A very young Oxford United U18s side lost 5-1 to Swindon Town this afternoon.

With the U18s having finished for the season, the U16s stood in to face rivals Swindon Town in the Merit League at the Bangkok Glass Training Centre.

The visitors put three past the U’s in the opening twenty, before U15 Leo Snowden pulled one back before half time. Two goals in the last ten minutes then sunk United to defeat.

Coach Niall Keown said

“It was a disappointing start and we probably left ourselves too much to do from that, but there were some positives to take from the game.

“We had two U14s playing who did exceptionally well given that they were playing against boys three or four years above them, so we’re happy with that aspect.

“Leo got his fifth goal in five games playing for the 18s and considering he’s only fourteen that’s a real achievement. He worked hard all day and he got us back into the game with the goal.

“The reaction was good, and once we’d ironed out the early mistakes it was a much more competitive game. We conceded two late goals when the boys were a bit deflated and it’s a disappointing result, but we’ll take the positives and move on.

LINEUP: Du Plessis, Gardner, Bennett, Palmer-Flynn, Mole, Lacey, Webb, Holton, Snowden, Travin, Griffiths

SUBS: Markham, Lee, Akinwalere, Took-Oxley, Rangecroft