News. Turner stoked up for Potters trip

jake-turner-stoke
Published
20 Mar 22

Goalkeeper Jake Turner is aiming for Newcastle United Under-23s to maintain their bright form in the Premier League 2 ahead of Monday's trip to Stoke City.

The young Magpies, currently occupying fifth place in Division Two, take on their Stoke counterparts at the bet365 Stadium (kick-off 7pm GMT), bidding for a seventh league win in their previous nine encounters.

Turner, who began his career at Bolton Wanderers before joining Newcastle in the summer of 2019, is hopeful United's second-string can record a fourth successive away league victory.

"The Wilmslow-born goalkeeper told nufc.co.uk: "Every game is important, especially with our goal to get into the play-off spots and hopefully get promoted.

"We'll look to continue winning, carrying on from our recent game (against Birmingham) and try to get another win.

"We need to take every game as it is. There are no easy matches in under-23s football and anyone can beat anybody as you never know what kind of team they will put out on the day.

"Stoke are a good team, currently sixth in the league, so it'll be a big game for both sides which should be interesting."

"It will be played at their home ground too which is good as the aim is to play in stadiums like that in the future. it'll be good experience for us all to play in the ground.

"It should help us with the way we want to play with the ball, how we move it, and playing out from the back. The pitch will be of good quality and it gives you more excitement of playing there."

Newcastle kept their play-off hopes on course following a narrow 1-0 victory over Birmingham City on Monday night, courtesy of Dylan Stephenson's late winner at Whitley Park.

Turner, who spent the first-half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan at League Two Colchester United, was delighted to secure maximum points in dramatic fashion along with recording a clean sheet in-between the sticks.

"It was a big three points and scoring late on is always an added bonus," the 23-year-old shot-stopper added. "We defended well throughout the game and everyone pleased with the clean sheet too. We'll be aiming to build on from that and get another clean sheet to try and win against Stoke.

"To score a last-minute winner gives you that buzz and shows all the hard work you've put in throughout the week and 90 minutes is all worth it in the end when you get that goal and you can enjoy it afterwards that little bit more.

"We've had a few tough games recently so we haven't been able to record as many clean sheets as we'd like. Every goalkeeper and team as a defensive unit thrive off clean sheets so it's always nice to get one."

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