Ben Metcalf grows from 'character building' Ashington debut after clean-sheet streak | OneFootball

Sunderland goalkeeper Ben Metcalf has steadied himself after a bruising Ashington debut during his first loan, and has earned a Northern Ireland Under-21 call-up. The 19-year-old is with Northern Premier League East Division side Ashington after signing his first professional deal last summer.

Metcalf’s introduction was harsh, an 8-0 home loss to newly crowned Redcar Athletic. “Ben’s first game was Redcar Athletic and it was character building, they were my exact words,” said Ashington joint-interim manager Mark Ellison, speaking to Sunderland Echo.

“We actually had a conversation with Jonny Maddison at Sunderland and said I was taking him out for the next game. I said we were playing Emley and I wasn’t sure my type of performance we were going to get and I was just trying to protect him a little bit.” He was on the bench for the 2-1 defeat at Emley, then returned to post three successive clean sheets.

“I don’t think they were too happy but Matty (Alexander) came in and got injured and Ben went on a little spell where he was absolutely brilliant.”

Metcalf received a maiden Northern Ireland Under-21s call-up and, although he was not named in the squad for Friday’s 3-0 defeat to Germany, he missed Ashington’s 1-0 defeat at Dunston UTS. “He was devastated because he wanted to play against Dunston but he’s been great for us,” Ellison said.

He will hope for a first Under-21 cap against Latvia on Tuesday, before Ashington visit Northern Premier League East Division rivals Hallam on Saturday.

Source: Sunderland Echo