Oxford United’s under 18s were beaten 3-2 at home by Exeter City on Saturday in the EFL Youth Alliance but the result doesn’t tell the full story.
With a big FA Youth Cup game at Gillingham on Tuesday night the U’s took the chance to field a side that combined their under 15s and 16s and although they found themselves 3-0 down against an older Exeter side they staged a remarkable comeback to make it 3-2.
“They were on top at the end and unlucky not to get something out of the game” Coach Pablo Haysham told us.
“We have a very talented group in those two age groups and they will learn a lot from Saturday. Playing against people two or three years older, at that stage in their development, is always going to be a challenge but they never let their heads drop, they kept playing and got the two goals back through Freddie Milner and Jack Lee.
“It would have been nice to get something out of the game but ultimately it’s all about helping them as players and this was a good game for them all.
“The older lads now have to match that determination when we travel down to Gillingham on Tuesday.”
UNITED
Treml, Palmer-Flynn, Trialist, Trialist, Blackmore, Holton, Doyle, Milner, Griffiths, Dourish, Abokade