Under-18s suffer Foxes loss

Our Under-18s couldn’t capitalise on a positive start, slipping to a 4-1 defeat at Leicester City on Saturday lunchtime.

We hit the front inside six minutes at the Foxes’ training centre in Seagrave, Jamie Donley bagging his first goal since his recent return from a two-month injury lay-off after being set up by Rio Kyerematen.

But the hosts’ Jack Butterfill hit us with a quickfire double to turn the match around, equalising on 12 minutes before making it 2-1 just two minutes later.

We stayed in the game as half-time came and went, but when Chris Popov converted a penalty to make it 3-1 on 63 minutes, we were left with an uphill task. Amani Richards subsequently completed the scoring 13 minutes from time.

We’d made a fine start in tricky weather conditions and deservedly took the lead when some good build-up play involving Billy Heaps and Kyerematen allowed Donley to produce a good finish low into the corner of the net from 20 yards out.

But we were made to pay for some of our defensive decisions as Butterfill was allowed to go through and score one-on-one against goalkeeper Luca Gunter twice in quick succession to give his side the upper hand.

Our efforts to get back into the game suffered a blow shortly after the hour mark when Alfie Dorrington was penalised for a challenge in the box and Popov scored from the resultant spot-kick, but we refused to lie down and had a couple of good chances to make it 3-2 through Heaps and substitute Tom Bloxham, but sadly they both came to nothing. Richards then wrapped it up for Leicester with a goal on the counter-attack, completing a 4-1 final scoreline.

‘We have to understand the importance of decision-making in both boxes’

Under-18s Coach Stuart Lewis said: “It was a really good start with a good team build-up for Jamie’s goal and a great finish from him, but unfortunately we couldn’t sustain the lead for long enough in tough weather conditions. The boys have got to learn, because after conceding the equaliser, that can’t then become two goals, because that then gives Leicester something to hold onto. We had numerous opportunities in the final third to get back into it but we weren’t able to show that cutting edge or ruthlessness and Leicester hit us with a third and fourth goal in the second half, so it was a tough scoreline to take. We have to understand the importance of decision-making in both boxes, which is something we’ve spoken a lot about over the course of the season – that includes the importance of defending your goal and the team making good defensive decisions, but also the need to show a clinical edge in the final third because there were a number of opportunities to get back into it, but we didn’t show that calmness to score what could have been a game-turning goal.”