Jay Turner-Cooke expressed his satisfaction after bagging a brace from the bench as Newcastle United Under-21s kicked off their 2023/24 Premier League 2 season with a thrilling 5-3 win against Southampton.
The young Magpies faced an early setback, conceding twice within the opening seven minutes due to Dominic Ballard’s double at the Little Benton Academy. However, they managed to overturn the deficit before halftime, with Amadou Diallo converting a penalty and Ben Parkinson and Charlie McArthur adding to the scoresheet.
Turner-Cooke, introduced as a substitute, made an immediate impact by scoring twice in the closing stages. Despite Nathan Carlyon’s red card that left Newcastle with ten men and Ballard completing his hat-trick during stoppage time, the young Magpies secured a victory over Southampton, earning three points in their first league match of the 2023/24 campaign.
The 19-year-old attacking midfielder, who netted his debut senior goal during Newcastle’s 3-2 pre-season triumph against Gateshead last month, shared his thoughts with nufc.co.uk: “Winning the first game is significant. Southampton clinched the league title last season, so defeating them, scoring five goals, and winning on the opening day is a major achievement for us.”
Turner-Cooke acknowledged the team’s comeback effort, saying, “The fightback was encouraging. Conceding two early goals was disappointing and put us in a challenging situation. However, we have a lot of quality in our squad. Scoring three goals in the first half and ultimately winning the match provided a considerable boost.”
When he was asked to make an impact after coming off the bench, Turner-Cooke aimed to deliver: “Although I was disappointed not to start, I wanted to make a positive impact when I got the chance. I had a strong pre-season, felt fit and prepared, and I have confidence in my ability to score goals in this league.”
The young talent recognized the importance of continuous development, especially after his involvement with the senior squad during their United States tour for the Premier League Summer Series matches against Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Reflecting on his experience, Turner-Cooke said, “Being with the first team was highly beneficial. Observing their daily work routine and playing in the US matches after coming off the bench significantly impacted me. Learning from players like Bruno Guimarães and Sandro Tonali has been invaluable for us young players. Hopefully, we can continue this progress.”