A YOUNG Newcastle side progressed to the second round of the Doodson Sports Cup, as three goals in the first half sent Halesowen crashing out at the first hurdle, writes Reece Chalton.

Halesowen made several changes to the side, with youthful prospects Oli Long and John Hill starting, as well as Robert Thompson-Brown, Chris Lait and Sam Pearson regaining a starting 11 place.

Newcastle were gifted the lead on 8 minutes as a calamitous mistake from Curtis Tilt and Sam Pearson allowed youngster Josh Gordon to slot the ball into an empty net from a couple of yards out.

Halesowen tried to regain control of the game, but this came to an abrupt end by the end of the first half, as 2 quick goals in the final 3 minutes of the half put the game out of reach.

Castle doubled their lead on 43 minutes, as Josh Gordon latched onto a thought ball and he lifted the ball over Pearson and watched it fly into the roof of the net Newcastle put the game out of reach on 45 minutes, as Tom Urwin hit a shot from an incredibly awkward angle, yet it still found its way into the net, as his ball curved back towards goal, and Pearson couldn't deal with it, as the ball ended up in the net.

Halesowen's best chances came in the second half, as Joel Kettle's header flew just over the bar, and Neil Mackenzie blasted the bar over as well.

The pace and creativity of the Newcastle side proved to be too much for the Yeltz, and it's Newcastle who progress to the next round.

Yeltz: Pearson, Green (Bragoli), Griffiths, Mackenzie, Hill (Forde), Robinson, Tilt (Kettle), Tonks, Thompson-Brown, Long, Lait. Subs not used: Sargeant, Turner.