6 mins Kerry shot at the Hospital End 1-0

45 mins Orsi shot 0-2

Half time: Town 2 Magpies 0

Full time: Town 2 Magpies 0

Kevin Richardson said:

"I think they're a little bit down, a little bit disappointed.

"They know they can perform better as the group of staff that are here to support them know they can.

"Sometimes, you've got to give credit to the opponent. At times, they stopped us from playing and broke from that.

"We just have to be braver on the ball and quicker on the ball because I know this group can play some good football at times.

"Glimpses are fine but glimpses are not enough - we need more."

Simon Weaver said:

"The Papa John’s Trophy is very important: we had our pre-match meeting before the game and we said what our expectations of Newcastle were, but also said that the aim is to progress as far as possible.

"This Trophy was created originally for the likes of these Under-21s teams to come into senior football and see what it’s like, so we’re not here to be nice about it, we’re here to win the game.

"If they learned something from it, then great, but it’s about us continuing in this competition because it’s an opportunity, if you’re successful, to play at Wembley and that is our dream again.

"If we expect from ourselves to keep on going, we would dearly love to get back on the M1 and head towards Wembley again, it would just be amazing.

"We went through the video of Saturday (a 2-1 win at Oldham Athletic in League Two) because there were elements to improve upon and I thought the lads took everything on board.

"Our shape, right across the middle four, was a lot more compact so we won the ball back because we knew they’d try and slip balls through.

"For our boys it was about winning the game, but progressing our own game-plan and being better and better. There were signs again of another progression.

"We were on the front foot in every aspect.”
 

This was United's third-ever visit to Wetherby Road - and third defeat:

2002/03 lost 1-3 FR
2021/22 lost 1-2 FR
2021/22 lost 0-2 (EFL Trophy)

NUFC in the EFL Trophy - all time:

2017/18 Crewe Alexandra won 2-1
2017/18 Port Vale lost 0-1
2017/18 Oldham Athletic lost 1-4
2018/19 Doncaster Rovers won 3-1
2018/19 Notts County won 2-0
2018/19 Grimsby Town won 3-2
2018/19 Macclesfield Town drew 1-1 (won 5-3 pens)
2018/19 mackems lost 0-4
2019/20 Macclesfield Town lost 1-2
2019/20 Shrewsbury Town lost 0-3
2019/20 Port Vale lost 1-2
2020/21 Shrewsbury Town lost 0-3
2020/21 Crewe Alexandra lost 0-1
2020/21 Bolton Wanderers lost 2-3
2021/22 Sheffield Wednesday lost 0-3
2021/22 Harrogate Town lost 0-2

Two first half goals gave Harrogate Town victory over Newcastle U21s on Tuesday, in what was the first-ever competitive meeting of the two clubs.

A second EFL Trophy defeat in as many games confirms elimination for Magpies with one tie still to play - tonight their ninth successive reverse in this competition.

Many of those selected by interim coach Kevin Richardson featured in a 1-2 pre-season loss at Wetherby Road in July, but bright sunshine was replaced by driving rain three months later.

The League Two hosts came into this tie unbeaten in all six of their home games to date this season - and led after just six minutes from the first real attack of note.

Newcastle's over-age goalkeeper Mark Gillespie tragically underhit a pass out to defender Charlie Wiggett, allowing Jack Muldoon to gain possession inside the box and set up Lloyd Kerry for a routine finish.

Gillespie did redeem himself by helping keep Town at bay, but it took 36 minutes for United to threaten at the other end; Joe White and Dylan Stephenson combining to tee up Elliot Anderson, whose dipping 20-yarder was narrowly over the bar.

The Sulphurites doubled their lead just before half-time, when Jack Young was robbed in the centre circle by George Thomson and Muldoon broke forward to play in Danilo Orsi, who swept the ball home.

Harrogate came close to a third five minutes after the resumption when twice blocking efforts from Will Smith in the same attacking move.

The feared deluge of goals failed to materialise however; United doing better at pressing as conditions deteriorated still further on a filthy night in North Yorkshire.

Jay Turner-Cooke replaced the all-too-casual White at half-time and showed some willingness to get crosses over from the United right.

It took until 83 minutes for Harrogate goalkeeper Joe Cracknell to muddy his gloves however, denying substitute Adam Wilson from close range.

Turner-Cooke fired over in added time but it remained 0-2 as the rain lashed down - the hosts by then having introduced a trio of Academy players from the bench.

Kerry then almost wrapped up the success with a memorable solo strike, but pinged his long-range effort off the crossbar from distance.

This was the second of three group stage games for United's second string, who opened up with a 0-3 loss at Sheffield Wednesday in August and conclude by visiting Mansfield Town next month.

That is now a meaningless contest, with Harrogate and Sheffield Wednesday each confirmed as progressing from our group after earning six points from two games - The Owls winning 2-1 at the Stags tonight.

Biffa