We ultimately lost 3-2, our young side had its chances to get something out of the game, but it was too much of an uphill battle in the 2nd half. More detail to follow.
Another invaluable outing for a number of our U16s, a bit of a chastening experience in a 2-3 defeat in a Bristol City game that we really ought to have taken something from. We played well for long periods of the match, simply conceding at inopportune times and missing golden opportunities to get proper reward for some really enterprising football.
We seem to be settling recently into a 4-2-3-1 formation at academy level. U16 starlet Harvey Gray led the line this evening. Harlan Perry again captained the side from the heart of the midfield, Milo Robinson alongside him.
Line-up: Tom Wright; Osian Williams (s – Wahab Ojetero 78m), Ben Phillips (s – Kiel Higginson 55m), Carter Heywood, Callum Deacon (s – Callum Jones 55m); Harlan Perry (captain), Milo Robinson (s – Alfie Jones 64m); Aidan Higgins, Bobo Evans (s – Kaven Bloniarczyk 78m), Caio Ifans; Harvey Gray.
The team was once more coached by Joe Roberts.
In the visitors’ teamsheet, left back Powell was in fact Foxwell.
We started in a familiar fashion: lots of neat forward passing, a couple of half-chances – Gray, Higgins and Robinson going close early on. The Robins relied on fairly basic punts up to quick breaking forwards, winger Akimbo catching our defence out on 20 minutes and getting a shot away that Tom Wright got full hands to.
We continued to impose ourselves impressively – some great one touch football between Heywood, Perry and Higgins setting us up for another chance before Caio Ifans made his own opening from typically forthright tackling to seize possession, only to be denied by a sliding challenge once he’d got into the Bristol penalty area.
In added time, Gray was ruled offside with what looked a perfectly good goal.
Overall, we looked in control – perhaps lacking that cutting edge and our central defenders were noticeably being harassed by Bristol’s strikers when trying to build up from the back.
That threat played out early in the 2nd half with a speculative goal for Bristol City centre forward Jackson within 2 minutes of the restart.
Caio Ifans was prevented an equaliser within minutes by an excellent save by Godden.
Rather predictably, we duly conceded a 2nd goal straightaway, some naïve defending from a corner being ruthlessly punished. Substitute Kiel Higginson instantly put us back in contention with a clean header from another tempting Ifans cross and for a while we looked right back in things. Callum Jones – who’s something of a force of nature – was getting a lot of success on the left wing with his improbable dribbles. We missed an open goal at a crucial moment.
We were always vulnerable to a breakaway – Higginson had to hack away Ikpeama’s shot off the line on 72 minutes, only for Sheppard to get Bristol’s 3rd from the subsequently uncleared corner.
Our youngsters kept going and pushing forward. Callum Jones missed a penalty after he’d been brought down on 84 minutes. Higginson almost immediately got his 2nd from distance to bring us back to 2-3. Further attempts by Gray and Callum Jones came to naught.
A couple of our U16s found the going quite tough this evening. It’s another learning episode.
Strong performances in an always entertaining match from Harlan Perry, Osian Williams, Carter Heywood and the mercurial Callum Jones.