Portsmouth 3-3 Rovers
Our U-18 side picked up their first point of the season with a 3-3 draw at Portsmouth last Saturday, a result achieved with goals from Elliot Green, Laurent Davis-Wilson and Callum Bingham."We experienced the whole range of emotions in the game," said Youth team Coach Alan Walsh, from disappointment, to frustration, to elation.
"We started the game brightly but squandered a one on one chance with the keeper on five minutes, and three minutes later we found ourselves a goal down.
"Portsmouth had a quick player out wide on the right and tried to find him with a diagonal ball as often as they could. He supplied the cross from which they opened their account, with their man having a free header at the far post.
"Both sides had chances after that, but we conceded a second goal on 25 minutes and again their wide man played his part, as his shot was parried away by goalkeeper Cameron Clarke but only as far as an unmarked Portsmouth player who was left with a simple tap in."
A drinks break on the half hour mark enabled Alan's side to regroup and emphasise the need to cut out the supply to the right sided Portsmouth player.
"We did that quite well and created a good goal five minutes before half time when Elliott Green headed home from a great Ryan Broom cross.
"We controlled the game, to a degree, in the second half and created a number of chances. We sent on Laurent Davis-Wilson and triallist Tom Jones on the hour mark and Laurent got us back in the game when he beat a couple of players on a run into the box and slipped the ball past the Portsmouth keeper.
"Callum Bingham, who went on with 20 minutes remaining, put us in front with five minutes to go when he slotted the ball home after good work between Laurent and Jay Malpas.
"However poor defending cost us a third goal shortly afterwards and we had to settle for a draw which was disappointing after we had worked so hard to recover a two goal deficit to take the lead.
Team: Cameron Clarke, Bradley Confrey, Tom Fry, Louis Ezwele, Tyler Lyttle, Jay Malpas, Elliot Green (Tom Jones, 60), Connor Jones (Callum Bingham, 70), Blake Davies (Laurent Davis-Wilson, 60), Ryan Broom, George Corp