United's under-21 side beaten by Barrow

United’s second-string conceded four times during the first-half at Holker Street, with Emile Acquah opening the scoring for the hosts before David Worrall’s free-kick, Niall Canavan’s header and Jamie Proctor’s close-range finish extended Newcastle’s deficit further.

The young Magpies did pull a goal back in the second-half following Amadou Diallo’s curling free-kick but the strike proved a mere consolation after an otherwise difficult afternoon in Cumbria.

Under-21s Lead Player Development Coach Ben Dawson made six changes from the side which began the 2-0 friendly defeat against Carlisle United at the Gateshead International Stadium last week as Scottish defender Charlie McArthur, who joined the Magpies from hometown club Kilmarnock in July 2022, was named in the starting XI.

With a number of Academy youngsters involved with Newcastle’s senior side for their Premier League Summer Series campaign in the United States, the likes of teenage left-back Dylan Charlton and 17-year-old striker Josh Donaldson - who both signed full-time scholarships at United’s Little Benton Academy last summer - were both handed their full non-competitive debuts at under-21 level while Peruvian midfielder Rodrigo Vilca returned to the squad after missing out on the pre-season clash against Carlisle.

In front of 1,289 spectators, Newcastle goalkeeper Will Brown was quickly forced into action within the opening 20 seconds of the friendly clash as the 21-year-old goalkeeper, who signed his first professional contract with his boyhood club in the summer of 2021, held Jamie Proctor’s low goalbound shot after the Barrow forward twisted and turned on the edge of the penalty area.

Newcastle fell behind in the 21st minute following Acquah’s close-range finish, who blocked Canavan’s initial header from Worrall’s whipped corner before firing the loose ball home from close-range.

Four minutes, Newcastle conceded a second through Worrall’s impressive free-kick, firing the ball into the top left-hand corner from the edge of the penalty area.

In the 37th minute, Newcastle took a further tough blow as Canavan netted Barrow’s third goal of the afternoon, with the Bluebirds skipper latching onto Proctor’s flick from Dean Campbell’s inviting delivery before heading beyond Brown.

Barrow netted a fourth goal on the stroke of half-time as Campbell threaded a pass in behind the United defence before Rory Feely cut the ball back into Proctor’s path, who curled the ball home from inside the six-yard area.

Newcastle began the second-half in positive fashion and, in the 56th minute, Diallo netted for the visitors as the 20-year-old winger, who joined the Magpies in October 2022 following departure from West Ham United, placed his free-kick over the Barrow wall beyond former Gateshead and Blyth Spartans goalkeeper Paul Farman.

Newcastle United Under-21s: Will Brown (Max Thompson 60), Charlie Wiggett (Rory Powell 65), Trialist (Anthony Munda 75), Charlie McArthur (Ciaran Thompson 46), Dylan Charlton (Kyle Crossley 65), Nathan Carlyon, James Huntley, Rodrigo Vilca (Ellis Stanton 65), Dylan Stephenson (Jordan Hackett 46), Amadou Diallo (Johnny Emerson 65), Josh Donaldson (Michael Ndiweni 46).