Under-23s suffer defeat on the road
With at least a draw required to move back up to 2nd in the northern group of the Professional Development League, our under-23s suffered a 3-2 defeat this afternoon at Ashton Gate against Bristol City.
We took an early lead with a long range effort from Rob Harker (pictured) but it was 1-1 at half time. Jordan Cropper hit a penalty over the bar early in the second half but by the time the referee was pointing to the spot again in stoppage time we were 3-1 behind. Dan Agyei converted this one but it wasn’t enough and we suffered a fourth defeat in eight league games in 2019.
Coach Steve Stone said his players dipped below what is required. He said: “All the things you look at to be a professional footballer, your endeavour, your work-rate to close people down to win the ball back, all the horrible things I always talk about, were missing today, and when that’s missing, that’s a worry for lads who are trying to come through. Sometimes you can lack quality, and lack quality in the final third, but if you’re trying to put a shift in and do your bit for the team you accept that sometimes, but that was unacceptable. We should go and win those sorts of games. They had scholars out and we had first-year pros and were made to look second-rate in the second half for 20-25 minutes and that’s down to work-rate and commitment in that period of the game.”
The teams this afternoon were;
Bristol City: Will Buse, Chris Turner-Williams, Joe Low, Harvey Smith, Barney Soady, Zac Smith, Ricardo Rees, Jayden Ali, Tom Richards, Marcus Day, Sam Bell (Tommy Conway 85). Subs not used: Callum Pearson, Lochlan Robertson, James Taylor, Jamie Taylor.
Burnley: Aidan Stone, Jordan Cropper, Bobby Thomas, Scott Wilson, Anthony Glennon, Tunde Bayode (Mitch George 56), Mark Howarth, Christian N’Guessan, Marley Blair, Rob Harker, Dan Agyei. Subs not used: Kai Calderbank-Park, James Clarke, Tinashe Chakwana, Will Harris.
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