Oxford United’s under 18s lost 2-1 at Forest Green Rovers on Saturday morning, losing their chance to close the gap on the leaders in the South West Division of the EFL Youth Alliance.
United were missing keeper Eddie Brearey and defender James Golding due to their call ups to the first team and had a number of injuries but they lacked their usual cohesion and were 2-0 down inside the first 10 minutes, from a penalty and then from losing possession in their own half.
United dominated possession and did their best to claw back the two goals and did get themselves back into the game when Adam Smith scored from the penalty spot, but as Coach Darren Purse told us, conceding two goals in the manner they did had left his side too much to do.
“It was hard today, the conditions very poor and with two goals early on it was really tough to try and come back” he said. “We cannot be giving away goals like that if we are to be contenders to win the league though. We have not been clinical enough all season and do not keep enough clean sheets, which is something we will have to work on 100%.
“I thought Ben Watt and Mac Masters did well but we need to be sharper right from the start of games and will have to improve next weekend when we play Bristol Rovers at home.”
UNITED
Barnsley, Watt, Sankoh (Franklin), Nosakhare, Zabeli (Johnson), Masters, Smith, Coe, Davis-Stephenson (Timberlake), Anifowose (Tiamuna), O’Donkor
Subs not used
Marriot