United youngsters lose narrowly at the Bees
A very young Oxford United Development Side lost 1-0 at Brentford this afternoon in a behind closed doors friendly.
With Chey Dunkley the only Oxford player over 20, United also took a look at trialists in goal and at centre-half in a side that paired Sam Long and Miles Welch-Hayes as the full-backs. Aidan Hawtin, Josh Ashby, AJ George and Sam Humphreys formed a four-man midfield while James Roberts and Callum O’Dowda teamed up in attack.
Unusually, all 11 players played the full 90 minutes with no subs used in an even game full of bright passing football on the superb training ground pitch. The Bees won the game when a trialist of their own scored the game’s only goal after 21 minutes but United coach Micky Lewis was happy enough with his team’s effort.
“It was a really entertaining game,” he told us. “The pitch was great and both sides looked to use that to their advantage because the passing and movement were first class from both sides. It was a really good overall performance and we created a lot of chances and were a bit unlucky not to score. There were occasions when the final ball was just missing but that is picking holes in what was a very good display.
“Credit to Brentford who played some nice stuff as well but our lads worked hard, everyone did well and it was really encouraging to see the attitude and the ability they showed.”
United: Trialist, Long, Trialist, Dunkley, Welch-Hayes, Hawtin, Ashby, George, Humphreys, Roberts, O’Dowda