Newcastle Res 0 Aston Villa Res 0

[adrenachrome]

nufc.com:

Newcastle's reserve side returned to league action on Tuesday afternoon when they faced Aston Villa on the training pitches at Darsley Park.

The game saw Danny Guthrie and Danny Simpson make their first appearances of the season following recovery from injury - the former playing the full game in central midfield and the latter getting 75 minutes at right back.

Following his recent Carling Cup outings at left back, Shane Ferguson returned to his more familiar position of outside left, with Ryan Taylor operating on the opposite flank. Xisco meanwhile played for the first time since his sending off during the reserve victory at the mackems.   

What chances there were in the opening 45 minutes came to home players, with visiting 'keeper Elliot Parish making blocks to deny Xisco, Ferguson and Phil Airey.

An eminently forgettable second period then saw United fail to create a single chance of note, Ryan Donaldson a straight half time replacement in midfield for Alan Smith.

James Tavernier moved from central defence to right back following Simpson's substitution, while Sammy Ameobi was a late arrival in a bid to boost the Newcastle attack.

The closing stages saw Villa force a couple of corners as they attempted to steal a late winner, but United 'keeper Ole Soderberg was equal to their only decent shot on target  - an 89th minute effort from Graham Burke.

It's now just one defeat in their opening five games this season for United reserves, but their first 0-0 scoreline since February 2008 won't live long in the memory. For anyone who didn't see it, you didn't miss anything....

NUFC: Soderberg, Simpson (J.Henderson 75), Dummett, A.Smith (Donaldson 46), Grieve, Tavernier, R.Taylor, Guthrie, Airey, Xisco, Ferguson (Ameobi 80).
Sub n/u: Alnwick, McLaughlin.

AVFC: Parish, Berry, Deeney, Hogg, Clark, Lowry, Barton (Taylor 70), Nelson-Addy, Collins Jnr, Johnson, Cameron (Burke 85).
Subs n/u: Marshall, Halfhuid, Jenkins.

NB: NUFC have indicated that both this and the home reserve game against Bolton Wanderers later this month will be played behind closed doors - reason unknown.

[eamonn]

The reserves might struggle a bit with Bananaman, Albrighton and the Fonz's promotion to the first team squad. The likes of Davies, Sidwell, even Salifou and Osborne should be involved though, otherwise they'll get ring-rusty unless Houllier is going to continue playing practice matches for senior players on the fringes.

Having said that, any chance we could swap this for our first team's result at Noocassil?

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Not a bad result considering our more established players out and there`s involved ........

[pauliewalnuts]

Newcastle Reserves 0 - Villa Reserves 0
Attendance: 45,435