"A brilliant team performance" - Stockdale on Man United victory

"A brilliant team performance" - Stockdale on Man United victory

The young Magpies netted twice inside the opening eight minutes at the Progress With Unity Stadium, with Matheos Ferreira netting his fourth goal in as many PL2 matches before Sean Neave's impressive lob doubled the visitors' advantage.

Victor Musa's header halved the deficit for the Red Devils but Newcastle's youngsters produced a resolute defensive display before Anthony Munda's stoppage-time strike sealed maximum points, securing a spot in the Professional Development League (PDL) play-offs with a game to spare.

Stockdale told newcastleunited.com: "It was a brilliant team performance and an excellent result. It goes without saying against a team that's very good at the top end of the division.

"It's difficult to quantify that because teams change all the way through under-21s football and we've got first-year scholars playing out of position tonight but our spine is quite experienced for this level and I thought they were exceptional.

"I thought we were a real threat on the counter-attack and could've scored a couple more. The boys put the game plan into action so it was fantastic.

"I thought we started the second half really sloppy. It's something we've done regularly but credit to them to come through a spell of pressure and see it out with a threat at the other end of the pitch."

Stockdale expressed his delight in his side's fast start to the league clash against a Man United side, managed by former Magpies Under-21s Lead Coach Adam Lawrence, who had suffered two league defeats before facing Newcastle's second-string.

The Redcar-born coach added: "It doesn't get much better than that! It was a great start with real quality in the goals and we've got that type of player in the team. We've got real threats at the top end of the pitch and that's what you need at any level so I was really pleased for them.

"I can't think of Aidan having many saves to make and the two centre-backs [Miodrag Pivaš and Ciaran Thompson] were great. They're at the older end of under-21s football but they were outstanding, very composed with the ball and some of our passages of play were very strong."

Newcastle's youngsters missed out on a Premier League 2 play-off spot but have guaranteed a place in the Professional Development League play-offs, with the teams ranked from 17th to 24th place facing those in the top eight positions of the PDL.

With one defeat in their last six league games, Stockdale is hopeful his side can build on their positive form of late.

"It is about development but winning does matter and you could see that in the changing room," he said. "It's really important that we win but it's more important that we know how we've won and, tonight, we know that as it was what we worked on and what the players bought into.

"Anyone gains confidence from playing well and winning football matches. I'm pleased for the lads have worked their socks off, including the subs who came on and slotted in seamlessly.

"They knew exactly what was needed and it was one of those nights where it felt like a real game and the emotions for the players afterwards felt real for them. We need to rest and recover now before another game on Monday."