A rare bright moment during dark times for Toon kid Baheng
In front of what can only be described as Newcastle United's hardcore supporters,Toon teenager Wesley Ngo Baheng finally made his comeback at a rain lashed Whitley Park after 10 months of injury hell.
The opponents were plucky Team Northumbria in a competition that lacks all the glamour of the big time but provides vital funding for local clubs in the shape of the Northumberland Senior Cup in front of just 354 hearty souls.
The French 19-year-old was injured in last year's Northumberland Senior Cup final after suffering knee ligament damage at St James's Park against Blyth Spartans and has had to fight back through months of agony after his first season at Gallowgate ended in dire circumstances.
Signed from Le Havre by Sam Allardyce the youngster had barely been at United when the man who had waited patiently to sign him, after giving the ex-Le Havre starlet a trial at Bolton, was shown the door at Newcastle.
Ngo Baheng did OK in the reserves last terrm and would have been knocking on the door of the first team this season given the crippling injury crisis at Newcastle.
Instead the end of last season was the start of a long rehab process for teenager who has endured his own personal misery while the rest of Newcastle United appears to be collapsing around him.
He sat it out on the bench for the first hour as goals from Mark Doninger and exciting Slovenian young gun Haris Vukic fired United 2-0 up.
Then on the hour came his big moment when he replaced recently signed Swede Samuel Adjei.
It took Baheng just 14 minutes to get on the scoresheet as wriggled through and fired home number three.
It was a moment Baheng had dreamed of and capped a fairytale return.
Four minutes later and another promising youngster in James Tavernier finally found some space after his umpteenth forward run from full-back of the night.
Then with a minute remaining a good build up, with Baheng lying injured, Guide Post speed demon Jonny Godsmark polished off a fine move to pick his spot and make it 5-0.
Afterwards, Baheng emerged a delighted figure with coach Richard Money also pleased.
Money also had to avoid a flying tea cup in the Whitley Park tunnel after a bungling waiter lost control and toppled the chinaware over a balcony before it smashed on the floor as he chatted to the Chronicle.
However, with both Money and Baheng still very much still in the other cup, the Northumberland Senior Cup, what price a dream goal in this year's final from the Toon young gun?
UNITED: Soderberg, Tavernier, Taylor, Lough, Dummett, Doninger, Danquah (McCrudden 74), Vuckic (Inman 60), Adjei (Baheng 60), Godsmark, Ferguson.
Attendance 354
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
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Some encouraging news Lee & thanks for the update.
I don't get to see the Reserve fixtures unfortunately and rely on your reports or other websites information on the young guns at the toon - would it be possible to give us an opinion on some of the others that we have signed recently? I know obviously it is early days and there should be caution when discussing prospects so to not heap too much praise on them, but it would be interesting to hear comments on the youngsters and give some of us interested something to look forward too.
For example - Is Tozer still injured? Has the Brazilian lad arrived yet? How about the young centre forward that made an eagerly awaited appearance for the reserves last week? Adjei? Ranger? etc etc
I doubt he would have been knocking on the first teams door.
After all our staff lack the cahones to play youth.
Andy was right! Our staff lack the cahones to play youth! Unlike Arsene Wenger mind set.
Who will play against man Utd, some youngster will have to help out, Would like to see Jonny Godsmark on the bench at least, but with duff out, butt out, guthrie not back. Give the lad a chance.
4-3-3 may have to be employed. And please dont play geremi.