That was very much the theme for this weekend as many of our young players were tested in their development by being exposed to playing "at the next level" to aid their progression with results put firmly to one side.
At the older end of the Youth System, the Under 18's had a Puma Junior League game away at Peterborough United.Missing from the squad that travelled were four players who are out gaining valuable experience in "mens" football- James Freshwater at Cogenhoe, Alex Phillips at Newport Pagnall and Jack Higgins at Daventry, all in the UCL while Lewis Hilliard was scoring his fourth goal in three games for Ware Town in the Ryman North League.In addition to these lads, Aynsley McDonald was away in Malta with the Wales Under 17 Squad and Joe Day was on the bench for the First Team game against Mansfield Town.
So, up step four players from the Under 16s to join the remaining eight First Year Scholars, Sean Calcutt and Michael Emery in the squad that played Peterborough United.Although Callum Earls didn't get on, Liam Read and Morgan Phillips acquitted themselves well when they came on in the second half and Jake Gillingwater did superbly well in the heart of the defence with Calcutt.
Indeed, Gillingwater's accomplished display sealed him a scholarship for next season and he becomes the third local lad from the 16's to be offered a place when we return to pre season in July.
For the record, the team played extremely well and were bitterly disappointed to concede a heavily deflected goal in the 80th minute to lose the game 1 - 0 but there were a number of positives to take from the game both as a team and individuals to mean that the result - as it was always going to be with my aims for the squad at the present time -was secondary.
At the younger end of the scale, all of our schoolboy squads played our Blue Square Conference rivals, Histon over the weekend and we also used this as an opportunity to challenge a number of our lads, particularly from the Under 11 and 12 squads, by playing them up a year rather than with their own age group.
On Saturday, Mark Starmer took my Under 12 squad for an away fixture and they were joined by Josh Schampier, Olly Lee, Joe Ackroyd, Liam Littlefair and Alex Harker from Andy Peaks' Under 11s.All of these lads did very well and Peaksy can be proud of them and the superb job he has done with them this season.
On Sunday, I watched three of the boys from my squad perform excellently with Jake Beecroft's Under 13s so well done to Liam Davis, Joe Wenham and Tom Heathfield - I know that the experience will help the excellent progress you have made so far this season.
All in all, I think Starmes and myself can reflect on a successful weekend.Let's hope for many more Saturday afternoons watching the First Team playing at Nene Park with a team containing, as it did against Mansfield, 6 players who have progressed through the Youth ranks at the club.
Paul Driver
Head of Youth Development
p.s. The Youth Team also played QPR at lunchtime today losing 1-0 to a 90th minute Antonio German goal
