Newcastle under-21s were beaten 3-1 by Harrogate Town in their final Vertu Trophy match of the 2025/26 season
Sean Neave of Newcastle United
Sean Neave of Newcastle United(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Images)
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A flag in the Harrogate Town home end read 'for the love not the glory' and it felt apt on a cold, rainy night in North Yorkshire, where Newcastle's under-21s knew they could not qualify for the knockout rounds of the Vertu Trophy regardless of the result.
It was a test of the young Magpies' motivation levels but if they are going to make careers for themselves in the senior games, it is these types of games against seasoned League Two opposition where you have to stand out above their peers.
Newcastle named a starting XI that included first team defender Harrison Ashby, Ben Parkinson who has a first team appearance for the Magpies under his belt, as well as Park Seung-soo and Alfie Harrison - who both featured prominently for the first team in pre-season.
But it was Sean Neave who was the standout attraction, even if he didn't end up on the scoresheet, as we have come to expect at youth level, in the young Magpies' 3-1 defeat at Harrogate.
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Picking up pockets of space all over the pitch, Neave was involved in everything positive for the young Magpies.
The 18-year-old was the one player Harrogate players were vocally concerned about, with defender Anthony O'Connor always ensuring his team-mates were aware as Neave drifted into new areas of the pitch looking to make things happen.
His quality in front of goal is obvious - he has nine goals in 17 games at all youth levels this season - but his passing range and dribbling ability was on display in North Yorkshire, too. There was one switch of play towards Harrison in the second half which drew a reluctant groan of appreciation from the home crowd.
Some of his decision making at times in the final third left a little bit to be desired and there will be frustration he didn't make more of a couple of openings, but that is expected of someone so young. There is still room for improvement.
What was striking was how positive he was on the ball and how much he continued to look to make things happen despite the dreadful weather conditions.
Neave is developing rapidly at youth level and, of course, was on the bench for the first team on a number of occasions last season - including in the Carabao Cup final.
But he has proven he can perform at senior level this season and in defeat to Harrogate in some testing conditions, he would have learned more about himself and his ability than in any of the games he has scored in this term.
Harrogate used all of their football league experience and knowhow to exert their physicality over proceedings in the first half and it took just 12 minutes for their pressure to tell when former Sunderland midfielder Ellis Taylor opened the scoring with a fierce effort from the edge of the penalty area.
The hosts almost doubled their lead in the 31st minute when Reece Smith's wicked curling effort whistled just past of James Taylor's post and it looked like it was going to be a long night for the young Magpies.
But they held in there and passed a test of their patience and it was rewarded when they found the equaliser. Neave picked the ball up in the middle of the half, moved it to the right hand side, drawing a foul in the process.
Ashby picked up the ball, slid in Harrison and he curled it left-footed beyond the grasp of Town goalkeeper James Belshaw.
Harrison had appeared frustrated throughout the first half but when the opportunity presented itself, he had the quality to make it count.
Alfie Harrison celebrates his goal for Newcastle under-21s vs Harrogate Town
Alfie Harrison celebrates his goal for Newcastle under-21s vs Harrogate Town
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The second half started in a similar vain and Taylor almost scored his and Harrogate's second after dispossessing defender Charlie McArthur before hitting the post.
He then tested the palms of Taylor from distance before Shawn McCoulsky missed a close range rebound as Harrogate looked the more likely side to find the second goal.
And they found it when Tom Cursons' left-footed effort from the edge of the penalty area clipped the inside of Taylor's post before hitting the back of the net.
Cursons then grabbed his second goal of the evening to make it 3-1, lifting the ball over Taylor from close range to put the seal on the win.
It marked the end of Newcastle's Vertu Trophy campaign and there is now a decision looming for United in January as to what's best to do next for Neave's development.
He could well remain on Tyneside and on the periphery of the first team where Eddie Howe can keep a close eye on a youngster he has made it known he admires.
Or a loan move could be an option for Neave to continue to experience the rough and tumble of senior football in an environment away from Newcastle's academy.
Either way, Neave is becoming harder and harder to ignore.