James Collins was pleased with the way his under-21s stood up to the physical test at Wrexham, despite losing 3-0 in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy on Tuesday evening.
The League One side ran out comfortable winners in the end, but the youngsters in Old Gold weren’t afraid to cause their opposition problems in front of almost 4,000 supporters at the Racecourse Ground. Head coach Collins admitted post-match that the work of his players between both boxes was a positive, along with standing up defensively, but there needed to be better quality once the team found themselves in the attacking third.
On the first half performance
“I thought we played some really good stuff. We slightly changed shape out of possession and in possession to cause them a problem and I think we did that.
“We got through them between the two boxes very well. What we didn’t do is threaten in behind enough, we didn’t threaten the goal enough.
“They scored the first from a set-piece which is a silly foul we give away and when you go back to the physicality, you worry about set-pieces when you come up against league opposition because they’re going to have that physical advantage. It was a soft goal to give away and a silly free-kick.
“I thought we did well for the rest of the first half and then conceded a poor second goal, so we’re then two down.
“I told them at half-time that what they’d done between the two boxes was fine, but you’re 2-0 down.”
On the second half and standing up to the challenge
“In the second half, they changed shape slightly to stop us which made it a little bit harder, but we still managed to find ways to get through.
“We had to defend and we knew we’d have to defend. We knew we’d have to stop crosses, stop shots, and I thought we stood up to it really well.
“The third goal goes in and you wonder whether we’ll fold, and we didn’t. I’ve got to be pleased with the boys.
“I believe we were 20/1 odds coming here and that shows the difference between a young under-21 team and an established team with hundreds of league games in their team.
“I can’t go mad at our players because they’ve stood up to it well and played some good football. What we did lack was that threat in behind and the quality to get the ball in behind.”
On playing in front of 4,000 people at Wrexham
“It was a brilliant experience for us. The ideal balance for us is when you’ve got one or two really young ones and the rest are almost league-ready, but you can’t have that every year with an under-21 group.
“We haven’t quite got that this year and we’re a bit undercooked on that. Luke Cundle dropped back in for us and did well, but he’s not played a game for a while and you can see that with Luke – he needs a rhythm and to get playing.
“Alfie Pond and Fil Mabete played well and stood up to it at the back. There’s no getting away from the fact that we’re playing a scholar at left centre back, we’re playing a first-year scholar at right-back and the group isn’t quite ready for that test yet.
“We’re in the competition and we want to be in the competition because the challenge is so good for us and it lived up to that.
“There were 4,000 people inside the ground, so a bit of noise and a bit of atmosphere. Our boys had to handle that and it’s a great learning experience for us.”
