Oxford United’s under 18s stayed six points clear at the top of the South West Division of the EFL Youth Alliance with a 3-2 win at home to third placed Yeovil Town on Saturday.
The U’s were 3-0 up at the break through a Ryan Crooks goal and two from top scorer Slavi Spasov but were given a scare by the Glovers who scored two quick goals to set up a much closer finish than had seemed likely at half time. Coach Leon Blackmore-Such told us
“All credit to the lads because we had a fantastic win at Burnley on the Tuesday night and a long journey home so we kept telling them to switch on and be ready and not get carried away.
“We took the lead when Ryan Crooks scored straight from a corner- it was windy and it deceived the keeper but it was a decent delivery from Crooksy who has scored some important goals for us. The second goal was good play from Kyran Lofthouse who came inside and freed Slavi who slotted it home to make it 2-0 and then he headed a corner past the keeper for his second to make it 3-0.
“We continued to create chances, Owen James hit the bar, but a sloppy goal at the near post made it 3-1 and then not long after their lad hit a volley from about 30 yards out and it went all along the ground and into the bottom corner to make it 3-2.
“We responded well, didn’t panic and could have made it more comfortable than the final score suggests but we have to learn from that; take your chances, be a bit better in your decision making and make sure you kill teams off.
“But a win all the same and now we have a big game at home to Bournemouth on Thursday morning. They are six points behind us with three games to play, and we will also be playing them in the next round of the FA Youth Cup too, so it’s a match we are all really looking forward to and one we will prepare properly for as always.”
United
Evans, Lofthouse, Sampford. Niblett, Jones, Elechi, McCreadie, Lopes (Chambers-Parillon), Crooks (Stevens), O James (Goodrham), Spasov (Edwards)