Youth team are so gutsy

“THEY were the better team, but our lads gave everything and we couldn’t have asked for much more.”

That was the verdict of youth team boss Tony Philliskirk on his team’s 3-1 home loss to Preston in the Lancashire Youth Cup semi-final.

The home side battled bravely at Chapel Road against older opposition.

Goalkeeper Luke Simpson had an outstanding game, saving a penalty to add to a number of stops which, allied to a strong defensive effort, kept the visitors out until the 43rd minute when a lapse led to the opening Preston goal.

Athletic managed an equaliser on the hour when Jack Laird curled home a superb free-kick.

But the visitors hit back with a pair of strikes inside five minutes to surge back into the lead.

Laird struck the woodwork again with a shot from long range and Carlton McIntosh failed to connect properly with a chance in the six-yard box, before Ryan Ellison’s foul led to a spot-kick which was parried away superbly by Simpson.

THE next intake of scholars performed admirably in holding Shrewsbury to a 0-0 draw in a Football League Youth Alliance North-West clash.

The display at Chapel Road, from a team containing eight schoolboys and trialists, drew praise from Philliskirk.

“It was a real positive for us,” he said. “As a team, we defended so well even when we tired towards the end.”

Hot prospect Ellison had a header cleared off the line for Athletic against their older opponents.