottom club Brighton.

And Beardsley was left frustrated by his team's inability to capitalise on the familiar surroundings in front of a crowd of over 500 at St. James' Park.

"It's really disappointing. I said to their coach before the game about how we struggle to play at home. I don't know what it is - if it's the stadium, the pressure of being at home, I don't know what it is - but we haven't really played really well at this stadium in the last two years," the Magpies legend told nufc.co.uk.

"I don't know if it's a big lift for the opposition, which in some ways it maybe has been for the first team games. Brighton won fair and square. We lost our shape, lost our enthusiasm if you like, and we could've lost by more.

"They shouldn't be overawed here in the sense that they've played here a lot now. Nathan (Harker)'s probably the only one that hasn't actually played at the stadium before, so they shouldn't be. Having been to the Emirates on Friday and the Liberty last week, it should be something that they get used to, and have to get used to.

"Some of them are getting to 19, 20, and obviously they have to be able to stand on their own two feet and play for themselves."

He added: "To be fair to Brighton, they took advantage of our mistakes. Probably three of the four goals were our fault, but they took advantage and won easily in the end."

One bright spot for United was the encouraging form shown by 18-year-old frontman Charman, who briefly got his side back into the contest with an unerring finish to reduce the deficit.

It was Durham-born Charman's second goal in three games, and his hard-working performance was noted by Beardsley.

"Luke scored a great goal. It was a brilliant clean strike, and I thought in the first in particular he was our best player," he said. "I thought he worked really hard, did some good things, some good lay-offs and passes.

"In the second half I think, through no fault of his own, we couldn't get him the ball, and I think in some ways he was probably trying too hard. But overall, he can be pleased with what he's done and he scored a brilliant goal."

The Magpies now have five weeks of training before they send a squad out to compete in the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens tournament next month.

Because of the seven-a-side nature of the tournament, Beardsley will take a smaller than usual squad to the Far East, and he says that while the competition is an exciting prospect, his players must have a "long, hard look at themselves" and prove their worth if they want to be on that flight.

"It's something we can look forward to, but I think on reflection they have to have a good long, hard look at themselves after tonight, because it wasn't great," he said. "The last three or four games we haven't been great overall.

"As much as Hong Kong is a boost for them, they have to reflect on this first and get in the real world."