Charlton "excited" to face hometown club in National League Cup | OneFootball

The young Magpies occupy third place of the eight-team group on five points, one shy of the two automatic qualification spots, and require a victory in their final group fixture in order to keep their hopes of progressing into the knockout stages alive.

Diarmuid O'Carroll's side face a Gateshead side currently situated in fourth place of the English fifth tier but, after victories against FC Halifax Town and Tamworth in this season's competition, Charlton is hopeful Newcastle's youngsters can prevail against his hometown club.

The 18-year-old left-back, who signed his first professional with the Magpies last summer, told newcastleunited.com: "We're really looking forward to it, playing against a local team and being in a new cup that we're going in to try and win, wanting to win every game we play.

"We've already shown we can do it against teams to a similar level of Gateshead so far this season so I can't see why we couldn't it again on Tuesday night.

"It's a great experience playing against different types of players, whether they are older and coming down the ranks, people who have found their level or even players of a similar age to us so it's great for our development.

A pupil at Heworth Grange School, a stone's throw away from the Gateshead International Stadium, Charlton is relishing the prospect in facing a club close to his heart.

The teenage defender, who made his first-team debut for Eddie Howe's side during last year's post-season trip to Australia, featured at the Gateshead International Stadium in last season's UEFA Youth League campaign and is hoping to use his previous experiences to his advantages on Tuesday evening.

"I'm really excited to play against them", Charlton added. "The school I went to wasn't too far from the stadium and I went to Wembley two seasons in a row to watch them in the FA Trophy finals so it's a club I follow, watching a lot of their matches.

"I just want to do well against them and not give them too much. Having played at the (Gateshead International) stadium before, I've got a good feel of playing there and I really enjoy it.

"You have that stand which builds a really good atmosphere for games and hopefully that will be the same for ours."

Tickets for Newcastle United Under-21s' National League Cup Group C clash against Gateshead can be purchased here.