Cup Exit for under 18s at Exeter
Oxford United’s under 18s bowed out of the FA Youth Cup, but with their heads held high after a narrow 2-1 defeat at Exeter City tonight.
2-0 down, United hit back through Jordan Graham but just couldn’t find a second goal, leaving Exeter to go on to face Bolton Wanderers in the third round.
Coach Leon Blackmore-Such told us:
“We are very proud of the effort and application but sometimes in cup football you don’t get your reward.
“We started OK but then a short back pass allowed their forward to nip in and go round Manny Agboola in goal and give Exeter a lead early on. We came back strongly after that and George Jeacock was stretching them down the sides , Jordan Graham and Luke Hastings were getting on the ball and we thought we might get back into it.
“But a set piece cost us; we had four chances to clear it but didn’t get it away and Exeter made it 2-0 and really that gave us a lot to do.
“We made it 2-1 when George Jeacock got through, cut it back for Malachi Napa and he set up Jordan Graham to make it 2-1 and from there we gave it everything. Canice Carroll got over that earlier backpass and was outstanding at the back, Shandon Baptiste ran himself into the ground in midfield and every one of them gave it their all.
“There were chances but we didn’t get the rub of the green, and loose balls and rebounds seemed to go to Exeter at vital moments. Credit to them; they play good football, play out from the back and are a good side, but we are disappointed for the lads because they played really well but go out of a competition we were all hoping to do well in.”
United
Agboola, Diaz-Benitez, Carroll, McCormack, C. Hawtin, Baptiste, Humphries, Hastings (Deacon 80), Napa (Bryan 75), Graham, Jeacock