After a stop-start beginning to the campaign, the young Magpies have registered three victories in their last four outings in all competitions.
Only a late penalty denied them another win last Monday, West Bromwich Albion’s Jack Fitzwater converting an 84th-minute spot-kick to cancel out Daryl Murphy’s opener at Whitley Park.
Nevertheless, Peter Beardsley’s charges find themselves within striking distance of the Premier League 2 Division Two’s play-off places ahead of tonight’s trip to Blackburn Rovers.
And Findlay – an ever-present during the youngsters’ impressive run – believes all of his teammates are on exactly the same page as another hectic period approaches.
“The last four games I’ve been involved in, I’ve felt like there’s a better togetherness about the team and we’re all willing to go that extra bit for each other,” he told nufc.co.uk. “Once you get that taste for winning, you don’t want to lose it.
“I also feel we’ve been more secure as a team. It’s not as back-to-forward as it has been. It’s more compact, and the performances have been more professional. I think everybody has felt that and we’re determined to keep that going.”
33-year-old Murphy was one of three first team players involved last week, with Achraf Lazaar and Massadio Haidara also in action.
Boss Rafa Benitez also took in the game from the stands, Findlay admitting he was disappointed his side failed to see out the closing minutes with the Spaniard watching on.
“The first feeling is frustration, because we’d been on a good winning run the last few weeks and, the way the game was going – in the first-half especially – we were in total control,” he said. “In the second-half, we hit the post again, and I didn’t feel we were in much danger. Then, they got a penalty out of nowhere and obviously got the goal back, but to take the positives, it was another good performance and another game unbeaten, and we’ll just try and take the form we’ve been having into Monday.
“It’s always good to play with senior players and you always learn from them, but obviously, you feel for the lads who have to miss out. But, whether it’s a full youth team or whether there are a few first team players involved, the same applies in the way we want to try and play, so not much changes in that sense.”
Recruited this summer following his departure from Celtic, Findlay has established himself as a regular in the young Magpies’ backline, and will rack up his tenth appearance of the season should he figure tomorrow.
And settling into life on Tyneside, he insists, has been a straightforward process.
“It’s been ideal – all of the boys have been nothing but great,” he said. “I’m not too far away from home – it’s only two-and-a-half hours up the road. Everyone has been treating me well. There’s a wee bit of banter with the Scotland and England thing – especially due to the bad result that Scotland endured the other week – but you’re going to get that.
“I couldn’t have asked for it to start any better, really.”
