Archived News from November 2002
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YOUTH AND RESERVE NEWS
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Stags youth team lost their Football League Youth Alliance Cup game against Walsall last night by 3-2.
Stags scorers were Jake Buxton and Andy Jones. (Apologies that we did not know the date of this fixture in advance - Martin) Report from http://www.saddlers.co.uk below. Meanwhile the Reserves fixture at Grimsby yesterday was called off because of the rain. ------------- Walsall Youngsters Make Cup Progress report from http://www.saddlers.co.uk THE SADDLERS' Under-19 team have made progress into the third round of The Football League Youth Alliance Cup as a Matt Fryatt hat-trick helped us overcome the challenge of Mansfield Town by three goals to two. "In what was a tough game against a bright Mansfield team we acquitted ourselves well and deserved the victory," said youth team boss John Kerr. "Our hosts put the pressure on in the opening exchanges, but we matched them and after changing our shape slightly this allowed us to eventually get on top. "After Matt Harris had made a couple of important saves we went on to take the lead ten minutes before the break as Eliot Paschalis set Matt Fryatt free and he was fouled in the area to win a spot-kick which he duly stepped up to convert. "It was nice to be able to give Andy Harris and Andy Worley some much-needed match action as they come back from injury in what was a generally young side. "We came out battling for the start of the second half and was able to play some nice football as well as matching our opponents for effort and endeavour. It wasn't long before we doubled our lead as Fryatt chased down a back-pass to the 'keeper and duly carved out an opening for himself which he tucked away. "This goal signalled a bit of a revival by the home side and they managed to reduce the arrears before capitalising upon a slip by Andy Harris to equalise shortly afterwards. "It was pleasing to see that we didn't panic or lose patience despite losing our two-goal lead and continued to play the football that I know we are capable of. We kept on at the task in hand and finally got our reward with just three minutes left as Fryatt broke the offside trap before coolly slotting home to complete his hat-trick and send us into the next round. "Overall I was pleased with the spirit that we displayed. The game provided us with a good test of character and we came through it well." The game saw us pick up a couple of injury set-backs as firstly Irish defender Jonny Harkness was forced to leave the field on the half-hour mark after taking a knock before goalkeeper Matt Harris took a blow to the face which saw him replaced by Dean Coleman on 78 minutes. WALSALL: M. Harris (Coleman), Platt, Churchill, Wheeler, A. Harris, Harkness (Lloyd), Willetts, Paschalis, Worley, Fryatt, D. Taylor. Subs not used: Branch, Winsper. |
Latest | November 2002