U18s REPORT: WOLVES 3-0 BURNLEY

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Young Clarets lose out to clinical Wolves side away from home

2021-11-01T09:24:54.603Z

U18s REPORT: WOLVES 3-0 BURNLEY

Young Clarets lose out to clinical Wolves side away from home

2021-11-01T09:24:54.603Z

U17s REPORT: BURNLEY 3-1 BLACKBURN ROVERS - Image 1

Tony Philliskirk and the youth team fell to a 3-0 defeat away at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the U18 Northern Premier League in what was a frustrating afternoon for the young Clarets’ side.

Despite searching for a route back into the game throughout, the young Clarets succumbed to two first half goals with the hosts’ third added midway through the second 45.

After an end-to-end opening to the contest, pressure was being built in and around both boxes without either goalkeeper being tested.

Wolves’ Ty Barnett rattled the underside of the crossbar on the 20-minute mark, before teammate Ackeme Francis-Burrell opened the scoring with a glancing header shortly after.

And after Burnley enjoyed a period of strong possession but failed to take advantage, the hosts doubled their lead before the break.

Tyler Roberts curled the ball into the top corner of Charlie Casper’s net and left the Clarets’ goalkeeper with no chance when given time and space on the edge of the box.

Dan Sassi almost provided an instant response with a header from a free kick prior to the referee’s half time whistle, but his effort was headed off the line.

When the game restarted, Burnley started well and went in search of a goal to halve the deficit, but Josh Esen added a third for Wolves with another inch-perfect curler past Casper on the hour mark.

Clarets boss Philliskirk made changes and his side never gave up, but there was no way through a resilient defence from the hosts.

Both Dane McCullough and Tremaine Eastmond went close in added time, forcing saves out of Wolves’ ‘keeper James Storer, though it ended 3-0 to the hosts come full time.

Burnley: Casper, Williams, Leckie, Sassi, McCullough, Etaluku (Tioffo 71’), Bauress, Couch (Gromek 71’), Walters (Le Fondre 64’), Ratchford, Eastmond

Subs: Vilar Robinson, James

Post-match at the Sir Jack Hayward training ground, Philliskirk reflected on a difficult afternoon but was pleased with the effort shown by his team throughout.

He said: “Sometimes in football, you hold your hands up and say that you’ve lost to the better team. Today was one of those days for us and there was a distinct difference in the physicality of both teams which showed today for me.

“The work that we do in terms of fitness, strength & conditioning is so important anyway, but it is even more so when an opposition team are more physical than you which can’t be helped sometimes.

“I think today will help the lads to realise that even more so than they already did before today’s game, but at the same time, two of their goals were wonder strikes which took the match away from us.

“If those don’t go in, we could’ve been a goal down and chasing an equaliser at the end of the game when we were putting pressure on their defence.

“We changed the formation in the second half, and I have to give the lads credit because they kept going to the end and we did have some chances to grab at least a goal.

“We had good spells in both halves which we will reflect positively on, but they were a very good team and all we can do is learn from it to go again next time out.”

The young Clarets return to action with a Bonfire night trip away to Stoke City on Friday, November 5. Kicking off at 7:00PM, that game will take place at the Potters’ Clayton Wood training ground.