While the First Team were drawing at Wigan yesterday the Under 18s were recording a fine 3-0 win away at Bristol Rovers in the EFL Youth Alliance South West.

Two goals from top scorer Gatlin O’Donkor and a good strike from Elijah Coe earned the U’s all three points despite an early red card for striker Adam Smith, as Chris Hackett told us:

“It was an eventful 90 minutes but credit to the lads for winning the game despite playing for most of it with ten men.

"It was a realy positive result for a young group having played four games in ten days, which tested them mentally and physically. It was good to see some of the first years and under 16s step up and show leadership qualities and those are big plusses for the group going forward.

“We took the lead after a couple of minutes when Gatlin powered through the defence and fired it across the keeper from close in. But a couple of minutes later Adam was sent off and that obviously gave Rovers a lift and meant we had to dig in a bit.

“We did that then well then won a free kick which was delivered into the area. Their defender didn’t clear it and Gatlin showed a good reaction to make it 2-0

“Fraser Barnsley made a couple of key saves and our centre halves Erion Zabeli and George Franklin coped with the pressure Bristol put on with their extra man , which was great to watch and gave us a clean sheet, and Elijah scored a good goal for 3-0 so all in all it was a really strong performance and boys showed a bit of character.”

Line Up:

Barnsley, Sankoh, Zabeli, Franklin, Maxwell, Johnson (60’ Took-Oxley), Anifowose, Coe (80’ Elliot-Wheeler), Smith, Tiamuna (75’ Davis-Stephenson), O’Donkor